After appearing on 'The Voice' last year and with years of experience writing songs for others, soulful R&B artist Mack Moses is using 2020 to establish his solo brand.
He has written recently with Aussie music legend Ross Wilson and travelled to America to work one-on-one with super producer Teddy Riley (The Neptunes, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson), a collaboration that is ongoing.Mack has spent the last few weeks writing daily (up to three songs a day), using his isolation to fuel his creative endeavours that resulted in 'The Covid Tapes'.
You've had 20 years in the industry as a songwriter behind the scenes; how have those experiences shaped your own, solo creative endeavours?
Twenty years? Damn, I must've been five when I started. No, I think some people find themselves immediately as a person and as a songwriter. It took me a while to find myself if I'm honest – on both fronts. I'm comfortable now, I know that I am a product of my influences.
I grew up around so much music across a vast range of genres – and that has shaped me as a songwriter. I'm at this weird point now where if someone sends me a beat to write to, if I'm in the zone I can hear someone singing to me what the perfect melody should be; I have to listen out for it but it's there – either in my head or in the stratosphere somewhere.
Tell us a bit about your experience last year on 'The Voice'; it was quite the emotional roller coaster, right?
It was emotional. More emotional than I thought it would be.
I will say this, I've been on stages big and small all my life but nothing can prepare you for that moment, especially when you are doing it for such a huge reason. It felt like I had my whole family on my shoulders when I walked out for the blinds. I guess it fuelled me though; as soon as the music started that all went away and it was like 'ok let's go'.
Overall, I look back at the whole thing as an amazing experience. I made some friends for life, I got to sing to my daughter on national TV and I answered my own, personal question that was nagging me – what if I went on a reality TV show?
You were able to record your debut album 'Cassandra' after 'The Voice', with the first single 'Space' a tribute to your late sister; how cathartic was that experience to be able to share, express a range of emotions through the power of music?
It was the outlet I needed – really needed.
If I didn't have the studio and creativity then it would've come out in other ways, possibly stupid ways. I'm not really a 'hey let's sit down and talk about my feelings' type of guy, which maybe I should be. So this was an opportunity for me to express all my feelings in my music, the song 'Space' especially.
People often talk about spiritual feelings taking over during the songwriting process and that never happened with me, until 'Space'. It LITERALLY wrote itself. In fact the whole bridge/ B section is one take, I didn't even write what I was going to sing – what you hear is me just spitting out ad lib that came directly from inside. I didn't edit, re-record it or even listen to it again; that was it. It will always be my tribute to my sister; it's still hard to listen to for me.
The music clip for 'Space' is beautiful; it must've been an emotional, but satisfying process to edit the clip together with all the home videos of your sister?
I'm still not really at a point where I can watch videos of Cass, I kind of turn away. I chose all the footage, but it was edited and put together by the video directors.
The original idea wasn't for me to be in it at all, but we wanted to send the message that the narrative of the song is me looking over our time together and saying 'there's always a space in my mind for you, everyday'.
What other opportunities arose from being a contestant on 'The Voice'?
I think outside of the relationships I made on 'The Voice', the main thing I can take from it is the performance opportunities that came with it.
Since then, I have been on the list for some major events (even if it is at the bottom of the list); I wasn't on that list before. So I'm grateful that at least I am being looked into for some of these events – the aim now is how can I get to the top of that list? It's a matter of just working out what you're strengths are, keeping it fun and relatable, and always having energy when you perform.
I'm keen to get back on the stage man; after lockdown, I will perform at your grandparents 70th wedding anniversary if it involves me leaving the house!
You told me the the fire to create has 'never burned this bright' in you; what has inspired, driven this creative flow you’re experiencing at the moment?
COVID-19. I love overcoming stuff. So we are in lockdown, I can't do live gigs, my music academy Hit Makers Australia has to go on temporary pause – what can I do? I can write music.
When I was in my early 20s I heard one of my mentors say 'write a song a day and finish it' – right now, I am writing three a day, vocals recorded and sent off, on to the next one. I'm just hungry at the moment. If we are going to be in quarantine then how can I set-up the rest of the year, so that I'm excited about things to come. For me, the answer is writing new music for myself and for other artists.
You've been working on some new material with 'The Covid Tapes'; the soulful jam 'Dim Your Light' is a head nodder, while 'Take Me Home Again' is a real burner; piano hooks are sublime; what's been the inspiration, creative direction of this batch of music?
These ideas came from the very start of lockdown. Sometimes you need to write a few songs and get the ball rolling, then the really good ones come flowing. I wanted to let people hear these.
'Dim Your Light' was me just jamming out; I think it has a throwback '70s funk vibe. 'Take Me Home Again' is two ideas in one. I was starting to write an idea for Ross Wilson, who has written some of my favourite Aussie songs of all time (Daddy Cool/ Mondo Rock); the song took a R&B turn and I decided to bring it out myself, but I sent it to Ross first – he gave me a few great pointers on lyrical changes and he actually came up with the title.
Is this the precursor to another Mack Moses studio album?
Hmm, no I don't think so. I feel like that hole I needed to fill is filled, does that make sense? I'm really into writing new stuff and working with other artists. We have some exciting new songs coming out late in the year and early next year – honestly I have never been this excited about new releases.
Tell us about the relationship you've fostered with super-producer Teddy Riley?
It's crazy man. Long story short, Teddy saw a cover I did of a song he produced 'My Prerogative' by Bobby Brown and reached out to me (it's on my Insta).
Anyway, I flew up to Fresno, California to meet him and the guy is an absolute legend in more ways than one. He answered all my annoying questions and shared so many experiences over dinner, I got to sit with him one-on-one in the studio and watch him work. Like WORK, WORK!
Now I know why he is so great; he will spend all night on something that goes for five seconds – it has made me a better worker. Since then, we have been working on finding the right demos for various projects – he's going to bring back that old-school '90s R&B vibe and when that happens. . . sheeeeesh!
They say never meet your heroes, but that's not the case with him – he discovered The Neptunes, he's famous for bringing up and nurturing talent.
You're also writing with some nu disco, house producers; any news there you can share?
Yes! So it's been a minute since I have written top-lines for house/ disco music. In lockdown, I've been back working on new music with some friends and dance-floor maestros: L'Tric, Andy Murphy, Jolyon Petch and a heap more. It feels natural.
I think I needed this lockdown to show me this is a part of my life I was missing. I'm hell bent on pushing myself to come back with the best possible vocal for the song – whatever it may be.
Once lockdown is over and travel to the US opens again, your publishing label 120 is sending you over there to collaborate; but you've been doing some virtual sessions already, right?
120 have been awesome. I've worked with guys from New York, Sydney, UK etc. etc. all from my studio in Melbourne.
Look, nothing beats being in the room and feeling that feeling but you have to make the most of a tough situation, and I think these virtual sessions are the answer. Again, some really exciting stuff to come from this. I hate looking at my face in a FaceTime though; it's always that under-the-chin grandpa style footage!
