A Quick Chat with Mo•Louie
Can you tell us about this new era of Mo•Louie?
YES! I’m in my give no fucks, slutty, messy, dancy, empowered era! Lol. The last year I have had a truly enlightening experience as a person, producer and artist. I’m trusting my gut more and more when making musical and artistic decisions which is really bringing the world of the music and visuals to life. I’m also doing so much collaboration that makes me thrive! I love working with people in a creative sense, it’s a thrilling experience. I’ve been leaning way more into edgier forms of art and have been surrounded by performances, art, theatre and music that have pushed me creatively and as a person. I’m really living more of an authentic creative life (as my therapist says hahaha).
You went to Germany earlier in the year. What was that for and what was that experience like?
I went to Germany in May because I received a scholarship from Collarts (where I studied Music Production) to take part in International Songwriter Week at Popakademie in Mannheim, Germany. International Songwriter Week is a project run by Popakademie in partnership with German Music Publishing. During this week, we wrote songs in small teams and were mentored by esteemed international songwriters (this year Matt Rad, Michelle Leonard & Greg Taro to name a few). The songs are recorded and produced by Popakademie students & Collarts students. The songs written across the week are then pitched to A&R representatives from numerous record labels. I worked with some extraordinary writers and producers and made some amazing friends and colleagues.
The program lasted for a week and then I traveled around the Netherlands & Germany and played my first show in Berlin, which was an unforgettable experience. I saw some really cutting edge performance art, burlesque and drag that I got to be part of which was surreal.
Take us through your new track Hold You, what is it about?
Hold You is about being overcome with sexual attraction to someone who you don’t know, no matter what state you are in, and viciously following that through.
How would you describe the track to someone before they listen to it?
I would give them dot points:
Alt-pop
Dirty
Dance
Zero fucks (given) many fucks (had)
pleasure/pain
How was it written?
I wrote the track with Dirty Versachi (Ven X) about 4-5 years ago. Since then it has developed heaps. We kept coming back to it individually and/or together. The past year I’ve been working on the track with Moses Carr & Andy McEwan (Huntly) and turned it into a dirty club banger! Haha. We love playing with synths so Moses and I worked heavily on crafting the sounds of the synths and bass which really give the track its Alt vibe. Andy and I worked on the beat to give it a real dance vibe and I recorded VOX with Becki Whitton (who also mixed the track) and I did the vocal production of the track.
Take us through the video clip. What was the inspiration behind that?
My thought for the film clip was to represent me being suffocated by my everyday life, being completely burned out and knocked down and just wanting to go out and get messy. Rather than put this ‘suffocated’ feeling aside and go out, drink, dance and have a good time, I would use the frustration to elevate my free and reckless experience and using that energy with someone I don’t know and feeling it with them sexually. So the pain and pleasure coincides, which I’ve tried to represent breathing through the plastic and staining my lipstick all over it.
I am really drawn to music and music videos that have something that’s a bit “off” about it or is really dramatic or theatrical. Like I love how Charli xcx has used this kind of pop shell, but fucks it up with crazy samples and synths and manipulates her vocal sound using it as like textures. I’m also drawn to anything theatrical that takes me on a journey, videos like Travis Scott Highest in the Room, Michael Jackson Thriller, Childish Gambino This is America.
When you’re performing, what type of atmosphere and experience do you aim to foster or curate?
My main objective is always for audiences to be immersed in my set, forget their worries for a bit and just have a good time. I’m very authentic when it comes to a show, I never use the same set, I always either shape it to how I am feeling at the time or the feel of the event. I really use how I’m feeling and use it as a catharsis when I perform on stage. I’ve also gotten more theatrical when it comes to stage plotting and how my songs are woven into one another. I love movies and movie trailers, so I usually spend a bit of time/have fun with musical transitions into each song, and use a lot of samples and theatrical elements. You could say that the atmosphere I like to create is a playground, I want things to be exciting and playful!
What’s been your most memorable performance to date, either professionally or personally?
Most memorable would be in 2022 on stage with Dirty Versachi at Heaps Gay's Pardi Gras which was the official after party of the 2022 Sydney Mardi Gras. It was so much fun, the crowd was huge, colourful and beautiful, the energy of the space was off the charts.
What are your other interests outside of music? Do they influence your music and if so, in what ways?
For the last year I have been boxing, my goal is to do a sparring match one day! I love the beach, I’ve basically grown up always going to the beach, it just makes me feel really relaxed and happy. I love fashion, art, going to art galleries, theatre and movies. Everything I do is somehow woven into my music, particularly my interests in art, fashion, theatre & movies.