These days, the Star City is home to a diverse set of entrepreneurs, creatives and community-builders from around the world … and right down the road. In each installment of our blog series, you’ll meet a new face who’ll share their spin on the Star City – their favorite places to eat, drink, connect or get inspired. In this installment, we talked to local musical artist and graphic designer Macklyn Mosley, whose newest album, “Life + Love,” debuts on June 17.
When lockdowns began at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, Macklyn Mosley felt the walls closing in. And so he did what music artists do when they find themselves dealing with big emotions: he began to write music.
“Actually, my process of doing music has been fueled by COVID,” says Macklyn, who used those months to connect and collaborate with other creatives. “It’s crazy how much I’ve released and worked on during this time.”
The result is “Life + Love,” a new album set to release next month. Five of the eight tracks feature guest appearances from names like Jayna Brown, K.I.N.E.T.I.K., Sareem Poems and Darien Brockington, and it tackles a wide range of subjects with refreshing vulnerability.
“This album talks about forgiveness; it talks about relationships; it talks about just living,” he says. “A lot of people are just going through so much, and COVID just hit people so differently … My goal was to meet people where they are.”
Whether Macklyn is singing about rekindling a romance, finding joy in the face of depression, or just inviting listeners to kick back and unwind, a dreamy, nostalgic sound is the common denominator. He calls it “an ode to R&B and neo soul … an appreciation for the genre.”
The artist’s personal faith is referenced throughout, but with a subtle hand – and that’s intentional. He wants anyone to find a sense of relaxation and uplift in his work:
“I hope this album, honestly, is really a blessing to people,” he says, “not just that it sounds good musically, but that people’s souls are stirred … that they’re encouraged.”
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As some of Macklyn’s best-loved spots begin reopening this summer, here’s what he has to say about his favorite places to eat, drink, relax and find inspiration…
Q: It think we’re all ready to get back to our favorite restaurants and coffeehouses this summer. What are yours?
MM: Farmburguesa, all day! Cuban Island, Gina’s Food with Flavor – it’s a really good soul food restaurant – and Inka Peruvian Grill … I [also] love Pop’s Ice Cream and Blue Cow, Grace’s Place, Crumble’s, Leonore and Cello downtown… RND Coffee [and] Little Green Hive… Those are my jams!
Q: How about arts venues and community meeting spaces? Are there any you’re excited to visit again?
MM: The Spot on Kirk… People getting back to concerts? That would be huge.
… I [also] started a group called Music and Munchies back in 2019. It was an opportunity for music artists, seasoned or new, to get together and just talk about things … Because COVID hit, that kind of broke away, but the moment the opportunity arises and I can get in a socially safe spot for everybody, I’m doing it again…
… [And] church, of course… [At] our church, GCC, we’ve been meeting for a few months now with masks on, and I’m now leading a young adults’ group, Ushirika. It’s an opportunity for people from all around Roanoke – not just GCC young adults – to serve our community and grow in community together… I’m really excited about that.
Q: Where have you been going to find creative inspiration lately?
MM: It’s going to sound really funny, but there’s this one spot off Williamson Road near the elementary school … I park, and right in front of me are some houses … and there’s this huge mountain. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen… I’ll just sit, and look at the mountain, and I’m reminded that God is bigger than the mountain … Then I’ll go home and do some music.
Q: Any outdoor spots you love?
MM: Roaring Run. It’s a beautiful waterfall in Eagle Rock, Virginia. I love sitting in the waterfall – actually sitting in it.
Q: Can you think of any best-kept secrets in our city … places other readers may not have discovered yet?
MM: Exploring Williamson Road itself, because it’s so culturally solid … There’s all sorts of food there … especially Taco Riendo!
MM: Are there any other musicians or creatives in Roanoke who inspire you?
MM: I’m connected with a good amount, Jayna Brown being one of them, Tyler Langhorn, who goes by Ty Tyler Ty, Dionte Hall … Dylan Dent, Bryan [“Harvest Blaque”] Hancock, my brother Matthew Mosely. Even just my nephew Bryce Cobbs, for being an artist, is inspiring! Charissa Morrison is amazing, JoJo Stockton… January Hairston and Rich Milz … I’ve been poured into by so many of these people. …Jamie Robinson was actually one of the first people who, when I was 16 years old, said, “Come by my house!” … He had a little studio he’d made in his closet… [and] I recorded my first song ever.
Q: What advice do you have for Roanokers who want to support local musicians but aren’t sure where to start?
MM: Instagram, Instagram, Instagram. Another thing is, if you have a Bandcamp account, Bandcamp is where a lot of us sell our music…See who you can find in the location filter on the app … [And] check out those venues like the Spot on Kirk and the libraries.
To keep up with Macklyn, follow him on Instagram or check out his website. To preorder Life & Love, visit his Bandcamp page.
Stay tuned for our next installment of Roanoke According To …
About the Writer:
Ashley Wilson Fellers is a writer, educator, self-taught painter and contemplative photographer in Roanoke, Virginia. When she isn’t teaching writing at Virginia Western, she snaps photos of sidewalk cracks, rescues wet leaves from windshield wipers and leaves poems hidden under park benches. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree from Virginia Tech.
