Rising Music Star Betty Moon On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry
An Interview With Edward Sylvan
The best way to get unstuck is to keep going, even if it’s a few steps per day. Avoid self-judgment, and always make some sort of progress even if it feels very minimal.
As a part of our series about rising music stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Betty Moon.
Betty Moon is an artist, songwriter and producer from Los Angeles California. Since being signed to A&M Records, Betty Moon has since earned a reputation for her DIY work ethic and has self-released over 10 albums via her own label Evolver Music. Moon has continued to defy industry trends, earning worldwide retail airplay, online and college radio rotation and record numbers with an impressive following on Spotify, Facebook and Instagram.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Thank you for interviewing me today, it’s great to be back! I’ve been thinking about my hometown (Toronto) a lot and how it shaped me as a person and musician. My parents worked in different industries, but on our property, we had a small recording studio and that attracted some diverse, amazing talent from the area. The process of writing, playing and recording music slowly but surely got absorbed and there was no turning back. They say people are a product of their environment, well mine was music without a doubt.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
When I was a teen I began playing music with friends and other musicians in the area. My taste developed from all the records, tapes and CDs I collected from the awesome record shops around town. I got into rock, punk, soul and lots of other genres and decided I wanted to do my own thing in music. My first group was called Bambi and we played darker-tinged rock/alternative music and built quite a name in the Toronto and overall region of Canada. Over time our fan base grew and we had professional energy to us, even though I wasn’t even out of high school yet.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Up in Canada, I happened to follow a path that led to me owning my own studio that had some of the biggest names in rock coming through. It wasn’t my ideal scenario, but I learned so much from the experience regarding business, music production, engineering and dealing with the varied egos in music. It was interesting because it was some of the best and worst times of my career, but at this point in life, I’m glad it happened because it makes for one hell of a dinner conversation haha.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
As a musician, we had this DIY/Punk Rock ethos and always played shows by flying by the seat of our pants. We wouldn’t set things up right sometimes, and one loose cable or a funky guitar pedal issue could derail a carefully booked and highly attended show. I learned to treat the entire process like a business, even though the idea of being in a band should always be “fun/creative” first. When you plan everything out ahead of time, the irony is that the show, music release or whatever you are doing is so much more rewarding. This really applies to creatives, who often forget to treat something “creative” like a business.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I just released a new album called ‘Undercover’, which is a collection of new and previously recorded cover tracks from some of my favorite artists. I got Kate Bush, Sade, Rolling Stones, Depeche Mode, Royal Blood and so many others covered here. It was a lot of fun to make and it’s something to hold over listeners while I prepare my next full-length album to release later this year or early next.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
I believe that diversity in entertainment (film/tv/music/art/books etc) not only encourages and teaches tolerance, but it also promotes new and exciting ideas to the masses which makes life…well more badass and interesting! Some of the best ideas in entertainment come from sprinkles of ideas that come from different walks of life and cultures.
Children especially should be subjected to entertainment that is inclusive and representative of different cultures, interests and genres. I believe it teaches young people to be more creative and expressive in unique and exciting ways.
I think diversity is a bit more ahead of the curve in music than in film and television, but I have also heard the incredible mix of influences and diverse talent pool in the music industry since I was very young. The past few decades have proven to show a lot of progress and excitement for all genres and cultures.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
Don’t overthink the process, it’s better to make progress and know when something is complete. You can always work on something new, but there is no worse feeling than leaving something incomplete.
There is no deadline for success, life takes you on your own path and you will end up where life is meant to take you. Do not compare yourself or your business ventures to others, unless you seek inspiration and guidance from those people.
Do you want to avoid criticism? Do nothing, say nothing. I believe some form of this statement is from a famous quote, but no truer words have been spoken.
The best way to get unstuck is to keep going, even if it’s a few steps per day. Avoid self-judgment, and always make some sort of progress even if it feels very minimal.
Keep notes or some sort of record of anything creative that you come up with. Often we think of the best ideas when away from the desk, and by the time we return to “the office” we have forgotten those amazing breakthroughs when we could have written them down, taken a voice note etc.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Success is results, not the hours you put into the job. Sure, some things take more time than others but we live in a society where “burning the midnight oil” is praised and we seem to work till we die. I recommend time blocking efforts and building in personal time to relax and take care of the body, mind and spirit whenever possible.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I would love to create a “Betty Moon Fitness” type program that includes music that I wrote and classes that I put together to be taught in person and on streaming services. From dance classes to spin and yoga, I would make it fun and engaging while including custom music that I created just for the programs.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Gerry Young of Current Management in Canada has been by my side for decades, and without his wisdom and guidance, I would not have had a career like I’ve had. I believe that you are only as strong as the team and people that you surround yourself with, and Gerry has always been there as a rock during my career.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill
Quotes like this hold true, as nothing is permanent or guaranteed. Nothing truly defines us outside of our character and are just moments in time. Our reputation is important, but being good to others and living a life of purpose and creativity is more important than anything really.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
Jillian Michaels would be awesome to grab lunch with. I appreciate her dedication to fitness, business and personal branding for the benefit of others to learn about personal growth. I personally love fitness, and it’s a huge aspect of my life outside of music and business. She has one of the best brands in the fitness biz, and it would be fun to pick her brain sometime and get to know her.
How can our readers follow you online?
https://instagram.com/bettymoonmusic
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Growing up in Canada, Edward Sylvan was an unlikely candidate to make a mark on the high-powered film industry based in Hollywood. But as CEO of Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc, (SEGI) Sylvan is among a select group of less than ten Black executives who have founded, own and control a publicly traded company. Now, deeply involved in the movie business, he is providing opportunities for people of color.
In 2020, he was appointed president of the Monaco International Film Festival, and was encouraged to take the festival in a new digital direction.
Raised in Toronto, he attended York University where he studied Economics and Political Science, then went to work in finance on Bay Street, (the city’s equivalent of Wall Street). After years of handling equities trading, film tax credits, options trading and mergers and acquisitions for the film, mining and technology industries, in 2008 he decided to reorient his career fully towards the entertainment business.
With the aim of helping Los Angeles filmmakers of color who were struggling to understand how to raise capital, Sylvan wanted to provide them with ways to finance their creative endeavors.
