On a blissful Wednesday afternoon, The Knock sat down with newest Latin sensation MoMo, for a quick little chat about her upcoming single released Friday, “Tumba.” This artist starting acting at a young age and then seamlessly made the switch to music in her home town Miami. She got noticed when she did the female version of the chart-topping hit, “El Perdón,” featuring Mr. Worldwide, Pitbull. Fresh with a new perspective of the song, MoMo presents a unique and thoughtful version of the original.
Upon arriving at The Wing in SoHo, a workspace whose mission is “the professional, civic, social, and economic advancement of women through community.” A perfectly comfortable setting to discuss girl power and the upward trajectory of this female artist in the male-dominated music industry.
MoMo’s energy was warm as we sit down in the downstairs café. As we begin talking, she radiates fiercely joyous energy that is absolutely contagious and draws her audience in, I can only imagine what it’s like to witness her on stage.
The Knockturnal: Congratulations on your new release, “Tumba.” How does it feel now that the song is released?
MoMo: Well actually it comes out Friday, the 26th is the official premiere. I feel like a caged lion! I’m a Leo, it’s Leo season, so I believe in Divinity and perfect timing. So I’m excited to finally just be active and start getting my shows. I’m a performer at heart so I’m just excited to be on the stage.
The Knockturnal: You started out acting right? How did you make the switch from acting to music?
MoMo: So I started acting when I was a kid, like 5 or 6 I would do little commercials. Then at 9 or 10, my best friend was the singer of the school and her mom was a vocal coach. So, when I started to want to take vocal classes I was like, “Mom put me in class, put me in class!” She obviously moved a little to slow because I move at a thousand miles per hour, so I personally called the vocal coach and I made the appointment at 9 years old. When I showed up the woman opened the door in pajamas and she was like, “I thought this was a joke!” I was like, “Mom I swear I made the appointment!” This is a true story! So, from there I just started doing music and then it just became two things at once. I feel like I act, I sing, I song-write, it’s just in my blood!
The Knockturnal: Speaking of songwriting can you talk about the story behind “Tumba” and what inspired you?
MoMo: So, I’m a really big fan of the Spanish song called “Tumba La Casa,” so I had the idea of its summer, I love dancing, and I want a song that when it plays in the club every girl is shaking their ass, everybody is sweating, and you’re bringing the fucking housing down! This is the perfect record! I’m from Miami, so let’s sweat and dance, let’s have some fun! It was amazing! I co-wrote it with this amazing writer called Jumbo, from Puerto Rico, and the producer, very renowned in Puerto Rico too, got me the music, so it’s just an honor to have them a part of this project. What a way to open the door!
The Knockturnal: How was it working with Jamaican singer Konshens on the single?
MoMo: He hands down is one of the sweetest guys I have ever met. The song was actually done, but I felt like we needed some type of Jamaican reggae edge. I reached out to him and sent him the record. He had no idea who I was, he loved the record, and he was like ”Yo, send it to me, I got you!” He worked on vibes, on energy. So, I sent it over and he cut it.
The Knockturnal: As a woman in the Music Industry, what advice would you give other women who are trying to break into the music industry?
MoMo: Living your fullness, walking your goddess energy and your divinity. I feel like now more than ever it’s the era of women. The Latin industry specifically was very male-dominated for a very long time and I think all the women now are opening the doors and paving the way for me to be a woman in the industry right now. Don’t hold back and be unapologetic, it’s time. At the end of the day as women, we are the most powerful species. We create man do you hear me, so kill it!
The Knockturnal: Something that goes hand in hand with that is the response that you did to Nicky Jams “El Perdón.”
MoMo: So I wanted to do a female version to it. At that point in my career, I couldn’t release original music yet and I was frustrated! I wanted to do something, so I called my DJ friend and asked him what is the hottest song that you drop at 2 o’clock in the morning and it bangs. He said “El Perdón.” So I did the female version and I sent it to Power 96 to play, and they were like, “you know Pitbull just did his version.” I was like, “Stop it! I’m done!” basically. I’m really good friends with Pitbull’s DJ, we used to promote together, I sent him the song, he played it for Pitbull, Pitbull loved it and was like, “release my verse to her, let’s do it together.” I was like this is not real life! That’s what I mean by taking action, you can’t wait for things to happen, you just gotta do it and trust. That’s what faith is, trusting that God’s gonna carry your feet.
The Knockturnal: What are you looking forward to in the future with your career?
MoMo: Honestly, I am so looking forward to going on tour. I said that I am a performer at heart, my thing is to be on stage, so I think that’s one of the things I’m really looking forward to. Doing the tour or opening up on tour, that’s when I feel like I am in my fullest capacity as an artist is on the stage. I just did an episode for Tales on BET, we did the “Bodack Yellow” episode, so shout out to Cardi B! That premieres on Tuesday the 30th. I’m just excited to really be proactive in my craft and just building my empire, my brand, and I feel like it’s bigger than music. Music is definitely an asset, but I feel like my journey is a car and everything is a wheel, so I’m just ready to build this platform.
It is no question that MoMo is a force to be reckoned with. So check out her new release “Tumba” out today! And don’t forget to check out her acting chops on July 30th in her role as Alysha on BET’s TV series Tales. This empowering and eloquent artist has a plan to, like she said, build her empire, all we can do is try to keep up and watch her take center stage in this new era of, she said it again, women.
