Mia Moretti talks about her single ‘Rosa’

Mia Moretti. Photo Credit: Andrew Arthur

DJ and producer Mia Moretti chatted about her single “Rosa” and her new music.

New music

On her single “Rosa,” she said, “It was inspired by a track from Magin Diaz  that I fell in love with. I sampled it but, unfortunately, couldn’t get clearance. I really did not want to give up on the song, so I contacted John Hollis, a producer who worked with Totó La Momposina and had previously assisted me with clearing ‘Tambor’.” 

“John not only had alternative versions of the song performed by Totó but also recommended collaborating with Jorge Aguilar to record the lead line. Jorge was a band member of Totó’s for many years, and was infamously known as the ad lib-er at their shows. Alongside Jorge, Totó’s granddaughters, Oriana and Maria, recorded the chorus for me to stack,” she elaborated.

“I was originally intrigued by bullerengues from this region of Colombia because of their tradition of being passed matrilineally — with Oriana and Marie sharing their voices here I feel like I captured some of that tradition,” she added.

Music and songwriting inspirations

On her music and songwriting inspirations, Moretti said, “I am always looking for a narrative that listeners can connect to. I love strong female voices and have sampled many from Crystal Waters to Letta Mbulu andand in my upcoming EP, ‘Tambor,’ artists like Totó La Momposina and Petrona Martinez.”

“Sometimes, the sheer strength of a voice tells a story on its own.  None of the samples on the EP are in English, but it doesn’t matter, you still understand the whole world they are giving you,” she said.

The digital age is ‘overwhelming’ for Moretti

Moretti acknowledged that it feels “overwhelming” to be an artist in the digital age, at a time when streaming, technology, and social media are so prevalent.

Future plans

On her future plans, she shared, “I’m releasing my first full-length album next year. It will primarily feature classic house music, and I aim to focus more on original songwriting rather than relying on samples. It’s a sort of coming-of-age project for me as a producer who has previously only worked with samples, marking a transition from narrating other people’s stories to writing my own.”

Electronic music in the next five years

On the future of electronic music in the next five years, she said, “There is a lot of room in electronic music incorporating more diverse voices and sounds. I think as production software becomes more accessible, I anticipate a greater blending of genres. That is interesting to me.”

“Additionally, there are more streaming platforms and digital distributors that are available, artists can release their music directly, bypassing traditional gatekeepers. That’s why I chose to self-release my EP; I didn’t want to wait for a label’s approval,” she elaborated.

“I had music ready and wanted to share it with the world, even if it meant doing it myself,” she added.

Advice for hopefuls in music

For young and aspiring artists, she said, “Focus on your craft, focus on your craft, focus on your craft.”

Success

On her definition of the word success, she said, “Success means that you love what you do.”

Closing thoughts on ‘Rosa’ single

Moretti concluded about the single, “Rosa was not written or originally sung by Magin Diaz, as I initially thought. In fact, there are recordings of Rosa (Que Linda Eres Tu) dating back to the early 1900s, originating from Cuba.”

“Rosa” is available on Apple Music and on Spotify.

To learn more about Mia Moretti, follow her on Instagram.