Alt-R&B pioneer and self-made star Amelia Moore just released her new EP, he's still just not that into you! on May 9. Her signature cutesy orange hair and aesthetic, coupled with her cheeky lyricism, cement her as a breakout artist to watch. Moore sat down with °1824 and Following Boston to chat about her songwriting process, inspirations, and upcoming live shows.

The singer-songwriter is known for her undeniable hooks and earworm melodies. Instead of forcing it, she unearths them naturally, revealing that "a good way to make something catchy that you're also going to love is to just fuck around with your friends and not take yourself too seriously...I think a good way to know if you've made something that's going to stick is if it's sticking with you." Moore creates authentically, listening to her gut instead of trying to anticipate what fans want, which results in music that more deeply resonates with her audience.

Moore wrote the flirtatious standout track "spelling bee" with "my icon, my star, my songwriting hero Julia Michaels." The creative process for this track exemplified her ability to go with the flow, as she originally thought it would be "really vulnerable and emotional...'spelling bee' is a lighthearted, fun song about being a little scared to say what you want to happen, so you're going to spell it out." The track delivers double entendres and clever wordplay that stays true to her voice and vision, a major part of her success.

This EP is a natural extension of the 2024 EP he's just not that into you!, with songs on her new project like "see through it" giving nods to her OG audience. She was most excited to see fans' reactions to the track as it is a follow-up to the viral hit "see through," which helped her gain a bigger audience: "I hope people are going to freak out about it."

For Moore, it's been "a bit of a challenge to keep both of those projects cohesive with each other. I think one thing that has remained consistent throughout is my doodles and my handwriting in all of the cover art, which is something that I loved keeping...I don't know anyone else that's got long orange hair with a little baby bang right now." Her signature bright orange perfectly compliments her bold and playful sound, with bouncy production and vulnerable moments sewn throughout her work.

Moore's live performances are just as captivating, with the singer prioritizing her vocal stamina. She trains to ensure her live vocals sound like the studio version, noting her singing-while-jogging routine. She recently made her festival debut at Tyler, The Creator's Camp Flog Gnaw, and is about to perform at Outside Lands in August. She recalls how "Flog Gnaw was a really important opportunity for me to show everybody in a short amount of time who I am. I think this set was different from a headline show for me because I wanted it to pack as much energy in that 30 minutes as possible." Moore understands the significance of a first impression, and how to keep that audience's attention, leading to longevity in her career.

Moore strives to craft a high-energy show no matter the level. She shared that one of her long-term goals "is to play the Super Bowl, which feels very far away right now, but I love to think about my big Super Bowl performance when I'm planning the shows that I'm about to play. What is my version of playing the Super Bowl right now." She has a string of mixtape release shows coming up across the globe. She brings her all, whether performing in one of the largest stadiums or wowing audiences in an intimate venue.

Moore has had a fiercely independent creative journey, signing with Republic Records in March after years of pursuing music after dropping out of college. When asked what advice she would give emerging artists, it's that "you're wasting your time taking things personally. A lot of what happens that you think is about you, you just have to let it roll off your back." Building that thick skin prevents one from getting stuck in details. Imagine if Moore decided to give up before one of her best projects yet. That was not even a possibility with Moore, who proudly calls herself "a stubborn girl. I think I've learned that throughout all of the ups and downs and challenges that this career has put in front of me. I think I've learned that I'm a lot stronger than I thought, which is a really sweet and cool thing to know."

Her final piece of advice for creatives applies to anyone making their way through the world. She feels that "when I find myself in a creative rut, it means I'm not living enough life to pull inspiration from. So I just kind of get out and have fun, you know?" Take a page out of Moore's book and hop in the car, drive to the beach, and blast he's still just not that into you! with the windows down to celebrate the start of the summer season.