Mia Moretti for Woodkid
Woodkid
You’ve nominated Woodkid as your artist to watch, how did you first come across his music?
Mia Moretti: I met him on a video shoot, and he gave me a copy of his EP. It was so unique and different from everything else I was hearing at the time. His powerful vocals married with booming percussive drums made my heart stop the first time I heard it.
Woodkid is also known for directing his music videos, as well as those of many other musicians, how important is video for today’s musical talents?
Mia Moretti: Video is extremely important. It’s the heart of the artist. It’s their chance to visually connect their listeners with what they have created sonically.
As a DJ, what are your methods for discovering new music, how much of that is online vs. in the clubs?
Mia Moretti: I think it’s important to incorporate a good mix of both. I also try to go to a lot of festivals and catch new acts that have just started touring.
Tell us a little bit about why certain musicians stand out to you, and what you look for in a new artist or record.
Mia Moretti: If I knew the answer I’d be working in A&R, but the truth is I would probably be horrible at that. For me, it’s much more about the feeling I get from an artist rather than what I’m actively looking for, and most the time that feeling isn’t what sells records. But I think surprises are great, and anyone doing something unconventional, I’m usually a fan of. It’s important to create your own niche as an artist rather than trying to mold youself to fit in another’s corner.
Why is Woodkid exciting and different to you, tell us why you chose him as your nominee.
Mia Moretti: Woodkid portrays his music throughout depictions of falling and rising cities, children growing into adults, warriors and tribes winning and losing in battle. He doesn’t make himself the focus of all the music, but rather a player. I think it’s a very bold and daring move in 2013 to say, “I’m not going to be the most important thing in this video, and it’s still going to be awesome,” because a lot of people might not buy into it. I think the music and videos are so well done that it just simply works. He’s also known for performing with a 20+ person string section, so as a dj that performs with a string player, I’m always enchanted by legato melodies and warm tones.
His powerful vocals married with booming percussive drums made my heart stop
You’ve recently collaborated on a fashion line, what else can we expect from Mia Moretti for 2013?
Mia Moretti: The Dolls (my collaboration with Caitlin Moe) are releasing their second single, Summer of ’93 this Spring, and we will be touring throughout summer to promote the new track. I’m also a judge on Master of the Mix, which premiers on April 1st on VH1.
Woodkid
Mia Moretti
Mia Moretti is best known for her work DJing high profile fashion functions and premier clubs, along with working on her own original music productions. Having gained attention for genre-spanning tastes, Moretti incorporates songs from every musical realm into her DJ sets. She has been responsible for producing hit remixes for Katy Perry, Robyn, and Rye Rye. Recently, Moretti released the single “So Beautiful” with violinist Caitlin Moe. In addition to her musical pursuits, Moretti has also dabbled in fashion design as well. For Pencey’s Spring 2013 collection, Moretti collaborated on a 10 piece jazz-era inspired capsule collection, “Mia Moretti x Pencey.”
Nominator/Nominee
