Credit: Mark Gonzales
When he is not busy working as an executive at EMPIRE, Moody Jones is out there putting his talents on full display as a house music DJ, music producer, and fashion designer. He has found success with a handful of singles over the years, but things really started taking off for him with the release of “Gold Action” this past April. The track accumulated over 2 million streams and put him in a prime place for his follow-up singles “Nazar,” “SHAKE,” and the recent “SCORPIO (Cigarettes & Alcohol).” With plenty of other projects on the way, Moody Jones found the time in his schedule to chat with us about collaborating with Santino Le Saint on the new single, fashion trends, muses, and highlights in his career so far.
Melodic Mag: Congratulations on your latest single “SCORPIO (Cigarettes & Alcohol),” which you released with Santino Le Saint. Could you tell us more about how you two came together and what it was like to create the track?
Moody Jones: I first discovered Santino in 2018. I was cooking in my kitchen (that was the last time I did that) when “Maria Don’t Call Me” came on. I DMd him on IG, and a year and a half later we signed him over to EMPIRE. I’ve always been a big fan of his writing and voice and jumped on this opportunity to bring his voice to the dance floor.
Are you a big believer in astrology?
I don’t believe in signs, but that might be because of the nonconformist attitude, the despise for authority, and the rebellious nature of an Aquarius.
“SCORPIO (Cigarettes & Alcohol)” comes after “Gold Action,” which you released earlier this year. What was it like to see “Gold Action” do so well, especially on Spotify where it’s been streamed over 2 million times?
I actually put out a few tracks in between, one of which got a Times Square billboard over the summer. “Gold Action” has definitely been the breakthrough, largely due to a Leonardo DiCaprio meme that SuperSluttySnake shared. Everyone was playing the record, and I’d hear it out of cars in Miami. With every record, I try and push the limit of genres, and I think “SCORPIO” is a song that years down the line people will be playing similar songs to, and I’ll know that once again I was ahead.
What is the first thing you focus on when working on a track?
What mood do I want the person to be in when they decide to play my song?
What is your ultimate goal for a song in the end?
My dream is to have one of those records where every other day there’s another remix popping up. My goal is to inspire and to give others the tools to express themselves. If it’s not a remix, then it’s a dance routine.
You have so much going on, being the Senior VP of Digital and Creative at EMPIRE by day and working as a house DJ at night. Are there times when your love of music seems more like a job than a passion, or is it one and the same?
I wake up every day and the first two things I do is FaceTime my parents and then pray. Every frickin day I wake up and I am thankful that this is the life I’ve built, and how will I break another record for myself and for my artists?
You also dabble in fashion design – what is your favorite trend right now?
Outside of my line at YDOOM, I’ve been really into plisse patterns from CFCL and Issey Miyake. I’m also a fan of nail gel art, like evil eyes and stuff.
Which artists/songs/albums inspired you to get into the music industry?
Claude VonStroke is my mentor, Limp Bizkit is my childhood, I grew up listening to Pete Tong’s essential mix, and currently I’m jamming to Amapiano and African music.
What has been your favorite project to date?
This year, I was lucky to work on Aaliyah’s discography, Yung Bleu’s Moon Boy and Key Glock’s Yellow Tape 2.
Have you had any surreal moments thus far in your career, whether it’s working with an artist, performing at a venue, etc?
I played back to back with Claude VonStroke and Loco Dice a few times from the house side. I got to play at Osheaga, Piknic Électronik, and Igloofest. And on the chill end, I’ve smoked up with Snoop Dogg several times.
Any final comments or words of wisdom?
Whatever you do, put your art in it.
Keep up with Moody Jones: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // YouTube // Website
