Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Alex Moye

Alex Moye became a producer and artist because he wanted to make his mark on the dance culture and community. His latest release, “I Wanna Dance,” definitely accomplishes that, and has listeners up on their feet! Pop Culturalist caught up with this rising talent to learn how crossing one item off his bucket list turned into a lifelong passion.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Alex: I’ve always been interested in music. I played in a handful of bands when I was in high school and early college. My dad played in bands back in the ’70s. My older brother is heavily involved in music. So I’ve always been around that influence.

I was never much of a songwriter per se. I enjoyed playing the guitar, bass, and drums, depending on what band I was in. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I said, “I just want to write one song.” But I kept putting it off until 2018. I was like, “I’m going to do this. I’m going to write one song, and why not produce it?”

It was actually around that same time that I started listening to Avicii. I got really inspired by his music and that style of production. I said, “This is the kind of music that I’m going to make.” But my goal was only to do one song, just so I could say that I did it. I wanted to cross it off my bucket list. But I ended up enjoying the process so much that I stuck with it.

I always get asked the question: “how many ideas do you have?” I never knew what to answer that and I would make a number. But I went in and counted. I have a solid forty different ideas and demos for songs, but altogether I have eighty different files of projects that I’ve been working on. I’m getting close to a hundred. I delete a bunch of garbage too. I’ve been having so much fun with it. To answer your question, it started back in 2018 when I decided to finally check it off my bucket list.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Alex: I would say my dad. He’s always been about working hard and doing things that you enjoy. I work at the family business, so both my parents are civil engineers. They could tell from a young age that I was always good at math. I took that route as well. They encouraged me to follow a similar path.

They said, “You’re going to grow up. You’re going to be a civil engineer. You’re going into the family business.” That was always the game plan. But as I got older, I had interest in other things, even before music. I was always playing sports. I wanted to build something. My interests and hobbies always jumped from thing to thing.

My dad was always very supportive of that. He said, “As long as you’re working and getting your work done, you can do whatever you want outside of that. And as long as you’re working hard at that as well, you never know what could happen.” So my dad because he definitely works hard and he enjoys his time outside of work.

That’s something that I’ve always tried to live by. As long as you’re putting some form of intent behind whatever it is that you’re doing, you can do whatever you want. For me, it’s been working as a civil engineer first and foremost, and then outside of that, I’ve been working as hard as I can to build up this catalog of music.

PC: Earlier this spring, you dropped your debut EP. What did you learn about yourself as an artist putting that project together?
Alex: Great question. When I first started, I had every intention of making dance music. Something I’ve definitely learned is you may have an idea for a song—you might have an idea of what you want it to sound like and where you want it to turn out—but from the time you start until you finish, there are so many microdecisions that have to be made along the way before you finish the song that may not necessarily sound exactly how you want. That’s not a good or bad thing. It’s just music production.

I really intended for my music to be more dancefloor-oriented because that’s what inspired me to get into the style of production. I have a track or two that are more dance floor appropriate. I think “Love Me Better” seems to be the general favorites for everybody so far. I feel like my overall vibe in my music has been more poppy radio-friendly, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s just how it turned out. I want my next track to be a dance smash. Something that people would actually play at a club or something that actually people would play at a party—that’s what I want.

That’s where I really put a lot of emphasis on going into this next track. When I was working on “I Wanna Dance,” I was going through a bunch of samples and loops and things that I had saved on my computer, trying to find some inspiration for something that would be dance-oriented. I found the guitar loop that I ended up using at the beginning of that song. As soon as I heard it, the lyrics “I want to dance” came to me immediately. I was like, “Well, that’s appropriate.” I wanted to make a dance song, and those lyrics just came out. I started with that guitar loop, layered it, arranged it, and built it out to what it is now. I’m excited to put it out and see what people think of it.

PC: Of all the songs that you’ve released, if you had to pick one that best encompasses who you are as an artist, what would it be and why?
Alex: I’d say “I Wanna Dance.” The whole point of me starting this project was to add to the dance culture and community. I’ve wanted to have something that people could move to and have a good time with. It’s something that people can really jam out to, which is definitely the whole purpose of me getting into this style of production.

Outside of that, I would say “All the Good Things.” Another thing about my music is that it’s very positive and uplifting. I definitely want my music to add some positivity into the world.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Alex: In high school, I used to listen to a lot of alternative rock, so Fall Out Boy, Green Day, My Chemical Romance, and Coheed and Cambria. I used to jam out to them a lot. I don’t listen to them too much lately, but on my shuffle, I have an eclectic selection of music on my Spotify playlist. For example, if I put it on shuffle, I’ll have Avicii, Martin Garrix, and then it’ll jump to Zac Brown Band. Then the next track will be Elton John.

So I have a bunch of different styles of music that I listen to. I don’t think anything would be too surprising. I listen to pretty much every genre of music except maybe the extremes. I don’t listen to death metal or anything.

I’ve never been too crazy about country, but the rest of my family seems to enjoy country and I’ve just heard it enough to where it’s starting to grow on me. But the only artists I really listen to that much that I would consider country is Zac Brown Band.

PC: First album you bought?
Alex: The first album I ever bought was My Chemical Romance. It was their Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge album. I was sixteen years old. I think it was on my birthday because I had just gotten my license. So it was a week after my sixteenth birthday because I got my license a few days after it, so it was the first week of July. I had my license and I picked up my best friends and the first thing we did was drive to CD Connection. I bought one CD and it was My Chemical Romance.

I listened to that thing on repeat. That was about the same time I fell in love with playing the drums. So I would just rock out on the air drums in my bedroom in my parents’ house. I love it. I’ll never forget that My Chemical Romance was the first CD I ever bought.

PC: First concert you attended?
Alex: The first concert that I went to was Green Day. It was at Veterans Memorial. My friend had a hookup, so we ended up with box seats. It was an incredible experience.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Alex: I don’t know if it changed my life, but I remember Coheed and Cambria’s album. It was their sophomore album. But that was their first album I listened to that I really, really enjoyed every single track on the entire album. Same goes with My Chemical Romance, but I really enjoyed it—most of the songs on that album. But there was something different about Coheed and Cambria with the guitar riffs.

Fall Out Boy’s From Under The Cork Tree inspired me to get into one of my first bands. It was refreshing because I remember alternative rock was a lot more popular at the time. That was what I listened to a lot at the time—pretty much exclusively listened to. There was something so unique with their guitar riffs and lyrics.

To keep up with Alex, follow him on Instagram. Pick up or stream “I Wanna Dance” today.