Q&A: Orion Song Sings From the Depth of His Heart With New Album ‘Moon Boy’
☆ BY Kristian Gonzales ☆
RIDING A FINE LINE BETWEEN PLAYFULNESS AND EARNESTNESS — Orion Song is in tune with all of life’s highs and lows as an artist. The San Diego–born singer-songwriter dives into a more intimate look at himself with his latest album, Moon Boy.
Sculpting his skills in songwriting and performance as a multi-instrumentalist since age 12, Song drew inspiration from his back and forth travels between the beachside environments of San Diego and O‘ahu, where the natural surroundings opened his sense of mental clarity and thoughtfulness.
Combining his personal experiences with his affinity for neo soul and R&B artists such as Nujabes, Crush, and Justin Timberlake, Song linked up with up-and-coming producers Patrick Hizon and Avacie to cook up a breezy sound that also uplifts the spirit. Since his 2020 debut, “Patience,” Song has been making waves as an Asian American R&B face, with his standalone single “Play Me” gaining buzz in Asia and catching cosigns from the likes of T-Pain.
Breaking down the typical machismo and bravado found in mainstream R&B music, Moon Boy brings a new lens into the genre’s male archetypes, with an intimate look into self-love, devotion, and ambitions, as well as general introspection. Sitting down with Luna, Song revealed more details on the album’s formation while also opening up on his confidence and personal growth as an artist. Read the interview below.
LUNA: Hi, Orion! It’s great to catch up with you, especially after the release of your album. Moon Boy has such a great soulful feel throughout, at times having the vibe of an old D’Angelo or classic Usher record from the ’90s and early 2000s. What are some records that had the biggest influence on your sound and the making of this record?
SONG: For this record, it was a very collaborative co-writing process with Avacie, who also produced this whole record. It was quite a montage of influences and reference tracks on the lyrical side [as well as] sound choice side. At the top of my head, I was definitely pulling from Tom Misch’s discography, Raveena Aurora’s Lucid album, Usher’s Confessions album, and some songs from Joe, Devin Morrison, and Tems. You can definitely hear some of that ’90s and 2000s influence that you’re talking about, along with some current R&B influence as well.
LUNA: What events shaped you personally that sparked the inspiration to create the project?
SONG: It all started with making “I Am,” the last track of the album. After writing such a vulnerable, feminine, and healing song, I wanted to continue to ride that wave and write a bunch of other songs on that same frequency. I had yet to create music that I felt like was truly healing, and so I went ahead and just embraced that energy, which ended up birthing the Moon Boy album.
LUNA: Hearing how lush the melodies and instrumentation are from front to back, did you intend to make sure the music on Moon Boy packed a lot of elements such as complex chord progressions and live instrumentation?
SONG: I’m glad you mentioned this! A lot of the chord progressions were unintentional. Most of the songs were sample-based, and we built the progression of each song based on the sample used. And surprisingly, the only live instrumentation incorporated was bass guitar, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar. With the album being categorized as hip-hop as the secondary genre, the focus tends to be the drums and samples used. Side note: We didn’t use an acoustic piano, but we definitely incorporated a ton of piano to keep the vibes pretty and healing.
LUNA: With your time spent between San Diego and O‘ahu and its influence on your style, was it difficult balancing the differences in both environments when maintaining the consistency in the album’s overall message?
SONG: I actually feel the opposite. Spending time with my maternal side in O‘ahu has helped me to meditate, connect with nature, and really embrace a vulnerable part of me that I feel allowed me to write more prettier songs. Listening to chillhop, lofi, and instrumental hip-hop on a hike in Hawai’i hits so hard that it made me fall in love with music over and over again. Now imagine combining that with your other mainstream/pop influences that you grew up with on the mainland… The amount of artistic fuel is so abundant. And with this ethereal R&B and hip-hop vibe that the album embodies, I think that the two influences blended well to enhance the main healing energy of the album.
LUNA: One track that really stood out to me on first listen was “Heartstrings,” which reminds of “Just Friends (Sunny)” by Musiq Soulchild. After hearing the lyrics “’Cause when my time starts ticking and I’m searching for myself / Your loving got me falling off track / This is really holding me back,” it had me thinking of the ideas of self-love and dependency in a relationship. How do you try to approach both topics while keeping the feeling of devotion in your writing?
SONG: I actually never thought about that. I tried to write the song in a way that made it sound like I was putting up a front and not wanting to fall in love but secretly and actually wanting it more than anything else.
LUNA: Another song I really dig is “Shift” — I love how chill it is with the keys in the background, but it also has a subtle bounce with the drum pattern. What struck me early on in the song were the lyrics “Sure life is a trip and a game of love and patience / But how to jump and go is a demonstration / If you can hold your own.” Did the ethos of these lines really speak to you personally when it came time to revealing more of your true self in your work?
SONG: They did, actually. During the writing process and even in the listening process, this song was sort of like a reminder and a self-affirmation for me. I wrote this song for the listener but also wrote it in a way [in which] I took the role [of] my own teacher. Honestly, it feels good to write in this way where I’m writing advice to myself and for the listener as well. This song also serves as my reminder of what mental space I should always keep myself in.
LUNA: A moment that’s really deep on this project is the interlude, where you receive a message from your grandmother in support of your work and hopes of your success. How blessed are you to get a stamp of approval from a family member like her as you continue to devote yourself to your craft as a musician?
SONG: Extremely blessed! I have so many fellow artists and musicians [who] struggle with getting support from their family, and it means everything. Very grateful for my parents, relatives, siblings, and all my close friends for truly believing in me. And special thanks to my maternal grandma for being down to hop on the interlude!
LUNA: The closer, “I Am,” is another great track, especially with the words “I am worthy / And it’s ok if I am hurting” really standing out. What was the process like creating this song, especially with any difficulties you had with self-reflection?
SONG: If there are any times in my life where I have interference with self-reflection, my music and creativity never contribute to that — [it] supports it instead. Writing “I Am” allowed me to record my innermost thoughts and make something that I feel is truly healing for the listener. And on top of all of that, I’ve always wanted to write a song using direct affirmations for a chorus. Creatively and philosophically, this writing process was truly fulfilling.
LUNA: What is one key takeaway you want your listeners to grab from this album?
SONG: As simply as possible, I hope that the listener can find true peace within themselves. Whether they’re listening to the project in the background or they’re blasting it on the freeway, I just hope they find some positive energy to latch onto as they listen — inspiration, healing, or whatever that may be. And thank you so much for listening!
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