Hailing from Brazil and now based in Los Angeles, independent pop artist manny moura is quickly making a name for herself with her vulnerable storytelling over infectious beats, and her playful and somewhat quirky aesthetic. The new single, “devotion,” was written after manny moura heard that global popstar Harry Styles was spotted at a cafe close to her apartment – sparking the feeling of being too close to your idol and losing the shimmer of fangirling from afar.

With “devotion” out now, we took some time to hear from manny moura. Read below to learn more about manny moura, the story behind “devotion,” and what’s to come.

Hi manny moura! Let’s start with how did you choose your artist name?

Hello! Thank you for having me. My artist name is my real name. manny is the englishfied nickname for my name Manuela. It’s what all my friends call me here in the US. I’ve always used it as my artist name and it feels very true to who I am.

What city are you from, and where are you based now?

I’m from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but I currently live in Los Angeles, California.

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?

I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t going to pursue music. It’s been my dream and goal since I got my first guitar at seven years old. I haven’t looked back since! I started taking music lessons when I was very young and then went to music school for college. I’ve dedicated my whole life to it.

How would you describe your sound?

Right now, I’m very much in my synth-pop era. I love weird little sounds and a catchy melody.

Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?

Definitely! I prioritize reading and watching movies when I’m not doing music. Engaging with other art forms is extremely inspiring to me, and I love anything with a narrative. I would also say that makeup is one of my hobbies, I have a lot of fun with it. I think creativity is ingrained in my lifestyle. I believe that everything is, in some way, shape or form, creative and exercising that keeps me going.

Who are some of your main musical influences?

Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Hayley Williams.

What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?

I’m very proud of my debut album that I released last year called a crush is a creative act. Making an album is such a long, arduous process, and I’m so happy with how it came out and everything that I made around it. The whole concept, all of the visuals, the fact that I wrote it all by myself and how I had such an amazing time producing it with my close friends. It was a very vulnerable project, and I’m proud that I actually finished it and released it.

What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?

There is no point in doing this music thing if it’s not fun for me.

Now onto your release, “devotion.” What inspired this song? What is “devotion” about?

I have always been a die hard fangirl. I take my favorite artists very seriously! Being a fangirl when I was a teenager was so formative for me, and this song encapsulates that feeling, of loving someone so much but also wanting them to stay far away, as more of an idea rather than a real person, so that you can keep that fantasy alive.

What was the inspiration behind the cover artwork for “devotion?”

I conceptualized and shot the cover with one of my best friends, Bibi Borges. When I think of being a fangirl, I think of the internet. It’s where that whole world exists, the fandom, the community, the music, the videos. So, the idea behind the photo is me in a very busy New York City street but just so focused on my laptop, like the real world doesn’t affect me. The stickers on top is because we wanted to add some physical elements to all of these visuals. Fangirls are crafty and girly and cute!

What was the creative process like when making “devotion?”

Honestly, it was so fast. I had a session with my friend and producer, Pedro Kayat, and I came in with a bunch of lyric ideas already mapped out. We talked about the vibe that I imagined and produced it super quickly. That first day, we already had a pretty solid demo of the full song.

How long did it take to complete “devotion?”

This is probably one of the quickest turn arounds for a song that I’ve ever done. We wrote it at the end of January, and by March, we had everything produced and recorded, it only took around four sessions.

What is your favorite lyric in “devotion” and why?

I love the outro: “You make me wanna live so much that I wanna die.” It just encapsulates the fan experience for me. It’s an overflowing type of love that feels overwhelming and also gives me so much joy and excitement for life.

What do you hope fans take away from “devotion” and your music in general?

For “devotion” and for my music in general, I hope it makes them feel seen and understood in some way!

What’s next? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?

I am always working on new songs, hopefully there will be a few more releases this year. And, I have a show in LA on August 15th, hosted by my lovely distributors, GRRRL Music!

Where can we follow you on social media?

https://instagram.com/mannymoura

https://www.tiktok.com/@mannymoura

Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!