Maurice Moore released his new EP, The Amber Room on November 17. Among the 13 tracks on the EP, "Thotline" appears to be the most catchy, and “Little More” as the most revealing with lyrics about balancing life’s struggles, relationships, and feeling appreciated.
After writing songs for artists such as Justine Skye and Marques Houston, and collaborating with Kehlani, Daniel Caesar, and H.E.R., the rising artist is here to make a name for himself, dedicating his experiences to his work and showing that he is just as human as his listeners and supporters.
How did you come up with the title The Amber Room and the arrangement of songs?
Maurice Moore: The title The Amber Room came about over the phone one evening with my manager in a conversation about hidden treasures. A quick google search of "hidden treasures of the world" revealed The Amber Room—a room made out of precious gold from the ceiling to the flooring and everything in between. It was seized by the Nazis during WWII and hasn't been seen since. This instantly resonated with me—I was looking at this beautiful monument and thinking, wow, no one has any idea where this thing is. This transformed into a metaphor for the grueling journey that every young person faces in life—creating a sense of purpose and identity. I reimagined my own quest for purpose as a treasure hunt, where The Amber Room was the prize. This golden state of mind and being [that] we are all seeking—once you get there—is a treasure that never stops giving. Ironically, I feel as though when I initially began this process I was lost and confused in my life and its messy direction. But it was through the creation of this project that I really found a true sense of purpose and identity. The project flows much like a movie would—it's a story about self discovery and the things I went through to really begin to understand my own purpose.
How were you able to resolve that tug between football and music and how did you know you had done the right thing when you chose to pursue music?
Maurice Moore: To be honest, at the time that I made that decision, I didn't know if I made the right choice. I just knew that I wasn't happy playing this game anymore. The thrill of scoring a touchdown used to be the ultimate high and suddenly I was numb to it. I was living in a dark musty basement apartment where I experienced depression for the first time in my life. Music was tugging on my heart and I was watching opportunities pass by on a regular basis. It was something that I just knew I had to do. Thankfully it has paid off but that's what hard work, preparation and a little bit of luck can do for anybody. I definitely feel like I made the right decision now, and every time I get on stage to perform for my fans it serves as the best reminder of that.
“The Loudest Silence” racked up over 4.3 million Spotify streams. Can you talk about your social media influence then and now? What has changed for you in terms of the way you use social media?
Maurice Moore: I think in the past, social media was a tool for me to showcase the best of myself and my music. But over the past year since I released "The Loudest Silence," I learned the importance of connection. Seeing the way the world received that song and how it impacted people made me realize that I have more influence than I ever imagined. From then on I strived to be as authentic as possible on all platforms and really use social media as a tool to connect with my fans in a much more intimate way. I think that's the key for any rising artist or brand. Take the time to connect with your audience. These are the people who adore your craft, pay your rent and keep food on the table. It's the least you could do.
About music in Canada...
Maurice Moore: Music has always had a home in Canada. I grew up around rap battles in my neighborhood, singing songs at family barbecues, and immersed in a culture that lived for music. Canada is finally starting to get recognition on a mass scale for all of the incredible music it produces and I couldn't be more proud. Canada is such a mosaic of culture and we are not afraid to merge our many influences into our music and I think that is what's been keeping us at the top for the past 8 years or so. The US has such a strong musical history, which has bred certain cities to be hotbeds for musical talent where artists have the infrastructure, population, and support from the community to really make an impact. Canada is still in its infancy when it comes to that so I'm very excited to see how it all evolves in the coming years.
About “tracking” down Kehlani...
Maurice Moore: I am the ultimate SoundCloud nerd and I remember discovering Kehlani in 2014 with Cloud19 and connecting with her sound and vibe heavily. In 2014, R&B was in a weird place. It didn't know what it wanted to be and I personally was making more traditional R&B with a modern twist. Kehlani felt like my female counterpart musically. In 2016, I dropped a song called "Typhoon"—just showing love and paying tribute to what she was doing—and a couple of days later I was hanging out at a studio in LA with her and Wale. She's just so human and wears her emotions on her sleeve and to me that's what R&B is all about. It's about genuine emotion, connection, passion, and creativity. Kehlani reminded me that I was on the right track.
What other artists are you inspired by and which do you hope to collaborate with?
Maurice Moore: I am inspired by so many genres and styles but at the current moment I'd say my biggest influences are Prince, Shania Twain, Brandy, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Tank, and Paul McCartney. I'd love to collaborate with all of them that are still with us (rest in peace Prince and Michael Jackson) as well as Chris Brown, Bruno Mars, Daniel Caesar, and J. Cole. I'm missing so many people because I’m such a fan of all the amazing music being made right now, but right at this second that’s my starting lineup.