Moore than Muscles with Kip Moore

Taking a break from the spotlight has proven to be the best medicine for artists these days. Lady Antebellum feels completely refreshed after their hiatus. As they have said it gave them time to be with their families and then when they reconvened away from their families they dedicated their sole time to writing and to each other. Kip Moore takes breaks very seriously, periods of solitude and reflection is at the core of his artistic process. With a much needed breather after touring for six years straight Kip turned to his favorite thing, surfing on a solo trip in Hawaii and Costa Rica.

There is something to be said about seeking that rejuvenating alone time. Artist’s want to put their best foot forward, giving an ‘all you got’ high energy show every single time they step out on a new stage. Last time I saw Kip Moore was at Long Island’s Home for Country My Country 96.1 Secret Holiday Show around the time Running For You was released to radio. My favorite part of a Kip show is how he can make an acoustic stripped down performance just as rocking as an electrified set, while making a full band show feel just as intimate as it is with just him an acoustic guitar. I attest that ability to zone in on the audience and lose yourself on stage to how much time Moore dedicates to himself when he does break from the road. If you have ever seen a Kip Moore show you also know his biggest pet peeve is not living in the moment, i.e. concert goers glued to their cell phones and the selfie generation. He flat out doesn’t snapchat, take selfies, or document every moment, he much rather his audience be in the moment with him. At his last show this past month at the Starland Ballroom in New Jersey a girl asked for a selfie and he immediately took the girl’s phone. He said with a smile “You obviously never been to one of my shows before” After complaining about nobody living in the moment he singled out a girl in the crowd that didn’t have her phone up to her face, jumped to the railing, and brought the girl’s head up towards his chest. You can’t get anymore in the moment than actually touching Moore’s muscles. Even though I was beyond jealous of the girl in the front row, Kip’s point was definitely made: live your memories, don’t just document them. Which is the exact reason I still have burned in my memory Kip singing eye level with me Fly Again back when he opened up for Lady Antebellum on the Take Me Downtown Tour in 2014.

Speaking of Fly Again, the energy of the ‘moving on’ song was so high. “This is a song about moving on. This is a song about reaching that place that you finally don’t give a shit no more” This was Kip’s intro to the first verse, followed by a screaming crowd in agreement. On each album, Up All Night and Wild Ones, Kip touches on a range of emotions and topics. From growing up in Reckless, to not giving a sh*t in Fly Again, to the beauty of pure love in Hey Pretty Girl. Kip actually wrote Hey Pretty Girl about his guitar player’s wife telling him they were having a baby. A few years later, inspiration drawn from his newest travels and reflecting on what he hopes his future beholds Kip released More Girls Like You. These days Kip might be seeking vacations alone or is constantly moving on the road, but he sure knows how to evoke that feeling he seeks for his future. The intense beauty of finding someone so amazing that you hope those traits are passed down to your children. In Jersey he announced he recently finished writing his third full album. He shared a new song about just saying the words ‘I love You’ can seem weak and can lose intensity with time. The verses and chorus go on to include metaphors for love that never knows what dwindling away is. “Love is just one of those words just gets thrown around like a jack and coke sitting on a bar it gets watered down. So I ain’t gonna say it, but I ain’t gonna lie if you wanna know the truth of how i feel about you tonight... if you were my last breath I’d just wanna hold ya if you were my last night on hell on wheels I’d drive ya like I stole ya”

Not all of us can fly off to the beach for a few months to gain some clarity like Kip Moore. However, he leads by example showing the importance of taking time to yourself to become refreshed and reflective. We can all learn from Moore about living in the moment whether it’s putting the phone down at a show and letting the lyrics really sink in or whether it is taking a walk by yourself to think about what the future might have in store. Each album has been a chapter in Kip’s life including burning memories, the fast paced present, and the what ifs of the future. Moore’s next chapter has even more of that story yet to unfold in 12 new songs. For the foreseeable future, you can catch Kip headlining My Country 96.1’s The Fest in Long Island on July 3rd and More Girls Like You on your radio air waves. Just in case you missed it check out the More Girls Like You lyric video below with video from Kip's world travels!