Q&A: Full of Love As Ever, Moses Thee Artist Is Back
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY GIGI KANG ☆
Photo by Lauren Nieves
“SO SYSTEMATIC” IS THE FIRST SINGLE IN THREE YEARS—from LA-based interdisciplinary Moses Thee Artist. Following his 2023 EP Avant-Dark, Moses took some time off to gather inspiration, including a trip to New York City where he started writing the single. Now, Moses is gearing up to release all that he’s been pouring his heart into.
“SO SYSTEMATIC” is an extension of Avant-Dark. It subtly carries forward the dark-wave sound of the EP, while revealing how Moses has evolved. The song injects new sounds, like elements of dance music in which Moses has found deep inspiration.
The first line of the song is, “My heart is pure.” There’s something hopeful about those words being the first we hear from Moses Thee Artist in three years. They show that he’s still who we know him to be, and his dreams continue to live. The entire song is an expression of his belief in himself which is fitting because Moses has always been an artist who knows exactly who he is. No deceit, no mask and no need for it—Moses Thee Artist is just himself, and that is entirely enough.
Pairing up with Princess Superstar and Plasmic on music yet to come, Moses is currently inspired by the warehouse raves he spent a lot of time in during the 2010s. Beyond the music, this inspiration extends to visuals captured by Lauren Nieves.
“I want people to take themselves into the warehouse raves I used to go to back in the day,” Moses tells me. “I rented a warehouse on the outskirts of LA. We shot during dusk, played my music the whole time, danced and got some amazing shots.”
“SO SYSTEMATIC” is just a peek into the collection of songs Moses has created with love. I’ve heard it and can say it’s truly his best so far. It’s experimental, yet it’s so Moses. Be sure to stay connected with him so you don’t miss all that’s to come.
“Making art professionally is a privilege,” Moses says. “Plasmic always tells me, ‘Moses, you’re the visionary. I’m just your paintbrush.’ I love that. I’m excited for people to hear this, and I’m excited for the doors that this is going to open.”
Read my full conversation with Moses Thee Artist below.
Photo by Lauren Nieves
LUNA: What have you been experimenting with musically since Avant-Dark?
MOSES THEE ARTIST: After Avant-Dark, I started to build a playlist of what I envisioned myself working on for the next project. [It included] songs that I love and want to be inspired by, like dance music which is having a huge comeback right now. We can always note Charli XCX with BRAT. You have Lorde, Zara Larsson and others who are bringing dance music to the forefront again. They’re bringing that solo artist, pop dance music. It pushed me to go in that direction.
Also, I grew up in the rise of EDM in the 2010s and the Daft Punk of it all. I knew that was within me, so I built a playlist and started writing when I took a trip to New York in the spring of 2024. I sat outside and I was like, “Okay, it’s time to put pen to paper.”
LUNA: Lyrically, there’s so much self-affirmation across your music. You express this deep belief in yourself which has always been core to you as an artist. Tell me about how you decided that was the direction for these lyrics.
MOSES THEE ARTIST: It’s always such a subconscious thing, being who I am and where I come from. My mother had me at an early age and she defied the odds. My grandmother raised her amazingly, but it was an era of time where she [built a] tough exterior. When she got pregnant with me, she told me that I saved her life. Her and I have always been a team taking on this world. The women in my life have shown me so much love and adoration. They put these beliefs within me since I was born. They showered me with love and told me that I needed to spread my light.
It’s a weird thing because when I was young, I had all these people loving me, then I got to the fundamental years of elementary and middle school where bullying starts. I empathize with them because those kids were probably going through horrible things in their childhood that they projected. I started to see that the world isn’t always going to love you. I had to deal with that, but I knew that if I wanted to do the things I wanted to do, I had to affirm to myself that I’m amazing, that I love myself, that I’m a light and that I’m talented.
I know that my foundation and my core is love. No matter what anybody says, no matter what thoughts people try to put in my head, I need to go for what I want to go for. I’ve always known that I love the arts. I gravitated towards color, fabrics and performance. Affirming myself has been the only way for me to move forward and go after my dreams.
LUNA: Well, we’re both writers so I know we both believe in the power of words. When I listened to your upcoming music, I could just feel the power of self-love. It triggers that within the listener as well.
MOSES THEE ARTIST: Right now, I’m in a place where I need to show people who I am. Of course, I’m going to have experimental records where I write about specific stories or a specific concept. But people need to know me and my core fundamentals and values. I believe in myself and I want people to believe in themselves. I want people to be themselves and move forward in their lives with power and conviction.
LUNA: “SO SYSTEMATIC” and your upcoming music was inspired by your days at warehouse raves. What about that scene left such a mark that you’re still writing about it years later?
MOSES THEE ARTIST: I’m such a sucker for nostalgia. With Avant-Dark, I wrote about [my life from] 17 to 19. Now, it’s about 20 to 22. I loved that era because I was just with my friends, us against the world. All we wanted to do was dance and live our lives. We had jobs and I was in university, but my one escape was going to these warehouse parties. Social media wasn’t prevalent back then, there weren’t people recording your every move, so it was freeing. It was also a very inclusive [environment]. Being a queer artist, I feel like it was [a place where] everybody was welcome. I felt like that story needed to be told, especially within this dance resurgence.
LUNA: From Lady Gaga to Tool, I know that you love all kinds of music. What do you enjoy most about combining genres?
MOSES THEE ARTIST: Combining genres is something I’ll do forever. I think when you’re an artist, your music should reflect who you are. That’s the ultimate truth. I was raised on many genres, so I have much to pull from. Mixing genres is innate for me. The producers I worked with on this music really helped create a mixture.
LUNA: Princess Superstar and Plasmic, right? How did those collaborations come together?
MOSES THEE ARTIST: I was on TikTok one day and I saw this woman going down a river in full Chanel holding a gold record. She was like, “You could do this when you get a gold record 15 years later for your single.” I looked her up and I was like, “I know this song! [It was] ‘Perfect (Exceeder).’” That song is incredible and I knew a few of her other songs. So, I messaged her and she wrote me back. I sent her my work and she loved it. That was such a significant part of my journey. We had coffee, talked for two hours and I just felt this kismet connection.
Then I met Plasmic, who is an incredible artist. This project wouldn’t be here without both of them. Plasmic is the main producer behind these beats and these rhythms and these arrangements—truly genius. She’s an artist herself. She’s hyper-pop, experimental. When she sent me a demo for the first track, I literally teared up listening to it because I felt like, “This is who I’m supposed to work with.”
LUNA: What do you want listeners to know about “SO SYSTEMATIC”?
MOSES THEE ARTIST: “SO SYSTEMATIC” is a love letter to and a continuation of my first EP. I like to have a thread throughout all I do, but I want it to evolve. I knew the first track [I release] was going to be that thread, then it would switch as you listen on. “SO SYSTEMATIC” has elements of dark wave, which is completely what my first EP was. Alternative rap, ‘80s New Wave and synth pop are the main genres of the song. It’s a comeback song for me. It’s been three years, so I wanted people to see the growth. I’m stronger than ever and I want to continue this journey.
Photo by Lauren Nieves
