Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rian Moneypenny. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rian, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I used to take long car rides with my godfather: From his home in Raleigh, NC, to Mathews, VA, and down to South Carolina and back again. We’d carve away the hours by sharing stories, both fictional and true. I did the same with my dad and got to where I would often act out the characters and their conflicts. My mom was also an artist, a writer, and all of these creative outlets had a major influence on me.

I knew I had these memories, ideas for other worlds, in my head that I had to get out on paper. Then I picked up a guitar and discovered that this was another way to transcribe these feelings, dreams, and desires.

I owe everything to my mom, my dad, and my godfather. They listened to me when I needed it most, and always allowed my imagination to run wild. They gave me insight into a universe I might never have uncovered otherwise. Their love, their patience, and their stories are the reason I chose this path.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

For me, writing was a way to process the world when everything felt out of control. I’ve dealt with OCD and anxiety for much of my life, and writing felt like the one place where I could scream and sob and shake off the pain of a day. When things seemed at their absolute worst, I retreated to pens and paper. It was an outlet that saved my life. It continues to save my life.

I am also incredibly grateful and so lucky to have grown up in a town that deeply cared about the arts. I was only thirteen years-old when a local musician named Jamison Smith, who hosted an open mic at Sonny’s Brick-Oven Pizza in Spartanburg, SC, allowed this shaking kid to play a few songs. And it was there that I got to hear other amazing artists, like Jamison, sing their original material—it was there that I thought to myself, “I want to write like them.”

Being around that immense amount of talent has been such a gift. The musical community of Spartanburg, South Carolina, is just beautifully diverse and supportive of craft. I feel it has allowed me to grow and hone my own songs—it has given me the opportunity to express my voice in the right way.

I know I still have so much to learn, and that’s exciting. But I’m proud of what I’ve created thus far, and it is my hope that these stories and songs can offer healing or comfort to someone that might need it. Someone who might feel lost, lonely, or angry and is struggling with their mental health.

Music and books have lifted me out of countless holes. If one line or lyric can bring even the faintest light to a person reaching in the dark, then I feel have done my job.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

People relating to your writing. When someone reaches out to you and says, “I’ve been in your shoes” or “I saw a piece of my family in that sentence,” there is something deeply comforting about that moment. To share a connection with another person through your art is to me what this wild, messy business is all about in the end. Maybe that feels like a generic response, but I know there is nothing more rewarding for me than to hear the words: “I get that, I felt that, I understand.”

I think most would agree that this is often extraordinarily lonely work. The simple knowledge that another person was listening and that they saw where you were coming from—well, that means everything. And then we’re all a little less separated and adrift on our own tangled, overgrown islands.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Make space for live music, for poetry readings, for free expression! The more places that host events like this, the more outlets artists have to present their work. Again, I’m insanely lucky to live in an area (Upstate SC) where there are multiple venues that hold weekly open mics. But I know this often is not the case for many cities.

If you live in a town where these events don’t exist, reach out to your local brewery, coffee shop, or diner. Sometimes these spots haven’t even considered hosting such things, and just need a spokesperson to get it moving. This helps local creatives bolster their craft and can help small businesses bring in new clients!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rianmoneypenny?igsh=OTRyNXNwdTN2ZDkx&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Huq3336PG/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Twitter: https://x.com/rianmoneypenny?s=21
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/kMkMwsyU7W4?feature=shared
• Other: Bandcamp Link:

  https://rianmoneypenny.bandcamp.com/track/mariana

Image Credits

Photos included taken by John Bailey, Vitaliy Kotyakov, Zach Jordan, Jesseca Kusher, Jay Maybry, Jason Roberts, Nancy Eberle, and Gary Moneypenny.