Academy Award nominee Stephan Moccio chatted about his latest studio album “Legends, Myths, and Lavender.”
Background on Stephan Moccio
A Canadian songwriter, pianist, composer, and artist, Moccio co-wrote Celine Dion’s hit “A New Day Has Come” with Aldo Nova, which reached and held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts for a record-breaking 21 weeks.
He co-wrote Miley Cyrus’ single “Wrecking Ball,” and the 2010 Winter Olympic Games theme song “I Believe” performed by Nikki Yanofsky.
“Writing that Olympic theme song was huge for me,” Moccio said. “Wring that theme song defined me in a lot of ways because it became a big piece of music in Canada, and that caused me to move to the United States and to Hollywood. That was really cool.”
Oscar nomination for ‘Earned It’
Moccio co-wrote the song “Earned It” from the “Fifty Shades of Grey” soundtrack, performed by The Weeknd, which was nominated for the 2016 Oscar for “Best Original Song.” “That was certainly a moment in life,” he exclaimed. “It was surreal as most of these things were.
For his musical work with The Weeknd, Moccio earned three Grammy nominations, which included nods for “Best R&B Song,” “Best Song Written for Visual Media,” and “Album of the Year.”
Song selection approach for the album
On his song selection process for this new record, he said, “I write a lot of music when it comes to making these albums. I sit down and I try to listen to it as objectively as possible by putting it on the background as if I were a listener. I amass the pieces of music that create a story and I literally put them together, and I decide to work on those 15 to 20 pieces.”
“There was a theme of solitude, which was prevalent throughout the entire album,” he noted. “Returning back to your own voice as opposed to being constantly affected by other people’s voices.”
While it was extremely hard for him to select a personal favorite recording, he shared that he is very fond of “The Wanderer” and “Polaris.” “These two songs means a lot to me,” he admitted.
“I hope people feel what they should feel with this album,” he said. “I hope they use this album as a friend, confidant, and as a safe space to hear themselves talk.”
“My interpretation of the music is not necessarily their interpretation of the music, and that’s okay. That is what good art should do. I hope the music and the beautiful melodies and arrangements resonate with the listeners,” he explained.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Moccio said, “It’s interesting because I am old enough to have lived in both worlds. I have been making albums and records for 30 years now. I’ve made albums on tape, and now, we are making albums in the digital world.”
“The bulk of my career involved making albums and hit songs over the last 15 years in the digital world,” he admitted. “Making music these days you have a lot more choices, options, and memory in the computer to record things. Is that a good thing? I don’t know. When you have tape, you had to really think and practice and make something good.”
“The digital world is a precarious one for me but regardless, it is here to stay; it is not going anywhere so you have to adapt to change because that is one thing that is constant,” he added.
Advice for emerging musicians and songwriters
For young and aspiring musicians and songwriters, he said, “Believe in yourselves as cliché as it may sound. If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else will. You literally have to trust your gut and know your worth.”
“Don’t try to pretend to be anyone other than yourself… It all comes down to truth and honesty,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Moccio said, “Honesty.”
His favorite motto to live by is the following by Viktor Frankl: “What is to give light must endure burning.” “I live by that,” he expressed. “Also, show me a hero and I will show you a tragedy. These quotes really resonate with me.”
Dream duet choice in music: Adele
Moccio listed Adele as his dream collaboration choice in the pop music world.
“Adele has a beautiful voice, and more importantly, she seems to also wear your painful experiences on her sleeve. I can see her and I creating something really special together,” he explained.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Maccio said, “Success means living authentically, and by your own principles. Also, not agreeing to other people’s principles.”
“Legends, Myths, and Lavender” is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
To learn more about Oscar nominee Stephan Moccio, check out his official website, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
