A Dirty Dozen with VANESSA J. MOORE – January 2025

Photo credit: Bryan Lurie

According to a recent press release: “Following their successful Rebel Soul Music Fair shows in Woodstock last year, independent record label ZIQ STREET is ushering in the New Year with messages of peace in the release of country soul artist Vanessa J. Moore’s new single “Morning Light.” A Beatles-esque slow jam that resolves to be more understanding in the New Year, Vanessa J. Moore’s “Morning Light” reaches across the divide to bring us together. Instilled with the selflessness and mercy that humanity needs for the year ahead, “Morning Light” shines with the understanding that we won’t be able to achieve peace on a national scale until we find some level of peace in our personal lives.” We get Vanessa to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about “Morning Light.” What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

I would say this song is pretty straight forward. It’s about the concept of reaching across the divide and being unafraid to communicate with those you may not agree with. The song basically describes the fact we are in a war-torn world, more divided now than ever, and despite our differences – our ethnicities, creeds, religions, or backgrounds – we all have the same human experience, we all breathe the same air, we all wake up to the same sun, we all desire the same things; peace, love, joy, stability. People talk so much about world peace. To achieve that common goal, there would have to be a revival in the hearts of each individual. It starts with grace, mercy, and selflessness. As balladesque as this song sounds, it really is about being bold. Bold enough to call out to the “other side” in your pursuit of unity and peace.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I grew up with music playing in the house constantly. Whether my grandparents were blasting classical / opera, or whether my parents and stepparents were playing 60’s / 70’s, I ALWAYS heard music playing. My mother introduced me to the earlier stuff from birth, and my first albums at age 5 and 6 were Carpenters, Tommy James & the Shondelles, and The Beach Boys. By that age, I already loved Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, The Platters, The Everly Brothers, Frank Sinatra, The Ronnettes, you name it. I’ve had those artists ingrained in my mind and in my heart ever since. The list just continued to grow as I got older. I never considered being a musician. I always loved to sing, but was too embarrassed to sing in front of my family and I couldn’t wait for my parents to leave so I could sing and belt around the house. I was so focused on my ballet career that I never considered the possibility of pursuing music. It didn’t cross my mind once. It was ballet, ballet, ballet. It wasn’t until taking a step back to figure out what in the world I was gonna do when my ballet career ended that I even considered making music. I had to get a job at that point. I was about 19 years old, so I got a job working in this hot-spot restaurant in the heart of Greenwich village called The French Roast Cafe where I met a couple significant people – one being my now music partner / producer and friend, Bryan Lurie, the mastermind behind all our music, and the other being the Tony Bennett family. Bryan and I hit it off upon meeting and struck up a conversation about music immediately. He asked me to stop by his studio that day after my shift was over and, long story short, we’ve been working together ever since. The moment I heard Bryan’s music, I knew I hit the jackpot and that this was my calling. In the meantime, Danny Bennett (Tony Bennett’s son / manager) hired me to look after his daughters for the first couple years of their lives. I absolutely adored those brilliant little girls (talent runs in the Bennett family!) and it was a great experience working there. My fondest memory regarding music was when Danny hired me to sing the reference vocals for Tony’s Duets II album. I had the pleasure of recording twice for them – once in Tony’s apartment on the Upper West Side and the second time at his studio in New Jersey, which is where I had the great opportunity to work with Phil Ramone. When I found out he produced the Carpenters (along with every other artist you could think of) my heart skipped. These people spoke my language, and I felt right at home which validated my career move in music. Between that experience and the experience of working with Bryan, I have to say I was completely blessed and had 100% faith in what I was doing.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Karen Carpenter, and all the other artists of that era, really. They all shaped and guided my music, and since those days had an array of eclectic artists, I would say that made me pretty well-rounded as a singer and writer. I was heavily influenced by Motown, The Everly Brothers, Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Janis Joplin, Elton John, Carole King, Sly and the Family Stone, etc… and many, many more. These artists were my music foundation. I heard them before I ever heard anything else.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

That’s a difficult one, as I would be elated to collaborate with a few of the artists I mentioned up top. Maybe Paul McCartney or Richard Carpenter, but when it comes to duetting a song or album… it would have to be Zach Williams. I love his voice and music, and I think we would sound great together.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

I hardly ever unwind! Haha. I love to roller-skate, its freeing and good exercise. I just like to glide around town on my wheels and listen to music. I also paint, but that can be mentally draining as I am a perfectionist. I enjoy doing the artwork for my record label. We have some cool artwork for t-shirts I designed which we will add to our future swag page. Apart from that, I would say cooking is the absolute most relaxing and therapeutic pastime. I just listen to podcasts or teachings on YouTube while I cook for hours and hours. I like to read as well. I start my day reading. I basically like to do anything creative and / or educational in my free time.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe, or you disagreed with?

I would say we created our own genre. We have a modern take on the retro sound. Or maybe we have a retro take on the modern sound. Whichever sounds better! We aren’t simply country, we’re country/soul/psychedelia. We’re not quite pop, we’re pop/funk/rock. We mixed it all up, man! I’ve never had a fan make me cringe when making comparisons with my sound, but I HAVE had a heckler tell me once that my voice sounded like a buncha dying cats, which I don’t necessarily agree with. I think I have a bit of a lower register voice than a cat. Maybe more like a dying whale or an elephant. But what do I know?

7. When you’re hanging out with other musicians and band members, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Well, I would be the one to cook for SURE and usually do. I love cooking and entertaining. Depends on what musicians are around and what we’re doing, but Bryan would definitely be the one to whip out the guitar first… and as far as grabbing the drinks, well, I’m on the wagon, but we have a lot of friends who are very capable of helping themselves.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

I don’t think I’ve ever been starstruck. I get more excited when I see my family. I mean, I’ve been in TV / film / commercial since 16, so I’ve seen ’em all. SOME celebrities are just normal down-to-earth people and some are just flat-out weird. Just like all of humanity.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part of being a musician is creating something that has never been done before. Finalizing a cool track and that sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Introducing new sounds to people and watching them react is exciting… The whole process is a blast. It’s extremely hard work, but it’s fun work. I don’t have a dream job apart from music. I mean that sincerely. If you only knew how long we’ve waited to get our music out and how difficult the struggle has been leading to this. But we’re here now and that’s all I can think about. If I absolutely had to choose, I would say something with art, but I would be unfulfilled. I love art and other things, but I don’t have a fiery passion for them like I have with music.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

I just want interviewers to be real. I really want the person and setting to be authentic. That said, I don’t really have closure with my ballet career. It ended abruptly… That was my life before music. I’d love to talk about my dancing years more. I don’t have any questions I’m tired of so far, but I’ll say this – I like to stick to what I know. I plead the 5th if anyone tries to shift the conversation towards a topic I don’t know enough about.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Yes. Very simply, I wish I could take all the bad drinking experiences away and my addictions.  Drinking wasted a lot of good years, but I’m free from that now and I’m very pleased with the direction our music is going so, in a way, I’m thankful for it all.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Boy is that a difficult one. I’d love to be a part of ANY session during the 60’s or 70’s. The Beatles sessions would be insane. I kinda got a taste of a The Rolling Stones rehearsal session when they were practicing on the floor below us in the recording studio years ago, so that was pretty cool. Sly and the Family Stone would be great to be a part of as well, but if I just had to be a fly on the wall… I would love to sit quietly and watch Karen Carpenter in the studio recording “Superstar” with Richard. It’s my favorite Carpenter’s song!

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Category: Interviews