1. How long have you been making music and how did you get started in the first place?
My mom said I came out of the womb singing, not crying so basically since birth lol but I didn’t start writing original music until after my first major back surgery in 2009 Depression Took hold of me and creating Music was my own personal form of therapy!
2. Who were your first musical influences that you can remember?
Janis Joplin, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Jackson and Metallica!
3. Which artists are you currently listening to?
Honestly, I listen to a little bit of everything! But currently, I am hooked on a foreign band called
“Heilung “ they are a really cool folklore band from Germany!
4. Where did the moniker/stage name come from?
Well, actually Runae Moon is my real name lol Runae is my middle name but have gone by it since 5th grade!
5. What are your thoughts on visual media and YouTube? Do you have any videos published for fans to see?
I Loved making music videos on YouTube when I had someone to help me but since I pretty much am a complete solo artist, I do everything by myself so I do have some videos, but I’m hoping to have more new ones soon!
6. Entertaining a live audience or creating songs in a studio environment?
I suffer from having extreme social anxiety, so I rarely do live performances. Most of what I do is here at home in my basement and then posted online!
7. Tell us something about your lyrics and music production on your releases. Which part of these processes do you handle personally, and which do you outsource, if any?
Literally, everything I do has been by myself I’ve had to teach myself everything! It’s been a struggle but a great experience and Wouldn’t change my Music journey so far for nothing! Every lyric I’ve ever written stems from a personal experience I have gone through. A lot of my songs are dark, but I’ve been through a lot of hell in my lifetime.
8. What is the title of your latest music release and where can fans find it?
“Times Like These” thanks to Brimstone lab it’s available everywhere! However, my newest music video “Am I too Dark” is now available on YouTube!
9. What do you think makes this recording special and a must-have for fans of the genre?
It’s got a great beat, and I think the lyrics people can really relate to. That’s kind of the goal in all of my songs is to be myself and hope others can relate to it so they don’t feel all alone.
10. Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a performing artist in a genre thriving with newcomers and social media stars?
I don’t fall into any certain category I mean I would probably say Gothic rock, but my style is definitely unique. I have stood out like a sore thumb ever since first grade lol I think people recognize that immediately.
11. Which aspect of being an independent artist and the music-making process excites you most?
Hands-down the fans! The reaction from them! No matter how many songs I have written every time a fan reaches out to me, saying it helped them through a hard time or that they could relate to it. That feels priceless to me and means everything!!
12. What is Mortuary Moon Designs and Downriver Michigan Phantom Finders?
Mortuary Moon designs is my newest, small business adventure! I buy porcelain dolls from antique shops and thrift stores or estate sales and turn them into creepy haunted dolls for people to adopt lol
Downriver Michigan phantom finders is a paranormal research group I started two years ago, we go out and do paranormal investigations for people who need us or to places that appear to be haunted or abandoned. I got my demonology certification in 2019 so helping people when they are in need is definitely something I enjoy doing.
13. How do you achieve your sound? Do you work from a private recording environment or do you use a commercial sound studio?
I have been creating and recording music, the exact same way since I very first started in 2009 on my home computer system with a four channel Behringer sound mixer.
14. The best piece of advice in this business you actually followed so far, and one you didn’t follow, but now know for sure that you should have?
The best piece of advice was to never give up, and to always stay true to myself, and not to change for anyone no matter what! The piece of advice I didn’t follow, but wish I would have followed, was to stop being such an introvert, and to try to mingle more with other artists! I’m sure I would have gone farther in the industry but again there’s that horrible, social anxiety I suffer from .
15. How did you team up with The Brimstone Lab record label?
They reached out to me, which was surprising, because I never even thought I was good enough to be part of a label, but they must have seen some thing in me and took a chance! I will always be grateful!!!!
16. Do you consider the Internet and all the social media websites, as fundamental to your career, and indie music in general?
Absolutely! If it wasn’t for social media, I don’t think anyone would even know I existed! Lol
17. If someone has never heard your music, which keywords would you personally use to describe your overall sound and style?
Gothic, rock, industrial…it’s dark but meaningful!
18. Straight off the top of your head, how would you describe the current state of the Hip-hop, R&B, and Rap industry in general?
Well I’ve always been more of a metal head believe it or not lol but I absolutely love when you hear a hip-hop artist combine metal music with their own sound , there’s a lot more variety nowadays and that is some thing the world needs!
19. As you work your way through your career, which more than any other fires up your imagination – A Grammy award, Platinum music sales, or any other tangible milestone?
I literally just do it for the fans I do it so they don’t feel alone so that they can relate to someone else out there who might be also going through what they’re going through! I’ve had multiple young people reach out to me after listening to a couple of my songs and tell me they were suicidal, and that my songs actually helped change their mind and the current mood they were in, and that to me means more than anything else!
20. What is the ONE thing you are NOT willing or prepared to do EVER, in your quest to achieve a successful musical career?
Change who I am. I will always remain true to myself.
