| The Exclusive Interview With Gilli Moon! |
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| Q: Gilli, thank you very much for taking the time to join us here for this interview! You are the ultimate multi-talented artist! You do it all, from singing, to music production, to painting, to your newest ventures of authoring and self-motivation clinics. Tell us about what has been keeping you busy in the past few weeks! A: Well, I've been touring Australia since November and launched the new album, "Woman" down-under. I have been based around Sydney but went to Melbourne to perform and conduct a seminar about Doing it the Indie Way. I just got back from Brisbane after 3 shows, a seminar and a lie on a wonderful sunny, white sand, blue water beach! Q: As you mentioned, Your newest album entitled Woman was released last year, and the reviews have been very positive and energetic. What are your thoughts on the finished product? A: I am overwhelmed with the response. I have found a whole new audience with young, energetic, self-empowered female artists who are assimilating with my music and vision. It's very exciting. Many men buy the album too. The fan base is pretty diverse. I love my new album because it shows the full spectrum of emotions a woman goes through, and it depicts strength. My art work is finally getting noticed through the cd cover and what I do on stage in my "One Woman Show". I've definitely grown up and it's reflected in the album. Q: You have a very unique musical stage show where you actually paint and create art onstage during the more intense musical passages of your songs. Tell me about how you began doing this, and what goes through your mind as you paint. A: I call this movement "SensuArt" where I combine all the senses on stage. I believe that performing should be highly entertaining. I don't enjoy rock bands whose lead singer just stands there singing with no stage presence. I believe in entertaining the audience with high impact and energy. I've become known as a performance artist through this. I paint often when the music is at it's height (great guitar solo or lots of rhythm and "noise") and I just splash paint on this glass canvas that becomes a wonderful creative outlet for me on stage, showing _expression. It's loads of fun! I don't think much when I paint, I mainly am listening and feeling the music that my awesome band is making while I move into art mode. Gordie Germaine, guitarist, often gets painted. I'm trying to get him to strip on stage!! ha! Other players, Evan Beigel, Tim Davies and Ken Moore also contribute to me being able to go "off" in my little world of painting. Without their sonic sounds, I'd be... um.. unsensual! Q: What is the most important message that you want your fans to draw from your lyrics and music? A: Passion. Living and loving with passion. Sensuality,... being fearless in expressing our desires in life, to one another. Being open in comuniucation, true, and honest. Currently, self-empowerment. Strength. But really, being passionate about life. Q: How did you go about founding Warrior Girl Music? A: I came to the conclusion that no one was going to "make it happen for me" in my career, and that I had to take the reigns of my own career and make it happen for myself. The "Warrior" symbol allows me to feel invigorated to ultimately achieve anything I set out to achieve. The music industry is like a battle field and so having the warrior instinct, the fighter mentality, is crucial. Practically speaking, I simply set up a dba and founded the web site, and started producing music. The rest came by attracting a wonderful team of experts around me. It's a day to day process and very organic and grass roots, and I like that. Q: Are you finding a lot of prospective talent to put under the Warrior Girl label? A: Yes. Gloriously yes. Probably too many. I can't help them all. I find it hard enough running my own career. We get emails all the time from young artists, both men and women (mainly female though) who want to be signed to WGM (Warrior Girl Music). They like the idea of self-empowered, autonomous music careers, they like seeing me out there making it happen, and want to do it too. One day we might become like Maverick Records... for now... it's... step by step... Q: As I stated earlier, you also have been holding a sort of self-help clinic in several cities in Australia. Can you tell us about the message and the content of these clinics? A: Last June of 2002 I was invited to conduct my first workshop to 200 songwriters about Doing it the Indie Way (succeeding as an independent artist). I was challenged by this and honoured and it encouraged me to have my first book ready and printed (I AM a Professional Artist - The Key To Survival And Success in the World of the Arts.) Since then I've been conducting workshops probably 2 a month not only in the States, but in Australia in the cities I've been going to. I produced the Songsalive! Expo at UCLA in Sept 03 with 1000 music industry professionals and artist attendees and this definitely brought me into the spotlight, but also a slew of wonderful songwriter professionals around me who made it happen, and who are also being empowered and successful as well. We all work closely together! Next, I will be going to Texas, New Orleans, New Mexico in March to perform and do workshops. In June I'm being flown to Idaho to talk at a bootcamp. August is the East Coast. I've ventured into a whole new arena as a motivational speaker and coach, without me asking to be one, and I'm excited by this. Q: People tend to put you in the categories of such artists as Madonna to Annie Lennox to Chrissie Hynde, and so many others. Where do you personally feel like you fit in in today's music industry? A: Wow. Very blessed to be compared. I rarely see myself as "fitting in" anywhere. I have spent most of my artistic life trying to "fit in" and I guess now it's good not to! I hope to be on the cutting edge of what's next, or more to the point, what "may never be seen again!" Q: Who were some of your biggest influences when you were developing your musical talents? A: I had so many. Without being too embarrassed, my idols growing up were classical piano players, Elton John, Olivia Newton John, Wham, Whitney Houston, Seal and Terence Trent D'arby. No heavy rock no roll I can assure you. But I now have come to love the band Live, Radio Head, Massive Attack, Maxwell, Garbage, Ani Difranco, and many more. I listen to artists that sound nothing like me! Q: Gilli, I want to thank you so much for joining us here and I wish you all the best of continued success. I want to wrap up here by asking you what other projects we might see from you this year? A: Thanks for having me Billy. Nice to meet you and see your site. I encourage the internet greatly. It has been a huge part of my development and success. This year I will be touring the U.S extensively from the South West to the North East, as well as developing the live show performance art experience with my rock band in and around los angeles. I'm up for experimentation and _expression....... I'll be extending more and more into the motivational world and am working on a book of poetry from the years 1982 to 2002. I'll be touring Australia again in the latter part of the year. Perhaps you might see me on commercial radio... hmmm... who knows!!! |
| The extremely multi-talented singer/songwriter/artist/author Gilli Moon was kind enough to take a break in her hectic schedule to join us here to talk about her latest projects! |
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