Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter Wendy Moten, who discusses her goals for 202, as well as her influences and origin in the industry.
Review Fix: How did you get involved in music?
Wendy Moten: I was born in it. My father was the Minister of Music at our church before becoming a pastor of his own church, years later. We were at church for 4 days a week.
In my younger years, I won a few talent contests, got involved with musical theater, performed at my hometown theme park during the summers. I had the opportunity to travel to Europe and the whole Mediterranean performing for our USO troops at 19 years old. In my 20’s I played in a few Memphis clubs, toured as a backing singer for Kevin Paige. We both attended Overton High Performing Arts school in Memphis.
I started to get calls to sing in the studio and I learned how to become a better singer, because you had to deliver without an audience. In my late 20’s, I got a record deal at EMI Records during the Whitney, Mariah, Celine era. In my mid 30’s to currently, I recorded a few duets with music icons like Michael McDonald, Vince Gill and Julio Iglesias. I recorded a few movie soundtracks and played on many Award shows. I’m only sharing these things, because, all of those experiences help mold me and I continue to keep growing across different genres and sounds.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Moten: In the early days, I had no clue what I was doing. I knew I had a gift and I knew I wasn’t afraid to work hard. My goal has always been to do my utimate best, which includes research, repetition and execution. When putting my own shows together, the great JULIO IGLESIAS taught me the value of only singing and performing songs that mean something to you. He taught me that the connection between artist and audience is crucial, more than singing everything perfectly right. So I start with choosing songs that move me, whether it’s the lyric or melody. Then the other pieces start to fall in place, no matter if I’m putting my live show together or choosing a song to sing for my project.
If someone hires me to sing their song, You use other tools. Study the lyrics, learn the melody and think about it musically, not literally, and make it believable.
Review Fix: What inspires you?
Moten: Oh my, a great tv commercial that makes me tear up. When I see people helping others, just because, makes me tear up and inspires. It reminds me to use the teachings of my parents. They loved people and always showed compassion and tolerance and they showed me and my siblings and others, unconditional love. During my shows, the goal is to calm the soul through song.
My goal in my everyday life and during my shows, is for them to have no doubt that my show is for them. Every lyric, feeling, tear, a smile is for my audience. When people who have come to my show and share that I made them feel something, I want them to share that joy in their world. People doing kind things really inspire me.
Review Fix: What does music mean to you?
Moten: It’s definitely the universal language. It’s been proven so many times how powerful and healing it can be for most and for me. You don’t have to speak the same language, but, everyone can sense the meaning and feelings of it.
Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?
Moten: I grew up in an era of watching the Lawrence Welk show to the Soul Train television show and from Soul Train to Hee Haw to the Carol Burnett show and Flip Wilson. This was an era of inclusion. All of the different demographics were sharing a little bit of the culture to the world. I embraced it all and I learned from it all, so pieces of it are in my everyday life and in my music. I consider myself a LINDA RONSTADT style of artist. I love to sing a little of it all. I would consider my vocal sound as classic and pop.
Review Fix: How are your live shows different from your studio work?
Moten: I love singing live. Its where I can truly connect with my audience. I love to get myself out of the way and let the song lead me… Almost like spiritual moments. For me, it’s all about the song and the melody. You have people that write songs and people who are interpreters of song.
I’m an interpreter. A lot of the things I want to share, with my audience, has been written already.
Over time, I’ve perfected my craft and have become a better communicator through song.
I want the melody and the words to take you away into deep thought. That’s why the songs have to have the right words to move me every time. When I chose the right songs for a show, I know it, because I anticipate singing each one of them. I expect magic to happen because my ego is out of the way.
I love working in the studio as well. I learn how to record in Protools and really got to understand my instrument. I’m able to listen closely and can bend or straighten a note by listening closer and taking some musical risk. Learning how to record my vocals took all doubt out of my mind concerning my instrument. I know exactly what to expect. And whats great is I can change it, if, it just doesn’t fit.
I don’t have that kind of freedom live. Because of the both, I’ve grown a great deal.
Review Fix: What inspired your latest single?
Moten: Well, the great Country Music icon, Vince Gill, produced this project. I had been touring with him for about a year or less. I mentioned that I wanted to do a Ray Charles Country style project and Vince said he would produce it for me. We made the record in three days. He chose the songs on the day of the session, so I had never heard of most of them. He loved the fact that I had never heard of them. He felt like I would truly make them my own. I’m thrilled with the results.
Vince chose the lastest single entitled TIL I GET IT RIGHT , which is a classic tradictional song recorded by country icon TAMMY WYNETTE. It’s beautiful and haunting at the same time. I love it !
Review Fix: What are your goals for the rest of 2020?
Moten: Unfortunately, the Corona Virus stopped a lot of things from happening. And because this is an independent project, I have to find different ways to get my project out there. I’m up for the challenge.
I will be working on promoting my current project and working towards getting booked in 2021.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Moten: I’ve been really blessed throughout my whole career. I’ve been able to Tour and Record with some of the most iconic artists in music history.vI’ve been fortunate to record duets with Julio Iglesias, Michael Mcdonald, Larry Carlton, Kirk Whalum, Isaac Hayes, John Oates, Peabo Bryson, Vince Gill and more. I love the journey of it all…I feel like a butterfly, landing, helping to create some beauty and then I fly to the next adventure, hopefully, bring joy along with me.
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