I wrote about Manda Mosher- Indie/Folk-Rock/Americana singer, song-writer in my first BackStage at My Space column. Then when she finished her debut Cd titled “Keeps on Turning” All Access Magazine was the first to review the Cd. In just under a year Manda has gone from a musician who was trying to find her niche in this wildly difficult to break into music industry, to an up and coming breakthrough. Having never done an interview with her for All Access Magazine, we thought this would be a great issue to show what hard work, patience, and a love for what you do can prevail in such a short time. In many ways Manda and I have been on the same journey.
AAM: You first appeared in AAM in my Backstage at My Space column about 9 months ago, and had your new Cd “Keeps on Turning” Do you think that was the beginning of everything that has happened in the last 8-9 months?
MM: Christi, you and All Access Magazine were the first to review an advanced copy of “Keeps on Turning” for AMM and that coverage kicked off what has been an exciting stream of activity and success. Your finding me on My Space started the public awareness of this album.
AAM: You first Cd is doing great; please tell us about the radio play you have been receiving. How often are you on XM radio, and do you get excited hearing yourself?
MM: The first cut I heard on-air was “Lay Me Down” featured by Billy Zero on XM’s Radar Report in April. I was listening at my computer with my dog on my lap screaming to her “we did it, we did it!!” Jerry Rubino from XM’s “The Loft” new music show has now added “Blue, Red, And Grey”, “Keeps On Turning,” and “Don’t You Know” to his weekly playlist alongside The Pretenders, Matthew Sweet, honorable company. Currently the tracks are featured about five times a week on XM.
AAM: What did it feel like getting such rave reviews in American Songwriter Magazine and what emotions did you feel when you first saw it?
MM: At first it was unreal like this couldn’t actually be my album he’s talking about – and then it set in and I felt incredibly validated. To read Paul Zollo’s beautiful description of the album as if he had an inside eye in the process, I was so thankful that a critic of his stature and experience heard what we heard. I’ve admired Paul’s writing for years so it’s a special moment in time. To see the review next to and rating right along with Aimee Mann and Jakob Dylan was yet another cool and exciting thing.
AAM: Can you please explain what being an official SXSW artist means to you and your career? What do the initials SXSW stand for?
MM: South by Southwest is a music festival held annually in Austin, Texas since 1987. Close to 1,000 bands from around the world are chosen by SXSW to feature. It’s not an easy festival to get on considering they deal with over 20,000 submissions now from Indies and major labels. Originally it started as an indie driven fest but once the major labels figured out how the promotion could help their artists; they jumped right in so now you’re competing with the whole gamut, not just Indies for performance slots.
I’ve played at the festival for the last three years as an un-official artist for The Viper Room/Swing House and Berklee College of Music’s shows – and last year I was accepted by the festival as one of their official artists and booked directly with SXSW. I was just asked to come back again for 2009 and think it’s still a viable and exciting fest to be a part of.
AAM: You have been nominated for several awards this year, what are they and have any of the ceremonies been held yet?
MM: The Los Angeles Music Awards has nominated the album for Indie Rock Record of the Year and the song “Wash It All Away” for Indie Pop Single of the Year with final results being announced on 11/20/08. Al Bowman, the founder commented "One of the best records that has ever come through our pipeline in nearly two decades. Magnificent!" The Malibu Music Awards tipped their hat with an honorable mention in their Pop Category in ceremonies held in July.
AAM: You have waited for this to begin happening for many years. What does it feel like to have your dreams realized?
MM: It’s incredibly fulfilling to realize your envisioned path. When I put my neck out there and go for things and it works; it’s a validation that I’m doing the right thing and to keep following those gut instincts. I don’t believe in smashing doors down to “get what I want.” I like to be more democratic in the process of sharing my art with those that find benefit from it. Slow and steady wins the race.
AAM: When you where first hitting, you went by Manda; now you are going by your full name Manda Mosher, Why is that?
MM: I’d originally left my last name off because it’s always butchered in pronunciation. Recently my father had one of my guitars custom painted for me. It hit me; the importance of his name and the hard work he’s done to build his life and business as his father before him did – I want to carry that name on now and sooner or later folks will figure out how to pronounce it.
AAM: Different people consider making it different things, what do those words mean to you?
MM: I see it like climbing a mountain and there are stages or camps that you reach which feel like “making it” for that period before you climb to the next camp.
AAM: In your personal life; what is the biggest dream you wish to achieve someday?
MM: I would like to more publicly support the advancement of women’s freedoms that are currently held down by strict religious/cultural traditions by speaking out against practices such as Female Genital Mutilation and helping empower battered and abused women. My biggest dream is to be an inspiration to other women and young girls who want to carve out and create their own successful path.
AAM: What do you think the term Girl Power means?
MM: Girl Power represents women expressing themselves in a strong manner; singing, writing, talking about what they deal with from a feminine perspective without any apologies and standing up for your beliefs in equal weight to men’s expression. This would also encompass supporting other women who do the same.
For more info www.myspace.com/myspacemanda
