The Playground Meets: Ray Moon
Written & Interview By: Nish Bait
Ray Moon led a bit of a nomadic lifestyle while growing up, moving from New York to Florida to Atlanta to California. Born Rachel Marie Johnson, Ray was the youngest of three kids and lost her father to a drug overdose at a young age, leaving her mother as the sole provider.
Ray began experimenting with music and taking it seriously at the age of 17, having transitioned from athletics and a possible future in sports. Eventually Ray lost her passion for sports, but found herself again in music, being influenced by her peers and a new group of musically-inclined friends, “the new people I was hanging around with were doing music so it was in my face to just start it,” says Ray on her musical beginnings.
At first Rays family wasn’t supportive of her musical endeavors and encouraged her to follow through as an athlete. Gradually over time her mother’s side of the family warmed up to her career path and today support her ongoing work as an artist.
Heres what Ray had to say when we asked he how losing a parent at an early age shaped her perspective as an artist:
“It’s kinda like you need something and for me I felt like I needed something extra to make me feel so I got into music to make me feel something. If you listen to “Glowin’” or listen to “Shy” or “So Sorry” you can hear the different tones to make you feel.”
When asked how moving around influenced her sound Ray replied:
“I take a little bit of New York, a little bit of Atlanta, take a little bit of Cali and just put it in a pot and just cook it and then you have a Ray Moon.”
Of all the places she’s traveled to and lived, Ray considers Atlanta to be home. Having moved to Atlanta during 7th grade, Ray formed her identity there and found herself as an artist.
The three biggest highlights of Ray’s career so far include, “The “So Sorry” NBA2K placement, getting sponsored by Sprite and meeting Drake.”
Ray holds the title for the most streamed song of NBA 2K20 with her single “So Sorry.” Having been discovered off of Facebook, Ray feels truly blessed to have made the NBA 2K deadline and achieved such a high honor.
Currently, Ray is promoting her most recent music video for “Glowin” in which she makes her directorial debut. The video features real-life girlfriend and artist, Jadahblue as her co-star and partner in crime.
“Glowin,” shot by Stack Moses offers an escape from the harsh realities of this world. Both Ray and Jadah are running from their circumstances, only to find peace in each other. Their chemistry and love transports them to a dream-like field of bliss. The concept of the video mirrors Ray’s old reality, “if you watch in the beginning, how the mom is saying, ‘go get a job, stop doing music’ - I used to hear that all the time and just living in a neighborhood where it’s better to be outside than inside,” says Ray on the inspiration behind the video.
Ray is also gearing up to release her next video for single “Rick James.” This video will be Ray’s second time directing and will feature a surprising sound unlike any of her other music.
Be sure to check out Ray Moon’s past hits “Shy” “Glowin” and the record setting “So Sorry” and be on the lookout for her newest self-directed video “Rick James” and more throughout 2021.