Have you ever listened to an artist and been amazed at how all of their songs sound so good?
That is the feeling you get while listening to Moloco. Each and every piece has been produced with artistic effort and passion. You just feel it in the music. Whether you want to study, chill out, work on a project, or dance, Moloco is the soundtrack you want! Moritz Fortmann, better known as Moloco, is German. He is from Breisach, a small city close to Freiburg in the south-west of Germany. It’s a border town, 5 minutes from France, 30 minutes from Switzerland. In this interview, we will get to know him better, and he will also reveal some interesting details about his latest release!
Why did you choose the name Moloco?
When I was living on a farm in Argentina in 2001 my best friend, Alvaro, gave me that nickname and it stuck. You’ll have to ask him why he picked it 🙂
When did you discover your passion for music?
I’ve always loved music. My whole family loves music, plays instruments, sings, … I started recording music really young, probably around 11 or 12. I recorded one instrument on one tape deck then played it back and recorded another instrument onto another tape deck. I didn’t even know that was a thing, I invented it for myself :).
Which was your first release? What inspired you to share your music with the world?
My first release was the album Bonbonera in 2008. Back then I explored different genres I was interested in, collaborated with a bunch of friends in Brazil, Germany, and the US, it was a great time. I think art can’t exist in a vacuum. It comes to life when you share it.
Tell us about Baile de Paloma, where did the inspiration for it come from?
We had been under lockdown for a couple of months in Los Angeles. One day I just started jamming, just to take my mind off things. After a while, I noticed a connection between the songs, a theme, a feeling that was captured … To me, Baile de Paloma is really a celebration of life, people, diversity, rhythms, music… I think it’s very much in response to all the darkness we are experiencing right now.
Why did you decide to start traveling the world?
I prefer to live in a place for a while rather than traveling. I just love to meet people, get to know how people live, what they eat, what music they listen to, how they party… Exploring the diversity of this planet is one of the most enriching, mind-opening, and wonderful things there is!
Has experiencing different cultures through your travels had any influence on your
music?
For sure! Experiencing different cultures, be it first hand or through records or movies, is the greatest source of inspiration for me. I think you can tell from my music that I spent a lot of time in Mexico, Central, and South America 🙂 I feel especially drawn to the African influence that can be found in Latin American music. Lately, I’ve been exploring music by the Garifuna people.
Check it out if you haven’t!
How would you describe your creative process?
I usually create what then becomes the central theme of a song pretty quickly. Sometimes I start with a beat, a guitar riff, a vocal idea, or a sound or instrument. One thing I’ve discovered for myself recently is that it’s good to move at a certain pace. For Baile de Paloma I recorded several songs in a few days. Hearing them in context made it easy to tell if a song was working or if it didn’t. It’s an intuitive thing. It’s got to feel right otherwise it’s not worth pursuing.
How does your family influence your projects?
My family influences my music in many ways. It was my parents that exposed me to music, allowing me to learn the piano and drums. I’ve been jamming with my siblings and parents growing up. My wife and daughter play a big role in my music-making. If they dance to my music I know it’s good 🙂 I am releasing 2 new songs later this year. One is a collaboration with my wife, the other one with my dad 🙂
Which one of your songs holds the most significant meaning to you so far?
I think the songs on Baile de Paloma are somewhat abstract and allow the listener to find their own meaning or connection.
But I can tell you what some of the songs mean to me. O Amor is a tribute to the LGBT community. Mi Baron (Release date: 31.8.2020), even though it’s a fun song, has a serious component. It deals with the daily plight to get food on the table. Brixton (Release date: 14.9.2020) to me deals with the displacement of people.
Interview by Amparo N. Cribas
Photography: María Flores Fortmann
You can stay tuned to Moloco’s projects here:
IG: @musicbymoloco
Spotify: Moloco
