Steven Moses might just be one of the most exciting acts that I’ve gotten to interview for our pages. Just today, the Pennsylvania native dropped an amazing 12 song album called “99” that is truly amazing. Here at Lyrical Lemonade it only makes sense to shine a light on the best music, so I had to sit down and talk to the rising star about his life, upbringing and how its all connected through music! Please enjoy this conversation with Steven Moses.
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Sam: Give us your background as far as growing up in Pennsylvania…Thats’s not a huge musical spot compared to other places. When you think of music, you don’t think of Pennsylvania, so just tell me how you got the inspiration to even start in the first place.
Steven: Well first, Hell no Pennsylvania isn’t a musical place!!! But yeah music was just in my life from the beginning. My parents just always used to play good music around me. When I was 7 I started playing guitar, like actually playing guitar, but I always had toy guitars and shit when I was a kid. I was just really drawn to it. And by the time I was like 9-years old my sister and I who is a musician as well, me and her started like a classic rock cover band when we were little ass kids. I was like 9 and she was like 13. It lasted like two years. We would play dive bars and pull up to battle of the bands. Then I did my own thing…I was listening to punk music a lot.
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Sam: I was going to ask, who were some of the artists that you listened to growing up?
Steven: I would always go through phases. I was obsessed with The Beatles when I was a kid and then I was obsessed with punk music and then post punk after that. I didn’t even listen to rap until I was 14 and I was just into it. It wasn’t until I was 14 when I started developing my own style. My parents would always tell me, “make whatever you want to make as long as it’s not country or rap.” Then around 13 or 14, I was just a bad kid. I got into like all of the worst shit. That was the same time I found rap music and I just wanted to rebel. My influences are just really all over the place. A very eccentric mix which is why my stuff sounds so unique.
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Sam: Yeah man its extremely unique. I know for me when I listen to stuff, I never want to listen to someone who sounds like someone else… and your stuff just sounds like Steven. Is that something you’ve always tried to do? Make music that is uniquely your own?
Steven: Yeah because if I listen to someone and I’m like oh this sounds like so and so, I might as well just listen to so and so. Might as well listen to the OG.
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Sam: So when was the moment when it all clicked and you realized that you wanted to do this music stuff?
Steven: Oh man, it was when I was like 9 or 10. But once I hit 13 or 14, I kinda just stopped doing that stuff. I really didn’t want to do anything besides make quick cash so I just pushed it aside as a hobby. It wasn’t until I went out to LA and met William, the guy who produces a majority of my shit. The first session we had together, we made “love me”. And as soon as it happened and it started getting notoriety, that was the moment I realized that I could actually do it.
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Sam: I always like to ask artists what was their first win. Was this one of your first wins?
Steven: Yeah, definitely. That was the turning point.
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Sam: How did that feel for you? Were you in shock?
Steven: Yeah bro because I wasn’t really thinking anything of it. I thought it was a good video, it was the first video I put out and I didn’t know what was going to happen and it hit a million in the first month and I was like what, people actually care about what I have to say.
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Sam: That’s just inspiring to young kids who grew up the way you did man. Showing them that something like this can happen to them as well. How did you link up with the producer you made the song with and how did you get out to LA in the first place?
Steven: I was actually homeless out here for a minute. Just couch surfing. I just flew out here and didn’t know anybody at all. I was like homeless in Venice Beach for a second just laying on my suitcase because I was too young to get a hotel room. I ended up living in Costa Mesa for a second down in Orange County for 4 months. I was just doing whatever I could do to survive out here. Then I met William through his brother on some unrelated shit. We weren’t doing anything musical at all. I was super drunk at their moms house because she had a party and I freestyled and I think Will first saw me and was like, this kid is just some drunk idiot and I started free-styling and right away he was into it and he wanted to work with me. I was down to work with anybody and everybody but didn’t realize that he was the goat off the bat. I just met the right person I guess. It’s just weird. I still can’t believe that we met because I m from just a completely different background.
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Sam: Bro thats how it works man. I’ve heard so many stories just being in the right spot at the right time and thats just crazy.
Steven: Yea man I just feel like if you give out positive energy and you’re a good person then other people will gravitate towards that. When people see that you’re doing this because you love it not because you want to get a bag real quick. Music is the hardest way to get a bag bro so if you’re just trying to make money and do it fo the wrong reasons, people are going to see that.
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Sam: Man, were there times where you doubted yourself and what ended up pushing you past that?
Steven: Yeah there were a lot of times when logistically I was just completely drained I was wondering why I was doing this. I guess you just have to realize how fortunate you are to be able to do this as a career. None of that shit matters when you realize that.
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Sam: Well man tell me whats next? What are you working on and what are you excited for?
Steven: There’s an album coming finally. We’ve got music videos coming and maybe I’ll do a cyber tour or something. I haven’t dropped an album in like 2 years. The last one was a mixtape so this is like the first album for sure. I’m really excited about it all.
As you can see, Steven is an artist with his head on his shoulders with a lot of genuine perspective on the things that matter in life. If you enjoyed this Q&A, then make sure you check out Steven’s brand new album that just dropped called, “99”. I’ve attached the Spotify link down below! Thank you all for reading the Steven Moses Q&A.