IN CONVERSATION WITH: DENAI MOORE

WRITTEN BY NIAMH ANCELL @NEAMAHUH

Denai Moore is melodious, another woman who amongst the chaos has released her latest single ‘Motherless Child’ and album ‘Modern Dread.’

Previously Denai has released two albums ‘Elsewhere’ and ‘We Used to Bloom’ that were recorded in her early twenties. Not only does this present Denai as an enterprising and aspirational woman, this also demonstrates her dedication to her craft and reinforces the passion that oozes out of every note. She has performed on various albums as a guest artist and has established a strong career alongside this, her style is ethereal and transcends conventional styles that many have encountered.

Denai is a woman that appears to accept the ever-changing nature of the everyday, a woman who is willing to adapt and “bloom” but remains planted, she is a woman who appears to stick to her roots. Her upbeat and supple portrayals of the pain and heartache many encounter within their lives soothes the swelling of souls and massages heavy hearts, which is most poignant and necessary in the world we all find ourselves in today.

‘‘ It's so important to write in these times, all of these emotions are valid, and real. We're all in this, that's why art is so illuminating. And illuminates the world. I always cocoon in art. ’’

‘‘ I think for me, it's important to continue to show how blackness is so vast and doesn't have to look or sound a certain way. ’’

What artists inspire you to sit down and write creatively?

For me I'm personally inspired by a lot of poetry, and literature at the moment. I've been reading a lot of books during quarantine. I really love Yrsa Daley-Ward' poetry, which is so poignant. I prefer to read non-fiction and get an insight into how someone else see's the world.

What are you deeply passionate about and how does this inform your music?

I think reading informs my music, particularly essays/things more politically driven or around identity. It makes me feel really validated to read voices that might feel a similar way about things like me, but also reading from someone that informs me about things I've never thought about, or never really seen in that particular way. 

You are featured on a few of my old favourites SRTRKT’s track ‘The Light’ and Mura Masa’s ‘Terrible Love’ which were released in 2014 and 2015. You have been present within the music industry for some time and established yourself as a fantastic independent artist, what has the journey been like to reach the point you are at today?

I think I've learned a lot from working with SBTRKT and going on tour with him really early on my campaign with Elsewhere. Collaborating is something that I was never as used to, and actually I wrote 'The light' without SBTRKT in the room. I think making each record I've learned a lot about production and how to make an album.

Do you enjoy working collaboratively or do you prefer to work on music independently?

I really like collaborating a lot more recently, I used to be so closed off when it came to music but over the last few records I've released how amazing it is to work with someone else that can bring out parts of yourself that you couldn't do on your own. In lockdown I've been self-producing but sharing with friends afterwards. I daydream about making my next record with a couple of friends in the countryside when things die down.

I have read that you were born in Jamaica but brought up in London, what is the most interesting or difficult thing about straddling these two separate cultures and how do you think they’ve informed your work?

For me, the big city complex was the real culture shock when I was younger. I was so connected to nature in Jamaica, and even how I got fresh produce was a lot more connected with nature within itself. Culturally London felt like home in many ways as there is such a strong Jamaican community here.

What would you describe, within your own personal experience is the hardest thing that you may have encountered when establishing yourself as a woman of colour within the music industry?

whew! It can feel quite tiring at times, when I feel like I'm not validated in the same way as other musicians with electric guitar and shred. I think for me it's important to continue to show how blackness is so vast and doesn't have to look or sound a certain way.

Your first album ‘Elsewhere’ was released in 2015 and your second album ‘We Used to Bloom’ was released in 2017, do you see the potential stylistic disparity between the two albums?

Each album changes your life in a different way, but essentially the process is the same. When you make music you're constantly staring in the mirror, constantly challenging yourself till you have something that feels authentic to yourself. I love the exploration of making a record because you really don't know where the journey will take you and there's something really nice about that. I like the idea of not knowing what I'll sound like in the future, because I'm not informed on who my future self even is.

You implied in an interview with The Yorker the name ‘We Used to Bloom’ is about a personal metamorphosis, that it is about coming into oneself with age. Have you recognised any other significant changes within yourself since its release, if so how has this informed your latest singles and album? 

Working on Modern Dread I learned a lot more about synths, we worked a lot with modular synths which is kind of like a digital brain. Learning more about production in general has been the really significant change between albums. I've been producing a lot more on my own stuff at home, which before I would have never really done. My goal is to self-produce a lot more and not be so afraid of the 'producer' title. 

Your music video for ‘Cascades' is exceptional, it is reminiscent of the surrealism experienced in a film like ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’  . What was your inspiration for these images and why did you decide to take a more surrealist route?

Thank you! I loved working with Sam (the director) it was such a dream, because we both wanted to make such a weird video, and were always on the same page. Surrealism is a key theme for Modern Dread visually because what we're experiencing feels surreal and it's almost like we're in a disaster movie.

Your latest single ‘Motherless Child’ is hypnotic yet grounded in the realities of the present day. Was this single based upon any particular experiences, the notion of feeling like a motherless child is interesting, what does this metaphor signify? 

For me, the metaphor is about isolation and feeling out of touch with the world around you. Wanting to dissociate and almost cocooning yourself in your own company. But also a sense of hopelessness. I think the song does feel really relevant with everything happening at the moment. 

As you have shown in your video on YouTube, ‘Modern Dread’- the song ‘Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child’ by John and Ruby Lomax (1939) played a part in the creation of this track and the emotionality behind it. Do you feel an affinity with Southern Soul music? Is this perhaps more poignant now due to the tragedies that have been felt by people within the BLM movement recently?  

For sure, the song feels so poignant to what's happening, which is crazy as I wrote Motherless Child so long ago. I do feel a strong affinity to southern souls especially because so much music comes from that.  

Images courtesy of Nadira Amrani @nadiraamrani

Isolation; a word that I’m sure we would all like to move away from. However, how have you navigated thinking and being creative in Lockdown?

It's weird I feel so at home with having more silence and stillness. A studio can feel a bit like an isolation booth, especially as you shut out the outer world and make things that exist in yourself. I think this whole period has been quite healing for a world that is non stop 'working' and ticking, and time is always money, and everything has to keep going and respite is illegal. We've made ourselves so exhausted from work, it's kinetic energy and it's kept us warm. We needed a break to assess the noise under the blanket.

What can your audience expect to see next? You have unpacked and defined your lyrics within your series ‘Modern Dread’ on YouTube, are you interested in documenting your experience as a musician or even engaging in different mediums such as film and art? 

I've been writing some new ideas really slowly during this time, which has been interesting to flesh out. I'm not in any rush, but I also don't know if I'll have a full blown body shaking flow of songs come out of me, that I make something new. I really want to tour this record next year, or maybe even put together a really special online gig to celebrate it. It's so important to write in these times, all of these emotions are valid, and real. We're all in this, that's why art is so illuminating. And illuminates the world. I always cocoon in art.

‘Modern Dread’ is available now on all streaming platforms

Follow Denai through her Instagram @denaimoore and website www.denaimoore.com

Stay updated with her latest video releases via YouTube

Many thanks to Niamh Ancell, Good Machine PR, Nadira Amrani and Denai Moore for making this feature possible.