A couple years ago, actress and musician Myra Molloy dropped her debut single, “stay.” It started out as an acoustic ballad, but when covid came along, Myra was inspired to give it new life. She used her songwriting and production skills to turn the track into a genre-bending smash, mixing soulful vocals, dance beats, and a combination of organic and electronic instrumentation to the fullest. She then went ahead and remixed the other ballads she had previously made, giving way to the creation of her debut EP, unrequited, and her burgeoning career as a multi-hyphenate artist. Released in November, unrequited captures Myra’s take on love and relationships, particularly their strengths and weaknesses. I spoke with Myra shortly after the release of the EP, asking her what it was like to work on the project and if what we hear will be the vibe of her music going forward.
Hey, Myra! The last time we talked, you had just released “stay,” and He’s All That was about to come out. So, it’s been a couple years, but it’s nice to speak with you again. How have you been?
Hi! Thank you for having me again and for supporting me from day one! Oh wow, it’s felt both so long and so fast at the same time. I’ve been great, hope you have been as well.
You just released unrequited, which is such a cool project. I think it really captures your artistry and abilities as a producer, singer, and songwriter. What were some highlights of putting the EP together?
I’m so glad it’s finally out in the world. That was my pandemic baby. I think the highlight of the whole EP for me was these songs were written as ballads throughout the course of college and covid where I felt, as the title states, that my feelings weren’t being reciprocated in the relationships I had. And to then revisit them again with the mindset of remixing my own music just brought a new life to them that I didn’t think I was capable of doing. Looking back, I feel this EP was the beginning of me really accepting the fact that I can call myself a producer.
There are two previous releases on the EP, along with two new tracks. From the start, did you know you wanted these four songs together on one project, or did you have to pick and choose what made the final cut?
I knew I wanted all these songs together. They were “remixed” in the same time frame, so they share the same vibe sonically, and it just felt right. I did have another track that I was toying with, but ultimately, it didn’t make the cut for me, haha.
With “stay” and “other love,” do these songs still hit you the same way as when you first released them, or have they taken on a new meaning since they came out?
They definitely do take on another meaning now. I look back on them fondly like, “Wow, that was young Myra, solidified in music form.” It’s pretty cool. I feel like I’ve come a long way in my life and my music-making, but with all artists, I’m sure they feel the same way about their first works as well. They will always be super special to me and remind me of that specific time in my life.
Because you made these tracks on your own, was there one that really put your skills to the test or did you have an easy time creating all of them?
Honestly, I think the hardest part for me was overcoming this impostor syndrome that I couldn’t be a producer (who was taken seriously, haha). Or that I wasn’t good enough to put out music I self-produced. I always give myself a hard time. But I feel like once I got into this “flow state,” things just kind of came to me very quickly and naturally, and I would come out of a producing trance. Top ten best feelings.
When we last spoke, you also mentioned dealing with imposter syndrome. Even though you feel like you overcame it during the making of this EP, do you think it will continue to show up on future projects?
Oh, wow. I should’ve anticipated this question, haha. As I mentioned earlier, yes. I don’t think it will ever go away.
The cover art is very interesting for unrequited – could you explain why you went with the upside-down photo?
One of my best friends, David Dickenson, is an incredible photographer, videographer, creative, etc. We were just having fun on my rooftop where I lived at the time, and he came up with the concepts. I do not take any credit for that. He also filmed and edited [the] “other love” music video!
Before the EP came out, you dropped two collaborations with Kilder and SANDY, respectively. How did these collabs come about?
My wonderful music manager, Helena Scotland, is the most dedicated and hard-working person I know. She linked me with both artists/producers and the relationship blossomed from there.
“Find Me” is a little more pop and “Tear Me Up” leans more experimental. Will your future releases be more like one of these styles, or can we expect a similar sound to what we hear on unrequited?
Kilder produced “Find Me,” and I am such a fan of his production style, whereas “Tear Me Up” was a collaborative producing process. I think with all future releases, you can still tell that it’s produced by me, but I feel like I hyper-fixate on new sounds, synths, and techniques every couple months, so it will definitely be different and hopefully always getting better and more refined. But I will always use my own vocals to aid in production and fat bass synths, so I will never stop doing that, haha.
To wrap things up, how will you be spending the holidays?
I am currently in Thailand with my family visiting other relatives. Christmas in 90-degree weather is always great.
What does 2024 look like for you so far?
I really don’t know. My life is so unpredictable, and I’ve conditioned myself to be comfortable with that, haha. I am excited and also anxious at the same time. I am ready to take on whatever, truly.
Thank you so much for your time. Do you have any final words or comments?
STREAM UNREQUITED (if you want!) Thank you so much, and I can’t wait to chat next time.
You can listen to unrequited on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.
Keep up with Myra Molloy: Instagram // X // Facebook // TikTok // YouTube // Website
