Meet Anna Toy | Singer, songwriter and badass front woman of Moxi

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Toy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I always knew I was a little different and wouldn’t fit into the status quo that society sets up. I spent way too many years trying desperately to fit into a mold that was never meant for me. I started writing songs when I was 15. I fell in love with it pretty much immediately but I didn’t fully realize what I could do with it for some time. I had a guitar teacher who really encouraged me to pursue my gift, my art, my songwriting. I probably owe him for most of my success because he was the one adult that really told me with full confidence that I could make something from it. Despite his unending belief in me, I ended up going to school for social work. I spent some time after school doing humanitarian work in Africa which I will never regret, although the whole time my long lost love of music, writing, art- it was waiting for me- and when I finally went back to it, my love for it was bigger than ever. Ignited. I haven’t considered doing anything else ever since. Pursuing a career in art is not for the faint of heart. It’s hard, it will exhaust, challenge and threaten to upend every part of your life but it is incredibly rewarding and beautiful. I think you really have to be called to it though, which luckily I finally realized that I am called by it, I love it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I make dark indie pop music. I think what sets my art apart is that I really try to draw inspiration from deep within, tap into that primal sacred creativity. When we (Andy- my husband and other half of Moxi) write we really make an effort to be honest and vulnerable in what we are saying with the music both sonically and lyrically. I love when music makes you feel something. I also don’t listen to a ton of music when I’m writing. I don’t want the art to be influenced too much by other people and what I’m hearing. I listen to a lot of classical and opera but other than that it’s rare that I turn music on especially when I’m writing for Moxi. I want our sound to be unique, and of course we are influenced by other artists and music we’ve grow up to but we do make an effort to put our own unique “Moxi” twist on everything we do and I think that comes across. I also think our visuals set us apart. I’m extremely visual- when I write a song I almost immediately can see the entire music video and art for it. We both watch a ton of horror movies and are highly influenced by them. I love creating a cinematic visual world to go along with our songs. It’s a lot of fun for me and I’m always really proud of what we create. I got to where I am today by doing the damn work, being resilient, and a whole lot of trial and error. I’ve been in this industry for a minute now and it’s not easy at all but I think I’ve finally figured out how to exist in it while keeping my head straight and not letting it destroy me. I’m a lot stronger than I used to be, I’ve really come into my power and I’m less concerned with what people think. I know what I’m worth and what the art is worth. I keep my blinders up, stay focused on what I’m doing and where I want to be headed, and I try to not worry about the rest. It’s all really just a game, you have to figure out how you’re going to play it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to eat/drink my way through the city so there would be a lot of that. LA has so many great neighborhoods that all feel like little cities within themselves. We’d probably do a big tour breaking the city up into pieces. I actually love hiking in Los Angeles so we’d probably start most days with a hike- Ernest Debs regional park is a favorite of mine and it’s a hidden gem. It has a tiny little fishing pond on the top of the hill with trees surrounding it, but when you go to the edge you get a view of the entire city. It’s really special it doesn’t feel like LA at all. I also love Angeles forest for hikes and Griffith of course. We’d hit up some of my favorite restaurants- Hippo, Terroni, Gracias Madre, Gorilla Tacos, Good Clean Fun, Pine and Crane, Manuela. We’d eventually make our way to the west side for some beach action and more eating. I also love a good flea- either Melrose Trading Post or Rosebowl if you can handle it. In the summer my favorite thing to do is go see movies outside at the Hollywood Bowl or Cinespia in Hollywood forever cemetery. It’s so cliche LA but I love it so much.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So many humans that I could give shoutouts to. My husband, my business partner Jen, my sisters, my mom, my closest girl friends. I’ve been shaped by so many but honestly what sticks out right now is a book that I have read and re-read probably 10 times over the past few years. You are a Bad Ass by Jen Sincero. The book itself did not change my life, I did, but the book played a big role in changing my mindset and my beliefs. It sounds kind of silly to credit a self help book for the progress and success I’ve made but this book truly revolutionized the way I thought. Our thoughts become words which become actions and therefor our thoughts shape our realities. It catapulted me forward, pushed me to change my thoughts, and ultimately helped me to believe in myself in a ways I never had before. I highly recommend.

Website: www.ilovemoxi.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ilovemoxi

Twitter: twitter.com/ilovemoxi

Facebook: facebook.com/moxilovesyou

Youtube: youtube.com/moxilovesyou

Image Credits
Trever Hoehne