Page 98 - ION Indie Magazine SeptOct 2022

TB: You released the album ‘Appetite for Freedom.’ What can you tell us
about the album?

MM: The songs on this album are personal stories about starting over and getting
that first taste of a new life. They’re about breaking free from what holds us down
and what it feels like to finally experience emotional, physical, mental, and
spiritual freedom. I wrote these songs to tell everyone in the world that it’s ok to
not be ok and that there is a way out. My hope is that this project will inspire at
least one person and my message is this: We have the power to change our
lives and the time is now. Set yourself free.

TB: How many songs had you written for the album and how did you
decide which ones made the final cut?

MM: There were a few other songs that I recorded but I pretty much knew right
away that they didn’t belong on the album. I carefully curated the songs and the
order they went in. I want to take my listeners on a journey.

TB: How long have you been working on the album?

MM: About four years. I had a lot of the songs 'finished,’ then in 2020, I went
back into the studio and re-recorded almost all of the vocals and some of the
instruments. My sound had developed, and the album needed to as well.

TB: The video for the song 'Devil Said Roam’ harkens back to the old
spaghetti western films. Talk about the making of the video.

MM: We’ve all dealt with some kind of 'demon,’ be it addiction, anxiety, fear, self-
doubt, depression, toxic relationships, whiskey, etc. This song tells a story of a
woman who was ready to give in, but not even the Devil itself would take her
soul. So, she had to roam this earth to find herself. The inspiration for this music
video came from Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns, with me portraying a Clint
Eastwood character. I wanted everything to look authentic as possible. It was
shot in three days and all on location in the South Florida farmlands and a private
museum. I spent months riding a horse and training to get ready for the video.

TB: You have been open about suffering from anxiety, depression, and
alcoholism, topics many artists try to keep quiet about. Why have you
decided to share your story about your battles?

MM: I started writing these songs after ending a long battle with addiction,
depression, and anxiety. I decided I wanted to tell a story of how my addiction
felt and the joy I received once I was able to break free. I want listeners to be
able to relate and hopefully feel inspired by my story. That’s the main purpose
of this album: to spread awareness about mental health and addiction, and to let
people know they are not alone. Why keep my story silent when I could possibly
help another human by talking about it?