Manny Moura is carving out a space of her own in the folk-pop landscape, weaving intimacy, honesty, and vivid storytelling into songs that feel both deeply personal and universally relatable.
Born in Rio de Janeiro and raised between Brazil and New York, the rising artist now calls Los Angeles home. That cross-continental journey has shaped not only her artistry but also the emotional depth of her songwriting. “A big part of my sound and storytelling is the fact that I have never felt like I belonged anywhere completely, so I try to create that place in my music and in my visuals,” she tells InMusic.
Her influences include Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Phoebe Bridgers—artists who built their careers on lyrical vulnerability. Moura embraces that lineage while shaping it into something distinctly her own. Desire, longing, and self-discovery are recurring themes in her work, with songwriting serving as both creative outlet and survival tool. “I don’t know how I would survive without it,” she admits.
After making her debut with 2022’s Libra in Love EP, Moura is now stepping into a new chapter. Her latest single, “Lemons and Limerence,” marks a turning point in her sound and artistic voice. Co-produced with Nathan Dies and Fernando Tavares, the track blends sharp introspection with lush, atmospheric soundscapes, centering around the psychological concept of limerence—an obsessive form of romantic fixation.
With her first full-length album on the horizon, Moura is positioning herself as one of folk-pop’s most exciting new storytellers. In this exclusive interview, she opens up about her journey, her inspirations, and the vision behind “Lemons and Limerence.”
How would you describe your music?
Honest and vivid.
Having grown up between Rio and New York and now living in Los Angeles, how have these cultural landscapes shaped your sound and storytelling?
I think the result of having moved around so much throughout my life was me having to build a very strong identity for myself. I couldn’t rely just on the places, the culture or the people around me because it changed often. A big part of my sound and storytelling is the fact that I have never felt like I belonged anywhere completely, so I try to create that place in my music and in my visuals.
You’ve cited Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Phoebe Bridgers as inspirations. How do you translate their influence into something uniquely yours?
Taylor, Lorde and Phoebe are my favorites because they all have a very clear voice when they write lyrics and melody. You always know when a song is theirs. I admire that so much. I admire their honesty, their passion for the act of writing, their fearless vulnerability. That’s what I take with me when I go in to write a song and hopefully what comes out the other side is something uniquely mine.
Many of your songs explore themes of desire, vulnerability, and longing. Do you see songwriting as a way of processing your own emotions?
100%. I don’t know how I would survive without it.
In 2022, you released your debut EP “Libra in Love.” Looking back now, how do you feel you’ve evolved since that release in 2022?
I love Libra in Love! It was such a specific moment in time for me. I was just fresh out of college, most of the songs were made while I was in college. I’ve written hundreds of songs since then and I definitely feel more confident in my voice, in my writing and in my overall sound, but I’ve always believed that you have to write one song to get to the next. Libra in Love was a really important first project.
Can you tell us about your new single “Lemons and Limerence”?
Lemons and Limerence was the song that made everything make sense for me. I didn’t know that I was making an album with a concept until I wrote it. It was also the first song that I produced with my friend, Nathan Dies and Fernando Tavares, and what led me to want to do the whole project with them. It is a magical song for me because everything was really easy around it. I think it is my favorite lyrics I’ve ever written.
What’s the meaning behind this song?
This song is the result of years of therapy and me taking responsibility for my obsessive way of being. It’s me declaring that I can make a fantasy up about anything and it’s never really about the other person, rather the fact that I am more comfortable in my own head. When life gives me lemons, I make limerence.
You’ve said that the word “limerence” first drew you in because of its sound and meaning. What emotions or images came to mind when you decided it had to become the heart of a song?
Finding this word was a relief for me! I finally had a word to describe what I felt. I had written it in my notes app and I kept it there for a while before I knew what to do with it. I was sure the song would make its way to me eventually. I only started writing it once the chorus lyrics arrived in thin air and I (thankfully) grabbed onto it.
Before “Lemons and Limerence,” you shared two other songs, “Object of Desire” and “Enough,” which will also appear on your upcoming album. What can you tell us about the record as a whole?
It’s very intimate and very vulnerable. It tells a story about unrequited love! It’s about creativity!
What is a message you would like to give through your music and why?
Don’t be afraid of your feelings. It’s liberating.
Is there anything else you’d like people to know?
All the singles have music videos that I love and worked hard on. I hope you watch them ❤ Thank you so much for having me & for listening!
Listen to Manny Moura’s new single “Lemons and Limerence” on our Spotify playlist:
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source inmusicblog.com ’
