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

Hi manny, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
I view music and songwriting as my form of processing life. It’s always been the thing I turn to. I cannot imagine giving up because I would not recognize myself. I think giving up is important if the thing that you’re doing feels like it’s completely dragging you down, rather than exciting you. There’s so many different paths we can take, not everything is an end all be all!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I was an extremely shy kid, so very early on I started using music as a way to speak and to express myself. In high school, I had too many overflowing feelings so I began to write songs to process them. There was no going back from that. I got into Berklee College of Music in Boston, where I majored in Songwriting and about 2 years ago I moved to L.A. to continue writing for myself and others. I don’t think choosing the path to be a creative and work with art is ever easy, but to be honest, it’s never even felt like a choice, in the best way possible. Nothing else has ever made sense to me.

I moved around a lot when I was growing up – both houses and countries. I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil but moved to New York City and then back to Brazil all before I was 13. Now, in my mid 20s, I’ve spent exactly half of my life in between both countries and I’ve always had this weird feeling that I’m not 100% from anywhere, that I don’t relate completely to any culture. The paradox of that is that I’ve made identity a huge part of who I am. I have always expressed myself in a way that is only mine, in the way I write, the way I sing, the way I dress. The overall aesthetic of my life has always been extremely important and something I take pride in. I believe and hope that that is what sticks to people when they hear my songs: that they feel and sound like me.

I make pop music and I love pop music. I’ve been fully immersed in this world since I can remember and I still have not come up for air. I think a big part of who I am as an artist is that first and foremost, I am a fan. My capability of indulging completely in the music that I love is what makes me a better writer and a better artist. It’s made me very certain about what I like and where I want to go with my art.

Last summer I released an EP called “Libra in Love”, which tells the story of a relationship from the beginning to the end in chronological order. I am very proud of that project, it was produced with my friend and Latin Grammy nominated producer Rodrigo Martins. I feel that this EP was a great representation of who I was at that moment in time.

I also have a song coming out on March 31st called “Espelho do Mundo”, which I wrote for a Brazilian short film “The Way You Sea Me”. It was written and produced along with Pedro Kayat and Rodrigo Martins. The film has been awarded all around the world, including a nomination in the Cannes Short Film Festival. It was a very special project for us and it was the first time I’ve sung in Portuguese, so I’m excited for everyone to hear it!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of my favorite things to do over the weekend is to get bagels at one of the Yeastie Boys Bagel trucks and then head over to a flea market to do some thrifting. At the moment, I’ve been loving the Los Feliz one. The one in Silverlake is also a great choice. I think one tourist spot that you can’t miss is the Griffith Observatory. It’s worth it because the view is so beautiful, especially during sunset. Bring some snacks for a picnic! I’d also check out what shows are happening at Hotel Café if you like the singer-songwriter vibe! There are always some cool shows happening there.

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?
Without a doubt, my parents have been the most supportive people throughout my life and career. I know that I will never be able to thank them enough for everything they’ve done and still do for me, so I dedicate this to them.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mannymoura/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/mannym28

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3uyBI6QfZiaitORl1HuSkT?si=J-FIu_cTTEGxKGE2Jg3gyA

Image Credits
Lauren Nieves

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