Since 2021, The Moon and The Man has been gifting listeners a retro-inspired fusion of jazz, funk, soul, and rock. The duo is comprised of two people from different walks of life who find ways to collaborate, play, and create together. Luna Malbroux and Will Clemens have joined forces to create a relatable new song that has delighted even the most difficult of critics.
Luna Malbroux is a multi-talented performer with a background in comedy. The singer-songwriter has roots in Louisiana, and moved to Chicago to focus on her musical endeavors. She loves to express her creativity by weaving genres and exploring new sounds. A Louisiana girl at heart, Luna incorporates the inspiration and music absorbed throughout her early years to bring a unique flair to her performance.
Will Clemens has been playing drums for 25 years—he has never found more joy anywhere than behind a drum kit. For the first time in a decade, Will feels he has found “something special” as a creative collaborator with Luna. “I’m so excited for the opportunities that come my way through music,” adds Will.
So what makes The Moon and The Man truly special? “We are a long-distance band,” shares Luna. “It’s really hard to do, but we do it well.” From Cincinnati to Chicago—and travels in between—the band demonstrates that creativity has no boundaries, not even hundreds of miles between bandmates. “We find ways to grow musically together,” adds Luna.
Their single, “The Most Foolish Man In The World,” tells the story of an ungrateful man who, as fate would have it, doesn’t know what he has until it’s gone. Told through thoughtful lyricism and accompanied by a funk-infused bass line and robust piano, the song is compelling and refreshing.
“I hope people can relate to this song, regardless of gender. Everyone can relate to someone missing out on something. I hope you can connect with the song, and it makes you feel good, regardless who walks in and out of your life,” explains Luna, who crafted the story through the lens of personal experience.
This past spring, having recently gone through a breakup, Luna was inspired to write the melody and lyrics of “The Most Foolish Man in the World.” “I’m really inspired by the old soul classics. I grew up listening to songs that told stories with an arc,” shares Luna. She took her real-life experience and “noodled around” to develop the concept, lyrics, and melody behind the single. “This song represents us very well. It brought together what I think is quintessentially our sound and what we can do. And we have a new spin on soul music.”
“One of the things I really like about it is that Luna and I come at music from different trajectories,” adds Will. “She’s a storyteller in her own right, and I appreciate her levity and humor in a sad story. We had a cool experience developing the song. We had to edit out things, truncate parts, accentuate others. The song lends itself to a little bit of drama, which is something we have a lot of fun with.”
Coming from backgrounds in comedy, the musicians have an innate ability to collaborate and build off each other’s genius. According to Will, “We have respect for each other’s opinions and good mechanics to use.” While Luna had ownership of the song because she wrote the lyrics, melody, and structure, Will came in to help elevate pivotal moments of the song. Together, they were able to remove parts that were repetitive while keeping the core intact. “I absolutely love the collaboration of music creation. It’s not anybody’s way or the highway, but how do we navigate together?”
Luna hails from stand-up, while Will is an improvisor at heart. “It influences how we create and perform music. We weave in humor and drama.” Instead of handing off segments of “The Most Foolish Man in The World” for the other to complete, Luna and Will worked hand in hand.
“The process of jamming together creates a lot of new music,” they add. “For the single, we recorded live. We were able to capture in the song our performing and playing off each other. That builds a song more interesting than perfecting it on its own in the studio.” To complete the sound, the band welcomed Joe Soldati, who added his own interpretation through the bass, pulling the song together.
After live shows, audience members have pointed out how rare and precious the relationship is between Luna and Will. “People have been impressed with how we communicate. I haven’t heard that feedback much in my life and I’m proud of that. Communication is hard to do in general, and we’re doing it at a long distance. It shows the respect and chemistry we have for one another. It’s genuinely magical and life-affirming,” adds Will.
Live shows are more than a performance opportunity for the band. The Moon and The Man creates a time and place for audience members to not only enjoy live music but also make new friends and find common ground. “We build connections with everyone there,” explains Luna. “It’s good music, laughter, jokes in between songs. People end up making friends. And then we hang out with folks at the end of the night.”
Listeners hoping to catch a live show are in luck. The Moon and The Man will be performing live on September 2 (Room 13, Chicago, 8:30pm doors) and September 14 (Fries Cafe, Cincinnati, 7:30pm doors). The band will be celebrating the release of their single and first EP, Pettiest Wishes.
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