Mishal Moore

Whoa! Where has Mishal Moore's music been all of my life? I'm going to go ahead and tell you upfront, pull out your credit card, debit card, or log in to your Paypal account, because I guarantee that you're about to be $3 poorer. Mishal Moore has teamed up with DJ Fonti to create the I'm Not a Hipster EP. This piece of work has so many positive things going for it, I don't even know where to start describing the EP. Essentially, I'm Not a Hipster comes off with a soulful, classic R&B feel. However, there's so many other influences thrown into the music that it transcends genre and becomes its own eclectic compilation. Mishal Moore and DJ Fonti have managed to successfully combined electronic, folk, indie pop, and tribal influences without any of it coming off sounding like a gimmick or cheesy. The I'm Not a Hipster EP is all very tastefully put together giving off a nice listening experience. The only downside to the project is that 5 tracks just isn't nearly enough. - http://www.therecordstache.com

Imagine you’ve just walked into your local record store. It’s your usual one, walking distance from your house, next door to your favourite cafe. You know the staff, and they know you. They’ve recommended you some good music in the past, and there’s one guy in particular who gets your tastes and can always pull out one or two absolute gems that you probably would never have otherwise discovered. Not always things that you fall in love with immediately, but stuff that grows on you and becomes not only your favourite music, but among your most treasured possessions. Okay – so now pretend this is that record store, and I’m that guy behind the counter. This is what I’d hand you today. Enjoy. - andrewdubber.com

We sincerely hope that Mishal Moore is the next breakout star pouring soulful music into your eardrums...Moore’s otherworldly voice, soaring sometimes and barely whispering at others, sounding like a combination of sunshine and sex. - mtviggy.com

Mishal Moore. she is dope. and you should know her. - luxelush

I recently discovered Mishal via a friend of mine and everything I've heard from her so far is pretty amazing. We'll definitely be posting more from her soon especially because she's dropping another album this year. - This Is Real Music

CHECK THE DJ FEEDBACK!

Dimitri From Paris - Amazing Jazz swing flavoured vocal from KD

Ashley Beedle - hands down the one for me is the Kenny Dope remix. Absolutely love it

Yass Baki - Will be supporting and Charting for sure bro

Claude Monnet - Support

Basti (Knee Deep) - Wow - lovin Kenny's mix and what a voice, this caught me after only a second

Jamie Lewis – What a great production, Spen mix is just perfect for me

Grant Nelson - Wicked bro! In the bag!

Phil Asher - You know its all about Kenny's Mix Afro latin ripeness!

Richard Earnshaw - Both mixes are bloddy brilliant

Danny Krivit - Thanks Tony - Yes I like this lots

David Harness - So so HOT!!!!!! I am loving this record.

DJ Spen - Super…of course

Groove Junkies - This has got that Erykah Badu vibe goin on - one for the headz

Jask - Another fine release from the Dope camp

Jay J Hernandez - super cool - prefer what Kenny did here

John "Julius" Knight - THIS IS PHAT! - Lovin Spens mix

Miguel Migs - Diggin both mixes equally on this

Tony Humphries - Definitely one of our favourite releases of the moment - playingthe MuthaFunkaz mix

Dario D'Attis - Playing the Muthafunkaz mix Great work

Andy Ward - Love this - support Club and Radio

Bobby Zoo - 10/10 - Loving the coolvibes on Kennys Mix and Spen's camp turn out another Bomb

CJ Mackintosh - Kenny's mix is my choice here

Conan Manchester - Now that’s top draw House music

Baggi Begovic - Will definitely be supporting this - I love this vibe

Bob Jones - Excellent record this - Kay Dee and the hoiuse music are just brilliant

Kevin McFarlane - Will review in next months edition

Ross Allen - more great action from Kenny
Dope - played on the radio and will push club wise too

Wei-Shen Mak - Muthfunkaz mix does the business on the floor

DJ Mannix - Right up my Street - full support of course

DJ Rork - Its Dope - great job by all, full support from me

Michael Canitrot - For me it’s the MuthaFunkaz remix, I'm playing in the club and on FG Radio too

Andy Baxter - perfect for the terrace at Pacha - love it

DJ B (Zouk Club) - Support from here

Franco De Mulero - Full support from your Hombre

Craig Bartlett - Simply outstanding - both mixes are 10/10

Dan Smith - Lovin the Spen mix

Neil Pierce - Love both mixes - this will be o constant rotation

Antonello Coghe (Vega Records) - Yo great release

It’s impossible to categorize truly eclectic music. Perhaps that’s why Mishal Moore’s ever growing fan base ranges across the board. When asked, Mishal poignantly sums her music up as “...my life.” With her debut smash, Oh Lord, Mishal makes a very strong case. Teaming up with dance music legend, Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez, they have formed a musically formidable duo. Oh Lord is an unexpected combination of inspiring words, deeply invoking sounds masterfully perfected with an effortless vocal. With additional remixes by DJ Spen and Muzikman edition “ Oh Lord” is guaranteed to be the “feel good” track of the summer and Mishal Moore the artist to watch for 2009. - www.traxsource.com

This Florida native turned NY/NJ resident is best described as a true original. While her vocal stylings could possibly be likened to a fusion between Jill Scott's soul power and Billie Holiday's delicate simplicity, Mishal Moore has developed a sound all her own. Her lyrics are pensive. Her passion, evident. Her talent, overflowing.

If you've been waiting for the revival of real music, Mishal may be your savior, as she is gearing up for a late June release of her new single, "Oh Lord." With musical inspirations spanning across all genres, Mishal's songs have a vivacity and sincerity reminiscent of 60s & 70s era classic tunes. Assisted by mega-talented, funk-inspired producer Kenny Dope, Mishal is quickly approaching her time to shine, and her style is GOING to inspire future artists. - The RGC

Mishal Moore – Oh Lord (DJ Spen Remix)

Mishal Moore hit this song hard! We can hear this being played in a car, a club, or even a lounge. You can sip a nice coffee while calmly tapping your feet, or you can move your body with the music. It’s not a rave song that’s for sure, but it’s a beautiful masterpiece! Reminds me a of 1960 Jazzy America. Wonderful! - Vibe Warehouse

September 2010 issue- Text on Pg 51. - www.tilllate.com

Who’s Got Next: Mishal Moore – More HIP…than Hippie!
By: Okema T.
Have you ever seen an artist and thought upon sight, ehhh, not my cup of tea? Well for me, when I first saw pics of this artist I was like she’s so pretty, but a bit more “hippie chic/ hobo funky” than I’m used to.” Then I thought, oh geez, I hope she’s not going to give me a folk music vibe!” Boy was I wrong, wrong, wrong!!!!

Mishal Moore in her own words is “a woman first, then a Black woman, a singer/songwriter and a creator.” She thrives off of anything artistic. She is funky and definitely a bit more organic and rustic than your average pop singer of today but not as out there as like an Erykah Badu or Amel Larrieux. She’s got her own pocket and after trying to fit her square peg into R&B and Pop’s round hole…she decided her square peg didn’t need to fit anywhere…it was fine standing on it’s own…as is. Then she used that peg as the foundational building block to create the artist she is today.

With influences like Nina Simone, who Mishal admires for her ability to say what she wants to say and not make apologies for it, and Andrea Bocelli for his ability to use music as his visual sense; Mishal is quite sensitive to having an honesty and openness with her sound and her music…though it didn’t start out that way.

Initially Mishal was as a dancer, but she began musical training at the age of 15. She loved and excelled in theater and had an ear for a variety of styles of music but studied mostly classical. After graduating from high school, Mishal was accepted to and enrolled in the Webster Conservatory in St. Louis. The school was a very prestigious conservatory, however the prestige didn’t fill the void she felt while there. The training was intense and was shaping her ear and understanding of music but it was not cultivating her love for what she felt music should be for her specifically. She felt extremely uncomfortable there. As a result, she withdrew, left St. Louis and went back to Florida. Now back at home, she began doing some vocal arranging for several local artists. While working, Mishal came across an engineer that she knew named Gary Bosco. She had originally recorded with him at 18 and upon meeting up with him again, Gary could see all the potential Mishal had to become her own musical force. He told her she should become a recording artist. She was reluctant at first, but finally told him that if he gave her the music, she would sing it. With that, the two began work on Mishal’s first album.

As a new artist, Mishal was encouraged to write her own material but to be generic and to focus on what was selling. She loved many true ARTISTS, but did as she was told for herself. Blossoming as a writer was amazing for her, but she’d soon learn that her ability ran much deeper than she was delving at the time.

“I started writing my first 2 songs [at 21]. Gary encouraged me to go that way, as a song writer. I knew music would always be apart of my life because I was studying it. But if someone would have told me 10 years ago, oh you’re gonna be a singer/ song writer, I would’ve been like yeah right. I was used to reading other people’s music, [just] interpreting it my own way. So for me to now be the person that creates it, it’s almost mind blowing to me because I was so not that person.”

It’s odd, many times as humans, self discovery is a part of our daily lives. Be it in the way we relate to our significant others, our jobs, our trials and situations…each time something comes up we learn a new thing about ourselves. But the unfortunate part is that we don’t often do anything with the information! Well not Mishal. She not only used her self discovery to propel her, she used it to unlock some pretty awesome doors that she had not opened internally and in doing so, she found HER SOUND! For an artist, finding your particular, unique and distinct sound formula is like curing all that ails the world. Mishal’s finding the writer in her was almost like a domino effect…it just took some time to knock down the first one.

“The first 2 albums that I did, I was obviously happy finishing the project but I wasn’t happy with the actual material. And even though I wrote it, I felt that I was writing generically and wasn’t connected to it. I was told you need to write what people want to hear. But then something happened. Back in the day I auditioned for Lauryn Hill and I was the only person that showed up for the audition. The tour fell through but I was singing with her and I was like wow. I want to do THIS, I want to sing what she’s singing! I want to write meaningful stuff like that. It turns out my dad baby sat Commissioner Gordon (Love Jones, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill) and his brother when they were children in the 70’s. Gordon had recently heard my stuff and wanted to work with me so after speaking with my dad, he called and spoke to me. He told me that all the people that I look u - ximagazine.com

I’m Mishal, hear me roar!

After listening to Mishal Moore’s opening set at Zee Avi’s show last weekend, I needed to know more about the woman behind the song “Makeup Sex”. Who is she, why does she play the guitar like a bass, where can I find more about this artist with such amazing breath control? The search for Mishal Moore was on, and it culminated with a Twitter and email exchange, the results of which are below.

Moore is a Miami native who’s been based in New York City for three years. A classically trained vocalist who also studied musical theater, Moore worked as a vocal coach for two years before deciding to embark on a music career back in 2002. She’s developed a following on YouTube posting original material and, on occasion, a song cover.

You can check out Mishal’s next performance dates and song, “Oh Lord”, below. Here’s our very inspiring and very candid interview with Mishal Moore:

Radio Morillo: I’ve read that you started out as a classically trained vocalist. How long were you singing classically and how did that eventually lead to what you are doing presently?

Mishal Moore: I studied classical music and theater in high school and college. I left college and was a vocal coach for two years and began my own theater company, produced and directed five plays. It was “hellish” but I loved every minute of it! I had a friend who was a recording artist and needed some background vocals and arranging done in the studio. After recording for her, the producer asked me if I’d ever considered recording music myself…that was back in 2002, the rest is history.

RM: At the Knitting Factory show you said how you play your guitar like a bass because you “can’t play it any other way”. What did you mean by that, as in, have you been playing guitar for a long time, or was that the only way you learned how?

MM: I’m musically inclined. I learned to play the piano and read music at a young age. I played trumpet for 8 years – marching band and all. I never really continued after I found I could sing (didn’t begin vocal training till I was 15). When I began recording, I was writing songs on the piano but found my ear was craving a different texture. My dad has/plays guitar, so I gave it a go. All you really need to begin writing a song is a bass line, anyway, so it worked. I’ve since, written songs with more chord progression and guitar-like stylings but can only play my songs. I was going to properly teach myself, but realized it would take away the nostalgia of my songwriting. I like having to figure it out as I make it up. [It] keeps me honest.

RM: What prompted you to start writing music?

MM: When I began production of my first album, Standing in the Rain, the producer I was working with, Gary Bosco, says “Okay, we’ve got to get you writing” to which I replied (homegirl neck roll and all), “..writing what?” I was so not a fan of having to write my own songs. It wasn’t till I realized having other people write songs for you (which by the way MOST mainstream artists have done for them…oops, cats out the bag) costs money. I had to get ‘ta writin’. Now, I can’t see me doing it any other way.

RM: When you started high school and college, what kind of career in the arts did you foresee yourself having?

MM: That hasn’t changed. I still have plans and dreams to star in a Broadway musical. And I don’t plan on being the “star” all my life, I LOVE being behind the scenes, teaching and coaching. Don’t laugh, but I have a blueprint of a theater after-school academy that I can’t wait to bring to life. “Mishal, loves da’ kids.”;)

RM: How would you describe your music?

MM: Simply put, my life. I write how I feel. I have many musical influences and refuse to put myself in a box (though I know others will). It took a few years to get into “my groove”, I wasn’t a songwriter to begin with. My first two albums (independently produced and sold) were quite the journey for me. I wrote alone, not sure what I was doing or if it was even good. To this day, I write alone. I met up with my producer and label in 2008, it’s been quite the marriage and I’m so happy that I’ve settled in with them. I have full control [of] my music and have released two singles, “Oh Lord” and “It Ain’t Over” (release date Sep 21 2010), equipped with house remixes. I like to keep my supporters on their toes. I’ve been told it’s hard to put my sound in one category, you just know it’s mine when you hear it, I like that description. My music will ALWAYS be honest, no matter what it sounds like.

RM: You’ve developed quite a following on YouTube. What prompted you to start uploading videos on YouTube and what opportunities have come as a result?

MM: I started uploading videos in 2007, it was scary. I wasn’t sure about the whole “letting people watch me” in that reality TV way. My first few videos were all over the place, I had no idea what I was doing. I haven’t really gotten any life changing opportunities from YouTube. I - Boom Boom Chik

Mishal Moore is one of the most talented new singer / songwriters to emerge from the US in recent years. 21st September sees the release of her new single ‘It Ain’t Over’, the latest product of her creative partnership with legendary producer Kenny ‘Dope’ Gonzalez, one half of Masters At Work and owner of Ill Friction Music.
Mishal Moore draws on her personal experiences to create songs truly written from the heart. A multi-instrumentalist who writes all her own songs, Mishal’s music takes in influences from gospel, jazz, soul, big band, pop, classical and more, all imbued with an expressive, emotive voice that can go from a smoky whisper to a heartfelt cry in the same breath. Her ongoing and prolific musical collaboration with Kenny Dope, allows Mishal to write, before Kenny adds his unique touch and sublime skills in the studio.
Growing up in Florida, Mishal trained as a classical vocalist, but soon came up against a music industry that saw her skin colour and pushed her towards a certain sound. She pushed back, deciding to move to the cultural melting pot of New York. As she struggled to get her music heard she was amazed to find herself an overnight YouTube sensation. Her intimate live performances were selected to appear on the YouTube home page and she received over 100,000 e-mails from fans within 3 days and over a million views of her videos!
Convinced she was on the right path, she moved forwards and began working with Kenny Dope. The first release from this collaborative process was ‘Oh Lord!’ on Ill Friction. The track was aimed far from the mainstream, but the jazzy, hook-laden sound attracted the attention of radio tastemakers and global brands such as Vanity Fair who used it as the soundtrack for their Oscars Hollywood iPhone App.
‘It Ain’t Over’ sees Mishal stepping into a stripped back house groove, expertly produced by Kenny Dope. Her soulful vocals drift above the beats, coming together in harmonies that effortlessly raise the emotions. UK remix specialists, The Wideboys came across the track on YouTube and were immediately reminded of the Everything But The Girl classic, ‘Missing’. They contacted Mishal with a view to remixing the record. Mishal jumped at the chance, knowing that a crossover dance hit would be a way to turn the spotlight onto her songwriting.
The Wideboys have delivered a remix that loses none of the vibe of the original and adds a contemporary and radio friendly edge. The distinctly euro sound with chunky beats, accordion riffs and an irresistible summer feeling, is destined to ensure the sweet sound of Mishal Moore reaches a whole new swathe of listeners.

A review of this release will come soon with further information.

Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)
- Beatsmedia

Interview: Mishal Moore
Posted by GetToTheFront On August - 17 - 2010

GetToTheFront: Firstly how would you introduce and describe yourself to someone who doesn’t know who you are or what you do?

Mishal Moore: I would describe myself as a quirky, passionate and very honest artist. Everything else is just bells and whistles. I like to keep people guessing. Usually when I’m asked “What do you do?” I simply say songwriter. As soon as you say singer, the next question that follows is “Well, can you sing something for me?” Uh, yea, no. Happened once in a Starbucks (I didn’t sing), I kindly gave them my web info and invited them out to a show. People are funny.

GTTF: Your new single ‘It Ain’t Over’ is due out late September, is there a particular reason you’ve chose to release it as a single?

MM: It all happened so fast. I created the original on Garage Band, trying to figure the damn thing out. I had not a clue of what was going to come out of that whole “me trying to make a beat”. As I usually write on guitar or piano. I wasn’t quite sure about it, but played it for Kenny anyway. He literally jumped out his seat and said “You need to send this to me”. Days later he had remixed it. Before I knew it the Wideboys were in on it! lol. It was cool for me, I’ve always said I didn’t want to be boxed in and with remixes I can do that. Give people other versions of something they’d never get on my album. The original will be released, at some point but for now the remixes have a crossover appeal and that’s become the biggest thing in the music world; put out something that everyone can love and know that you, at least, exist and THEN learn more about the artist and THEIR style of music. I think a remix is the best way to do that, it worked with “Oh Lord” and I’m excited to see what happens with “It Ain’t Over”. One leg at a time

GTTF: Your previous single ‘Oh Lord’ was used by Vanity Fair to promote the Oscars in their Hollywood iPhone App; have you got any endorsements lined up for ‘It Ain’t Over’?

MM: As of right now, no, nothing I know about, at least. The Vanity Fair thing came about so fast, we literally found out in the morning and in a matter of hours the deal was sealed. That’s the way this business is, one minute, nothing, the next, I’m swirlin’ around like a tornado.

GTTF: On your Myspace you describe your music as “whatever I want it to sound like” yet your music has seen quite a few remixes, including one by Wideboys. How do you feel about somebody else taking the song you wrote and changing it completely?

MM: I love it! The remixes don’t define what MY original music and style is about. I LOVE when other artists are inspired by my originals that it prompts them to put their own spin on it. Music, art in general, is beautiful and I embrace it wholeheartedly. I write all my songs alone. It’s my life that goes into it. For me the words are the most important part. I believe, regardless of what twisting unique differences a remix adds, the honesty, in the words and where it originally came from will always shine through.

GTTF: It’s clear that you dislike your style of music being labelled by others but if you were forced to describe your work in 5 words, what would you say?

MM: Everything I’ve ever been through.

GTTF: You removed your first two albums from iTunes because you felt they were no longer truly representative of your sound. Are you confident that you will remain proud of your current material?

MM: I’m always proud of my work, but I move on from it to tackle the next. I plan on putting those albums back up at some point, for those who are interested in my musical growth. But yes, I remain proud.

GTTF: I think it’s fair to say your discovery was down to Youtube, do you have any tips for who you think the next internet singing sensation will be?

MM: I was not “discovered”. I was in the music business years before Youtube was even a website. I’ve worked and struggled very hard to get where I am today. Youtube was/is a tool I use to connect with people and share my work with the world. If you want it to last, you must put in the old fashioned get-your-hands-dirty work. True success DOES NOT come easy and I feel for the future generation(s) who see auditioning for a talent show, reality show, spamming producers with their music and videos, “the way”. The internet can not give you what life does, experience; I’d say to that “internet singing sensation”, go out and get some. If they are still standing after falling over and over again, they can thank Youtube for helping to open some doors but know that it was their undying ‘bleeding-hands’ drive that was/is TRULY responsible for their success.

GTTF: You post various quotes via your Facebook and Twitter, what’s the one which holds the most meaning to you?

MM: Create the world you want to live in.

GTTF: Finally, your gig calendar is currently looking quite bare with no upcoming concerts past August, do you hav - Get To The Front

Who stole the soul? Mighty Moore’s Power Range
-Posted by Chris Zysk, ArtsQuest Marketing Intern and unicycle enthusiast.

I grew up consuming a musical diet consisting of power ballads, power chords, and a sardonic fascination with spacey nu-metal wierdos Powerman 5000. Mostly I just thought they had a cool name.

But seriously, folks—the best music always seems to have a sense of urgency and power behind it. Whether it carries a powerful message or casts a powerful hook, there is just something very potent about the raw emotion artists can translate into mesmerizing sounds.

So when you think of how classic soul and R&B music makes you feel, does the word “powerful” enter your vocabulary? If not, then think again.

Mishal Moore’s versatile voice and rump-shakin’ soul loops have the power to transport audiences back in time to hoppin’ ‘60s Motown clubs. A multi-talented performer in her prime, Moore’s got the searing melodies and emotive howls that would make even James Brown shiver in his duck-tails.

Drawing comparisons to soul troubadours Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Mishal Moore has a style all to her own. While her retro song production exudes a scratchy lo-fi feel to it, Moore’s vocalizations and presence are decidedly hi-octane and robust. Her crunchy grooves are strong enough to bring tears to my eye. And the only other time that has happened was when I got hot sauce in my eye at a Black Sabbath show.

As an independent artist with a grassroots following, Mishal Moore redefines the image of the typical American singer-songwriter for the better. This is one soulful performance you will not want to miss.

Mishal Moore will be bringing the heat to Musikfest 2010 and the Martin Guitar Lyrikplatz stage on Aug. 14 at 8:30 p.m.
- ArtQuest

There’s Something About Mishal

Vocalist Mishal Moore keeps it real, period. Not in that hand on the waist, head swirling, finger in your face sort of realness - though I don’t doubt she could go there if pushed. She’s more of that Billie Holiday and Nina Simone real. The kind that lays it all out there and says, “This is me, perfectly imperfect”, inviting all of us to feel the same way about ourselves.

It’s her soul sharing sincerity that has drawn folks to the classically trained Moore’s popular Youtube videos, which are part testimonials and part testing grounds for new material that she’s working on. Only a member of the viral community for a little over a year, Moore’s “When I Loved You” was a Youtube featured video - sending close to 1,000, 0000 hits from folks who wanted to know more about the singer and her music. Including a new friend in Germany, who Moore has never met but speaks to on the phone, and plans to visit when she’s in Europe this summer promoting her upcoming album. “In some ways they do kind of know me because I put myself out there,” shares Moore. “I find the best music is honest music, just writing what you know. Real people will connect with real music and I only want to connect with real people, so I’m not going to write about anything just for sale’s sake. It’s really nice to know that I write music that people enjoy and it touches them on a level that maybe a few years ago I wouldn’t have been able to write.”

Moore admits that in 2002, when she decided to leave Webster University Conservatory where she was majoring in musical theater, she wasn’t a writer. Out of school, she found herself singing backup for an up-and-coming folk artist and writing generic “I love you, why don’t you love me” sorrow ballads. “All of my songs were based on just what I thought the general public wanted to hear and not what was coming from me,” Moore acknowledges. “I did that with the first album, I did that somewhat with the second album and I just wasn’t tapping into being okay with writing about things that affect me or things I wanted to reflect on.”

What changed all that was a move from southern Florida to New Jersey, which was encouraged by three time Grammy Award winning producer and engineer Commissioner Gordon, who recognized that Moore’s home state is better suited for building the pop careers of former Mouseketeers, not indie artist. It was clear she needed to go. Combined with Moore’s “what I got to lose” mindset, a series of destined events also played a role in her listening to Gordon’s advice and taking a chance on relocating.
Back in 2003, she went to an audition to become one of Lauryn Hill’s backup singers. By now many of us know, or at least think do, what Hill’s life was looking like during that time. Moore and her cousin were the only ones who showed up and they spent hours waiting for something to happen. Gordon, who was working with Hill, was also at the audition and Moore’s cousin couldn’t stop staring, swearing that he looked familiar. It was later on that Moore learned that her father used to baby-sit Gordon back when he was 11-years-old. Three years after the seemingly fruitless audition, Moore received a call about a soon-to-be released movie in need of a new artist to write a song that coincidently Gordon would produce, bringing him back into her life.

Whatever happened to the movie or the folk singer she used to work with back when she left school? Moore has no idea. What she does know is that there’s power in destiny. Moore is where she’s meant to be and her writing has gotten 10 times better due to her being more comfortable with what she has to say. “The move up to New Jersey was really what changed my whole outlook because I’m writing about things I’m connected to now. My music became more meaningful to me.”

With the resolve of someone who has tapped into her true self, Moore refuses to go back to the time when she hated the songs she produced. She confesses that at the age of 20, the whole experience of attempting to break into the music industry almost caused her to crack under that same people pleasing pressure that our beloved Lauryn Hill claimed had her imprisoned once she dropped her first solo album. “I was trying to please everybody, not knowing that I should have listened to myself. But I didn’t have myself to listen to because [I] was numb, the door was shut and there was nobody talking to me,” recollects Moore. “It’s like this shell of a human being and somebody telling this person what to do and you just do it. Five years later, I have my own voice and something in the back of my head that says, ‘You don’t need to do that’. When I was 20, I didn’t know and when you don’t know you fall for everything.”

In a society where being famous is considered a career choice and those attempting to “make it” are willing to do so at the self-sacrificing price of mimicry, it’s heartening that indie label Ill Friction wants Moore as is. “They don’t w - squarerootz.net

Mishal Moore’s fan base is constantly growing and if you listen to any of her songs, you’ll know why. Her voice is simply warm, pure, and soulful with a certain timelessness that you don’t find in many singers anymore. I first heard “When I Loved You” on youtube and was hooked from that point on. I subscribed to her videos and waited Sunday for each new song (no, not in a stalker type of way). In an industry where artists have to change their “image” to appeal to the masses, Moore has opted to stay true to herself. Her talent was finally noticed and she recently signed with indie label, Ill Friction. This is just the beginning for this songstress. - What's Your Poison?