Today we’d like to introduce you to Arei Moon.
Hi Arei, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a first-generation Cape Verdean American singer. I started out as kid with a big dream in Boston, MA and used this dream to escape reality. Growing up I listened to mainly pop and r&b music and would always envision myself on a big stage in front of a huge crowd singing. I started performing at block parties as a kid up until I was 12. At 12 years old, I got my first taste of what it felt like to be on stage in front of a real audience when I opened for LL Cool J. Almost immediately after that, I moved to Florida and joined a choir program at my school which made me really fall in love with singing even more. After high school, I went to college, auditioned for some talent competitions, and started gigging with some party bands. None of it was as fulfilling as I wanted it to be. In 2017, I got my dream job at the time, as the lead vocalist for the B.B. King’s All-Star Band in Orlando, FL. After a couple years, I got the opportunity to join Season 18 of NBC’s The Voice as a contestant on Team Nick and made it to the Top 17. Unfortunately, Covid hit and locked us down, so we had to film our live portions from home. Being on the show gave me the validation I needed to keep going and to keep going harder. With the pandemic, things started to die down and I started losing hope again, but a quick trip to Boston with my team changed everything. I met my now business partner AND friend Mark MF Diamond who, from a short clip of me singing in the street, heard something in me that he believed in. That was six months and today we now co-own a record label (Diamond Legacy Records) that I am signed to as an artist!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been the bumpiest ride ever. I have dealt with bullying. I’ve dealt with being convinced I wasn’t talented enough. I have dealt with people who didn’t have my best interest at heart. It has been such a roller coaster. But I guess it’s just something most of us as humans have to go through.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve always called myself a singer, but I feel it’s more than that. I am a singer, recording artist, and performer. I am most proud of the energy I get from being on stage. There’s something about being able to connect with an audience and watch them enjoy their time with you. The hype part about performing is what I live for.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Next 5-10 years, I see platinum plaques, Grammy’s. I see Diamond Legacy Records growing to the point where we can sign on some of the dopest artists out there. With how fast everything has been moving so far, I see it only getting grander.
Contact Info:
- Email: themooncollectivearei@gmail.com
- Website: https://linktr.ee/areimoon
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/areimoon/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/areimoon
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/areimoon
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC6YnMAnlWHjoeN–gsNeKXw
Image Credits
Shots by Frost
Seth Charles
Nikita Kochergin
