As a husband and wife duo not afraid to make music with a message, Anna and Andy Toy, aka Moxi have already earned themselves plaudits from several huge outlets and connected with music fans around the world thanks to the raw honesty and vulnerability expressed through their lyrics. Having just dropped the video for their latest single “Blame It”, PopWrapped caught up with Anna to talk the importance of mental health awareness, highlights of the year and plans for 2021.
How would you sum up Moxi – as a band and the music you make – in a couple of words or a sentence?
Unique dream pop.
As husband and wife, what would you say you each bring to your partnership and how do you handle any personal or professional tensions? What advice might you give to other couples considering following in your footsteps?
Andy and I are a great team because our weaknesses are the others strengths. Andy is a classically trained pianist who plays keyboard professionally and is honestly better than anyone I know. I’m a crazy artist who can play a tiny bit of guitar but has a shit ton of wild stuff in my brain to get out in the form of song. He’s a multitalented instrumentalist and he’s able to take all my weird ideas and make them into something beautiful. I’m good with lyrics/melody, he’s good at everything else. I do all our visuals and handle the socials. He handles everything behind the scenes for our live shows. I keep him from being a “workaholic”, he calms me down when I’m ready to quit.
We balance one another out really well and while we do fight and things aren’t always easy but we’re honestly such a great team. I don’t think I could be in this sort of working relationship with anyone else. We are each others’ biggest fans and we support one another fully. Our relationship is always first and foremost, we’re in this for the long haul. Andy is an absolute genius and him mixed with my wild brain/angst makes us the perfect combo in my very biased opinion lol.
Tell me a little about your new single “Blame It.” Where’d the idea or inspiration for it come from? Is the song perhaps written from a personal viewpoint/experience?
“Blame It” is a peek into my brain. I tell friends a lot that I wish they could just be in my mind for a second because it’s so insane in there lol. There’s a lot of chaos, self-sabotage, weird ideas, and a lot of beautiful things too… It can get very dark but it’s also a lot of fun in there. I wrote this song after a fight with Andy. Almost every fight we have is pretty much caused by me and I’m usually the one who behaves horribly before, during and after. I somehow found an absolute angel to marry who accepts me completely as I am, he doesn’t try to change me, he loves me truly despite how absolutely insane I am. Meanwhile I’m over here picking fights, calling names, throwing tantrums. “Blame It” is about the inner dialog that goes on in my mind on a pretty regular basis. I fight the voices to an extent but you gotta keep some of them in for the art. Hold out long enough till I start seeing things again. “Blame It” is a result of that.
The song addresses mental health and how it can affect relationships. Would you like to see more artists and those in the spotlight addressing such issues, given that the stigma surrounding mental health is for the most apart at least still strong and decidedly hurtful to sufferers?
Yes, I think it’s really important for people who experience mental health issues – which is so many of us let’s be honest – to talk about it if that’s supportive to your healing. Sadly, there is still SO much stigma surrounding mental health. When I first decided to really be honest and vulnerable publicly about my experience with anxiety/depression it was really scary and I definitely had some weird pushback from people close to me about their concerns with me being “too open”. I remember reading an article about our song “WOLVES” which I wrote about my struggles with anxiety/depression in my car last Fall – I had to call my friend Bri to talk me down because I felt so exposed, so raw.
I am an artist to my core and the only way for me to exist is to be open and honest. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a hard time or needing help. The human experience is such a trip and our brains are capable of the craziest things. I love that it’s becoming more and more ok to be open about mental health and taking meds and I’m so here for all of it. I’m a constant work in progress and while I don’t think I’ll ever be fully healed or “over” my anxiety/depression, I celebrate all the work I’ve done to get where I am and I celebrate my healing. I celebrate it in each of you as well.
You’ve been championed by the likes of LADYGUNN and Earmilk among others, but do you pay much attention to what pundits/critics think? What’s the nicest thing someone has said or written about you and your music, and how easy or hard to you find it to shake off any negative press etc?
I’ve learned over the years to take everything with a grain of salt, both the good and bad. I’m extremely sensitive but I’ve had to grow thick skin to stay in this industry for as long as I have. Of course I love reading all the good stuff and I’m always so honored and grateful for all the nice things people have written and said about our music. I had someone say our music was in the same league as Prince once and that pretty much made my mind explode. But I’ve also come to terms recently with the fact that the only real thing that matters is if I’m proud and a fan of the music. I can’t make art to please other people that completely defeats the purpose. I make it to express what’s happening inside of me and if the result is something that other people like then that’s an added bonus.
With millions of Spotify hits to your name, how do you feel about the likes of Twitter and the power social media can and does have in terms of an artists’ ability to attract and maintain an audience/fanbase? Do you think we’re all perhaps too reliant on social media these days or is it just part of living in this age?
Social media is a blessing and a curse. I do think there was something special about the old days when bands were discovered by word of mouth and radio and burning cd’s for your friends with the latest “hot band”. But on the other hand, social media has made it so small indie artists like me can get HUGE exposure. It’s leveled the playing field in a lot of ways but it’s also made it WAY more competitive. I have mixed feelings about it all but I’m grateful for the fans I have and the way I’m able to interact with them through social media.
The year is almost over, so looking back, what have been your high and, virus aside, low points of 2020?
Highs for this year would be hearing our songs on the commercials for Jimmy Kimmel all summer/fall. HUGE deal for us. Another high would be releasing our song “Hush” and the video we filmed for it in our backyard on Andy’s Iphone. I spent the year resting, finding inspiration, learning to trust my vision. We had to get real scrappy this year and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished. Just wait till ya’ll see the video for “Blame It.”
Finally then, have you started looking to 2021 at all yet? Given that the Coronavirus threw many plans array this year, what are you most hoping to achieve and do come the new year? What are your ambitions for the year ahead, and further beyond?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned this year it’s that we are not in control. 2020 taught me to roll with the punches and accept that I have zero control over things like pandemics. So that being said, my plan is to continue to create, to continue putting out music that I’m 100% behind. I’m big on intentions and I have lots of big ones for the years ahead but the way they come to fruition is out of my control. I’m just here for the ride.
Check out the video for “Blame It” below and for more information on Moxi, give their page a like on Facebook or follow them on Twitter and Instagram.
