We caught up with the brilliant and insightful André Miguel Lázaro a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi André Miguel, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
I would say without a doubt the record my band, André Miguel & The Moment, are working on. It’s been a real trying process. We have been playing shows for over a year now, and after every show, fan’s ask, “where can I hear that song?” So we figured it was time for us to start laying these songs down in recording. It’s difficult when you set out to record an album yourself, but I think that’s what creativity is all about. Creating the best possible product with limited resources. Our first single, “Drive Me” is currently being mixed and mastered. We hope to release it sometime at the beginning of 2024.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Well for starters, my name is André Miguel Lázaro. I am the frontman and songwriter for the band André Miguel & The Moment. Music has always been a real passion of mine, and songwriting has been the dream. It wasn’t until July of 2023 that I finally put a band together for a Breaking Sound showcase, and I have been riding that wave ever since.
I traveled the country for a long time and saw a lot of live shows as the country was first opening up from the COIVD-19 Pandemic. I realized how important live music was for feeding the souls of people. It’s a forum for dancing, interacting, and most of all just having a good time. I wanted to bring a sense of danger back to live performances that are synonymous with names like Iggy Pop, James Brown, Prince, or Chuck Berry. I feel every time we perform, we have the unique opportunity to make someone feel a little bit cooler and stand a little taller. Time is a precious resource, and I want to make sure people are grateful they spent time watching us play.
None of this would be possible if not for my band, The Moment: Li’Ane Newson, Natalie Luna, Jackie Bonsignore, Toni Loew, Isabel Dobrev, and our newest member Maria Ono. Their talents are unmatched and I am eternally grateful that they are joining me on this journey.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I would say our goal as a band, and even just my goal in life is to tell stories. To keep traditions alive. Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues, Punk, Funk, all these sacred art forms need to be kept alive. Our songs pay tribute to all these storytellers. It is our duty as musicians to pay homage to the legends that birthed and raised these musical styles. It is also our privilege to get to advance them and take them places they have never been before. These genres tell stories. Stories of the individual that everyone can relate to. We are mere interpreters of the past carrying on the torch and making sure that the flame shines bright. When someone comes to hear us play, I hope that they go home and listen to Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Parliament-Funkadelic, Betty Davis, Sam Cooke, D’Angelo, every musician that has come before. These musicians gave us their all to entertain us. The least we can do is listen.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Honestly, nothing beats making someone dance. That is the most satisfying feeling in the world. Getting up on stage, playing a song and seeing a complete stranger tap their feet…. there’s nothing like that. We live in a time where it has never been easier to do absolutely nothing, to isolate yourself from everything and everyone. Live music has the power to wake someone up. To make them move their body and do things they would never normally do. One song can make someone’s whole day, even week sometimes. This gig don’t pay much, but seeing someone dig your voice or guitar solo, or any of it, that’s why we do it. It’s priceless. And it’s the reason I want to make music for as long as I live. Maya Angelou once said “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” If I can keep making people feel thing with my music, I will have lived a life fulfilled.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andremiguelandthemoment/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNWDe-7ADzMuDJlMeO7_qRg
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3gFf59HxfhsoFj825FLCfP?si=HNk8tFFDT1Gw7WMIBBGj1A
Image Credits
1) Greg Feiner 2) Raghav Ravi 3) Atakan Uysal 4-5) Matthew Doyle