Niko Moon wants his songs to soundtrack your summer. The mindful country music singer is one step closer to doing just that with his latest release, “SANDCASTLES.”
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In the third single off of his forthcoming album, Moon captures the beauty of the fleeting—a sandcastle swept away by the waves, a sunrise that disappears in minutes. It’s those moments, Moon thinks, that make life worth living.
“The message I want to put out there to the world through my music is one of encouragement,” Moon exclusively told American Songwriter. “‘SANDCASTLES’ is a song that talks about the temporary quality of life, the fact that we don’t live forever and we’re just here for a moment. That fleeting nature of life is what makes it so beautiful.”
It’s a message he delivers sincerely without being saccharine, all while set to a fun beat that’s sure to make listeners sing and sway along. The song has an even deeper meaning thanks to the month of its release, as May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
“I’m really passionate about mental health,” Moon, who started a mental health-focused nonprofit, Happy Cowboy Foundation, said. “… Anxiety and depression have been a part of my life at times since I was little. I think that is something that most people can relate to.”
Moon’s foundation helps those who can’t afford mental health care get access to it. He also believes, though, in the healing qualities of the music.
“Positive music is such a powerful force for mental health, for just your overall sense of wellness,” he said. “It’s amazing what a positive song can do.”
Niko Moon Discusses His Love of Summer
“SANDCASTLES” isn’t the first time Moon has considered how mental health can help those struggling.
“I have a real purpose of making only positive music,” he said. “… I’ve firmly rooted myself in that sort of philosophy of making music. To this day, I’ve only made music that makes you feel good, puts you in a good mood, makes you want to celebrate life.”
Fans can expect more of the same from his forthcoming album. Moon already showed as much with the LP’s first two singles: “I Love This Beach” and “Boat Song.”
“It’s a full on vacation,” Moon said. “I like to think of my live show as a vacation… I wanted to make an album that felt like that, so when people needed that getaway, they could just put it on and hopefully be transported to where the water’s cooler, and the sand is warm.”
Moon’s fascination with summer started with the beach vacations he’d take as a kid, where he’d spend time outside with friends and family while listening to tunes by Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Bob Marley and the ilk.
“I really just attached that kind of music to all the good feelings that I get from music,” he said. “I’ve really felt passionately about it, to make music that takes people to the water. It’s where I hit the reset button in my brain and I find peace of mind.”
“[I sing about] simple environments with people that you care about, because, for me, that’s where memories are made,” Moon added. “It’s where I’m trying to have my music live, in the background of those good memories.”
Photo by Marshall Loren
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