Inspired #266 - Honey Mooncie
British artist Honey Mooncie returns with her first piece of music for 2021 with new single ‘Here For Me’ - which is a perfect mix of Neo-soul, R&B and pop with lush melodies. She took a moment to talk to us about the inspirations behind her music.
Who are your top three musical inspirations and why?
Carole King, Lianne La Havas and Amy Winehouse. I’ve always admired how Amy Winehouse and Lianne La Havas found a way to take elements from old Jazz and Soul music and reimagine them in a modern and original way. My singing teacher got me to listen to Carole King after our first lesson years ago and from the moment I heard the album ‘Tapestry’ I was hooked, her songwriting is beautiful.
Is there a certain film that inspires you and why?
I love old films, ‘Funny Face’ with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire is one of my all time favourites. I write a lot of love songs and I think the love stories in old films are the best. I was inspired by films like these to write a track on my upcoming mix tape called ‘1953’.
What city do you find the most inspiring and why?
I haven’t traveled too much, so I suppose London would be the most inspiring! That’s where I write the majority of my songs, I love the hustle and bustle and how busy it is there.
Who is the most inspiring person to you and why?
I’m hugely inspired by Audrey Hepburn, she’s one of my favourite people. She worked in film during a particularly difficult time for women, let alone women in the industry and to see someone so successful at a young age is very motivational. She also dedicated a huge amount of her time to charity work which is amazing and something I’d definitely like to get more involved with.
What were your inspirations when writing your new track?
When we were writing ‘Here For Me’ I remember talking about ‘Frank’ Amy Winehouse’s first album and discussing our favourite songs on the album. I suppose from that conversation elements of a jazz/hip hop crossover naturally influenced this track. I’m a massive fan of anything cinematic sounding, one of my favourite parts of this track are the strings, I was inspired by a lot of 60s Motown whilst writing this track and the rest of the project.
How would you like to inspire people?
I’d like to think that my music inspires other people my age to work hard for what they want to do. I feel very lucky to work with amazing people and be able to create music I love. I think It’s important to believe in yourself and your passions, I hope one day my music will set an example of this.