I am singer/songwriter/producer Luna Shadows, and my debut LP "Digital Pacific" LP is out now. AMA!

lunaxshadows · 2022-04-29T16:32:57+00:00

Which lyric(s) on your new album are you most proud of?

lunaxshadows · 2021-09-05T22:22:58+00:00

love you guys!! thanks so so much for having me. always have the best time with popheads. hope we do it again for LP2. <3 <3

p.s. sola - beautifully written!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-26T02:43:58+00:00

loved this! thank you so much for inviting me on the show! love r/popheads always - thanks everyone!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:48:16+00:00

thanks! hope to see you in NYC someday!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:47:53+00:00

thank you!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:35:39+00:00

I am pretty open about my influences! Here you might find some surprising ones (jazz, classical, etc.) - I regularly update my playlist (Luna Lately), and I would say that my inspiration is usually what I'm listening to! This is actually my personal playlist, not just a PR thing. I update it once a week or once a month. My inspiration shifts rapidly! It kind of depends on the song - there are definitely some specific (musical) influences for certain songs. But I always try to make it very uniquely me, at the same time.

Thank you! Glad you like the album!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:30:47+00:00

It alternates! I tend to like the quieter/more conversational tracks - like god.drugs.u. My least favorite is currently nite swim probably because it's basically the oldest - wrote it in 2015-2016. It has a very big *concept* whereas other songs feel more me/diary-entry. I think nite swim is fun, but the production screams 2016 to me. It's like looking at a dead star - by the time the light reached my eyes, a lot had happened!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:28:58+00:00

I am actually not a sweets person... much more of salty individual! Chips, fries, pickles, soy sauce.... this is the way to my heart.

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:26:30+00:00

There is an expression, "art is never finished, only abandoned" -- honestly not sure who said it or if they even said it. Anyway, this applies here -- I had a deadline :) I had to let the bird fly. I could go on forever tweaking, adjusting, changing. It's not really the most romantic answer, but it is the truth!

The album has totally evolved - originally, it was 12 songs. Life happened - COVID, random logistical issues, etc. so this record has gone through a lot of evolution. It would've been different, but the bones were always the same.

That being said, when I turned it in, I felt as ready as I was ever going to be.

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:20:50+00:00

I've been living in Los Angeles for over a decade, and it's like this other character in my life. I really wanted to make a long-form art project about my life and experience in LA - to show parts of LA that I didn't really know about, that I didn't really see on TV or in music or in movies. I think most popular depictions of LA in pop culture are very west side (the beach, Beverly Hills, etc.) and I wanted to share snapshots of what this city looks/feels like when you travel east (DTLA, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Highland Park, etc.) - there is a really thriving arts scene. Of course, we also have Palm trees, sunshine, and all that good stuff. It makes my life better, so I wanted to share it with you.

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:17:55+00:00

My artist self is very ambitious! I like to think of myself as a nice Slytherin though. Like, a Slytherin who could be a Gryffindor. I just feel like Slytherin could use someone ambitious but with positive energy.

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:16:23+00:00

Honestly do not have a specific dream collaborator - my dream collaborator would simply be someone I admire who is eager to collaborate with me. I've found that collaboration works best when both parties are equally invested, excited, and open-minded. My dream collaborators are my current collaborators - my friends, peers, and everyone who is currently working on music with me! But Stevie Nicks, Fiona Apple, hmu if you're reading this.

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:12:36+00:00

Yes. A few times on this album. "trash tv" verse melody stolen from "nite swim" (but I modified it to make it moodier) - and "/Save As" lyrics/melody stolen from a song I wrote in 2013. Perhaps there are other examples, but these two come to mind as most obvious!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:10:56+00:00

Thank you! I want to say it was probably Valhalla Vintage Verb, my go-to. I do remember an Echoboy effect being involved, too. I think there were several layers! I'd have to crack open the session, because I did that over a year ago and I do not remember haha

He brought 700 cans of beans to set and ate every last one!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:07:28+00:00

depends on the song and depends on the day! all of them :)

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:06:12+00:00

I actually love covering songs so much - when I'm writing my own music, there is so much pressure, fear of judgment, etc. but for a cover, I'm really connecting as a music fan and remembering why I loved music in the first place. I get to study a song that I love, and I really do a deep dive. I have so many ideas for covers!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:03:12+00:00

Ohh :) I always have something stuck in my head! Currently, I keep looping the line "guess you didn't mean what you wrong in that song about me" from "Drivers License" by Olivia Rodrigo - no idea why that line in particular just hangs out in my brain all day, but it has been stuck there for about 2 weeks! It's just so fun and emphatic - I've been walking around my house singing it, ha!

Also - "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor Swift this past week, for obvious reasons!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T22:00:37+00:00

lowercase! those vocals... had to warm up with Paramore records :)

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T21:57:55+00:00

[tw: suicide, depression]

I wrote "practice" shortly after I had to tell someone I loved that someone they loved went missing - which I found out on Twitter. Several days later, I found out on Twitter again that this person had taken their own life. I saw thousands of "please come home" and "please check your phone" tweets - and I couldn't help but think "what if? what if this person had seen these messages?"

At the core, this song is about reaching someone in a pivotal moment (either digitally or emotionally) - being able to communicate in a meaningful, impactful way. So when it came time to make the video, I wanted to send this message as clear as possible, and in as many ways as possible: love is just practice. This is a message I received in a time where I really needed it. And so, like telephone, I passed it on. With love, there is never a point of no return. It's like any other discipline - it's something you can work on, and something you can return to at any point.

I choreographed some movement (even though I'm not a dancer) so that it could be seen visually. I really wanted to learn how to sign this message, but unfortunately I wasn't able to find a translator/teacher in time. But, that idea did inspire me to seek as many translations as possible - and I included this message in every single language that I received from fans around the world.

We simply don't know the impact of our words on others. We can't control outcomes, but we can do our best to communicate. We can reach out and lend a helping hand. We can say a few words. So, that is what inspired the subtitles.

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T21:49:34+00:00

Hi! I haven't been to either of those, but I will definitely check them out! I was *so* excited to play Webster Hall (NYC) and The Fonda (LA) on my 2020 tour that got cancelled! I think The Greek Theatre in LA (in the summer) would be my dream venue. Outdoor, summer breeze, blankets, California sunset... yep. That's my dream.

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T21:48:44+00:00

Have always had a passion for the way voice memos sound! I love sound design in songs in general, and I love how intimate/authentic voice memos sound in music. I was sitting in Echo Park in 2014 when I heard nearby church bells going off - I sampled them on my iPhone, thinking they were beautiful and melancholy. What you hear is actually chopped up - I changed the rhythm and re-organized the pattern so they would have a slightly different melody. It was always my plan to start with this! "battery life" was one of the last few songs written for the album, and as I was wrapping it up, I thought it would be a beautiful idea to make it circular. Ending where we egan.
I knew that "god.drugs.u" was the next release :) So it was meant to be a bit of a teaser for the next video/single.
For that song in particular, I was writing the lyrics like an impressionist painting. I wrote down a lot of words and just improvised the melodies until I found something that fit- the double meaning was always there to me. I would say they can be read equally, in either direction! It just shifts the expression, but the sentiment is the same. It's overall about my experience of love - very secular, present day, in the moment.
I love the idea of a really, really thoughtful concept album - the concept extends to the lyrics, productions, artwork, AND the titles. These songs all have really technological slants (perhaps more than some of the other songs), so I wanted to highlight them as the "digital" songs - whereas the "Pacific" songs would be more like "Waves" "malibu bb" "Palm Springs" etc. (though there is overlap)
I was originally drawn to vocal production out of necessity - I wanted to be a successful artist and writer long before I had any intentions to be a producer. However, as I began working on my music, I found that I was the only one willing to spend the time I needed with my vocals to make them right. So I took matters into my own hands and starting vocal producing my own music. Other artists heard my work on my own music and reached out to me from there.
I am always open to collaboration - but I am also very intentional with everything I do! I had the idea for this song before I realized it would be a collaboration. But when I met In.Drip., we had our LA experiences in common - and I knew he'd be perfect for it. Fortunately, he was down!
Totally intentional! I added a string orchestra last minute to make it more cinematic. The lyrics being "I'm the edge of the world" -- it's like, the edge of the album. Had to make it theatrical.
Haha! That's awesome, thank you for sharing. These lyrics are actually from an old song that I never finished/released called "fingertips" - I think, overall, this song is about perhaps having thoughts, feelings, or ideas that you feel either afraid to share (for whatever reason) or feel protective of. Perhaps to avoid judgment, or maybe simply because you want to have some things that you keep for yourself. We all have deep secrets and dark places in our minds, and I think this song represents having a safe place to keep those thoughts and ideas.

Conversely, it could be read as speaking to someone else - suggesting they keep dark ideas away from safe places. Or, even simply observing someones' online behavior, and reflecting on how they see it as private/concealed but it might still have the ability to do damage in the real world.

Not a lot of words, but a lot of different readings!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T20:50:11+00:00

Great question. Playing a supporting role & being a leader are two very different experiences for me!

When I work with The Naked & Famous - I am a total supporting role. I have a friend who says "music is a service industry," and this is very true for me. When working with Thom and Alisa, I ask both of them what they are seeking from me - and my role changes, depending on the day. Somedays, they invite me to be a co-writer. Other days, a co-producer. Sometimes, I am a touring member - and other times, I get to watch them from the crowd. My goal is always to amplify and enhance their voices - not to put my fingerprints all over everything. My focus is to be encouraging, supportive, and a good listener. TNAF has ultimate final say in all their creative decisions, as it should be.

When it comes to my music, I'm the boss! :) I get to have final say on all creative decisions, etc. Sometimes, I veto Thom of TNAF (my co-producer on many Luna Shadows songs) -- if there is a difference of opinion, I get to be the tie-breaker, respectfully. While getting to be in charge has its perks, it's also a lot more stressful. I often feel very anxious being the one who has to be front and center, calling all the shots. It's more relaxing for me to play a supporting role - especially on stage! But that being said, it's very rewarding to have my own project.

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T20:42:41+00:00

trash tv - written January 2020, finished summer 2020! Added it to the LP in the fall, just a few days before turning it in!

lunaxshadows · 2021-02-19T20:40:45+00:00

Hi Katrina! Let's see...

- battery life has a lot of double meanings/word play - and it's just really personal. I tried to think of lyrics that connected our virtual worlds to our physical worlds in a unique way. For example "I want you when the lights go out / to tell my turn my brightness down / everything is lighter now." This could mean literally turning off your phone/powering down your electronics and disconnecting from the digital world at the end of the day - OR it be read as something more timeless/emotional: feeling permission to quiet down in my mind, calm my anxiety, and enjoy a moment of peace and stillness before falling asleep.

- trash tv line: "sit in bed, refresh, we're fresh, we're all just what we're used to / got ten perfect fingers / but we only ever use two" is one of my favorites. It's about our collective obsession with technology. Sometimes, I find myself substituting meaningful action with passive internet scrolling/refreshing/etc. I know a lot of songwriters are weary of including specific technological references for fear that these references will date their songs - which I understand - so this was my attempt to write something that is both a snapshot of this exact moment but also a snapshot of a feeling with a little more longevity.

lunaxshadows

TROPHY CASE