Meet Teddy Moisa | Singer-songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Teddy Moisa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Teddy, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
It comes down to where your motivation is coming from. When it’s internal, you’re more likely to have clarity on what the right thing to do is. Either you’ll feel the desire to keep going, or you’ll know when it’s time to redirect. And I say “redirect” rather than give up because I think that “giving up” is a reaction to the external motivation running dry. Committing to a lifestyle, a choice, and your art requires a fuel that doesn’t burn out. For me, that fuel is internal motivation and a disregard, or at least a quieting, of the opinions of other people. I haven’t always found it easy to prioritize my own beliefs and desires for myself over what other people want for me, but I definitely work on it every day.

The phrase “giving up” never sat right with me because it implies an abandonment, a failure. But who’s to say that walking away from one thing won’t open a different door? A more well-suited door for you? There’s give and take, so while stepping away from something might appear as “giving up” it really might be the first step of taking on something better.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
It has become so important to me to live in a way that helps me create art as often as I can. And I’ve never felt like I had much of a choice, to create. Ever since I can remember, I have been writing my way through all the things that happen to me, positive or negative, big or small. Sometimes, I feel like just holding a pen and taking it to paper reveals a version of myself I don’t normally have access to. It surprises me to read her thoughts, after the fact. Going back through pages of old journals, poetry, or songs always feels like speaking to a little sister who’s asking for advice, or hearing from your cool aunt who has all her ducks in a row and knows the secrets of the universe. It’s always one or the other. Either I know everything, or I don’t know a single thing.

As a songwriter, I think most of the challenges I encounter are created by myself. Telling myself that it isn’t practical, or fixating on the hypothetical opinions of others that I haven’t actually heard. I think that “practical” should not be in the vocabulary of people with big dreams. I’m really excited that I’ve finally started the process of putting my songs out there, and prioritized doing what makes me happy. It’s really such basic advice, but I suppose it’s been repeated so many times for a reason!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Without a doubt, at least one day would be dedicated to Encinitas, for their farmer’s market, thrifting opportunities, and good vegan food. My absolute favorite thing to do in San Diego is to visit all of the different farmer’s markets across the area, so that’s in store for any of my guests. Dinner would have to be in Little Italy at Solunto; it’s become a tradition for my best friend and I to have dinner there as a celebration meal or a consolation meal, it doesn’t matter which one, the food is always amazing. Going to Gliderport in La Jolla for paragliding has been on my bucket list, and sunsets there are always so memorable. Hopefully, my friend would embrace their risk-taking side and be willing to give it a try together.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to recommend the book “How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy” by Jenny Odell. I spent so many afternoons reading that book, just sitting in parks. Maybe it’s weird to say this, but after I finished this book, unresolved variables in my life started slowly resolving themselves, and I became much more clear on what I wanted to do with my time and what my priorities should be. The first time I saw this book, I didn’t read it. Then I saw it at a bookstore months later, and felt obligated to give it a go. Now, I’m so glad that I did. (I also really liked the cover when I first came across it, so maybe it’s okay to judge a book by its cover on occasion?)

Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0HZssFc9B7wV2ZRSamZsxw?si=Hd9_kLo3QLaZV4hgAmVXaw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teddymoisa/

Image Credits
KSDT Radio (1st photo) Emily Kaufman (staircase photo)