This month, guitarist Malina Moye will be performing at Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to mark the opening of their new Revolutionary Women in Music: Left of Center exhibit. With International Women’s Day fast approaching, we caught up with the six-string sensation to talk about her beloved BOSS pedals and this year’s IWD campaign theme: Inspire Inclusion.
What It’s All About
Why is it important to inspire inclusion?
The thing about the guitar is that even if we play the same note, we won’t sound the same, no matter how much we try. You have your own fingerprint. I have my own fingerprint. I see the guitar one way, while another artist sees it differently. If you say the guitar should only be used in a certain way, you’re going to kill individuality. I’m seeing so many women playing now, which is amazing. So many women are bringing different things, and that’s what it’s about.
"I’m seeing so many women playing now, which is amazing. So many women are bringing different things, and that’s what it’s about."
Has the guitar world changed in recent times with respect to inclusion?
I am so excited because although women have always been present, more people are paying attention now, which is awesome. We are not being spoken at; we are being included in. We still have a way to go, but it’s so nice that people are genuinely interested.
You need to be yourself, but at the same time, you need inspiration. I get so many messages and emails from women of color saying, “It’s so cool to see you play—someone who looks like me.” Thankfully, more people and media and magazines are sharing our representation. Everyone should have a chance to play guitar. And there’s no right or wrong about it. You become great by taking a chance and finding out what makes you you.
Tone, Sound, Style
You’re a big fan of the BOSS BD-2 Blues Driver and MT-2 Metal Zone. What is it you love about those particular pedals?
I’ve been a BOSS devotee for years. I love the pedals. They helped me create my tone, my sound, and my style. I love the buttery sound of the Metal Zone. It’s loose and has the right amount of fuzz/distortion; it’s a beautiful pedal for what I want to do.
The thing I love about the Blues Driver is that you can get just a hint of nice distortion, and it sounds so beautiful. When I discovered the Blues Driver, I thought it was cool because it’s one of those pedals that can allow playing style to shine. It’s more about you as a guitar player—how you are going to phrase and shape those notes.
The Blues Driver sounds so magical. You can hear the subtleties. That’s what guitar playing is about. It’s about finding your voice. When you hear a singer, there are certain things you attribute to their voice. The nuances we hear are the things that allow you to identify specific vocalists. And for me as a guitar player, I wanted to make sure I always have my fingerprint in the songs.
Intricate Details
You recently started using the Waza Craft BD-2W Blues Driver and MT-2W Metal Zone pedals, too. What do you think of them?
I love them! I love the originals as well. I’m all about the intricate details. The Waza Craft pedals are so good. You can do a bit more, and you can fine-tune the tone and play with the sounds. So that’s a win for me. I’ve been exploring different tones with the MT-2W. The Waza Craft pedals are very quiet, too. That makes a big difference for me, especially playing single coil pickups in lots of different venues. Every room is different, and I can’t wait to dial in my tone at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I’m super excited.
BOSS nailed it on the Blues Driver. I like to dial it in with just a little bit of distortion to give the guitar tone more shape. People talk about “the green pedal” a lot, but I’ve always gone with the Blues Driver. They are really good. I go back and forth, but I love the Waza Craft version. And, again, it’s quieter. I think the television producers will appreciate that.
"Waza Craft pedals are very quiet. That makes a big difference for me, especially playing single coil pickups in lots of different venues."
Revolutionary Woman
Aside from the Revolutionary Women in Music: Left of Center exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which other performances are you especially looking forward to?
There’s a festival I’m excited about, which is super cool. It’s called I Made Rock ‘N’ Roll. Janelle Monáe, Gary Clark Jr., and Robert Randolph are playing there. I’m doing a set and playing the national anthem to acknowledge the African Americans who fought for our country. I’ve played the anthem for sports games, and people like to hear it pretty straight. But at this particular festival, it could be a little looser. I’m really excited to play there. I’ll definitely be using the Waza Craft Metal Zone for that.
You recently made history as the first African American woman to play the national anthem of the United States on guitar at a major sporting event. What was that like?
It’s like a circus at the highest level in front of 80,000 people. 80,000 is a lot of people, and you have to center and focus. You need to own it. You have to stay focused despite all the noises, fireworks, and energy. I cannot stress that enough. It’s live, so you need to be prepared. There are a lot of moving parts. And you need to make sure all your pedals are working. Thank god my BOSS pedals have always worked.
You need to have confidence in the gear you have. You need to make sure everything is firing on all cylinders so you can deliver the performance you want to deliver. For me, it’s all about the trust. Get BOSS pedals. Sometimes, you don’t want to take out or replace an effect because you’re so accustomed to it. You know, it’s a pretty big deal. But after using the Waza Craft Blues Driver and Metal Zone, I was like, “OK, let’s roll with it. They sound great.”
"You need to own it. You have to stay focused despite all the noises, fireworks, and energy."
Telling the Story
Which other BOSS pedals do you like?
I also like to use BOSS delay pedals and, of course, the TU-3 Tuner. I even have BOSS tuner pedals in my car. I guess I’m a BOSS girl! I’ve tried so many others, but I keep coming back to the Blues Driver and the Metal Zone. Those two pedals help me tell my story musically.
You need to be yourself. My dad once said to me, “Malina, you want the good news or the bad news?” I actually asked for the good news, but he told me, “The bad news is, I don’t care how much you go out there, you’re never going to be Jimi Hendrix, or Eric Clapton, or any of these people you love.”
I said, “How can there be good news? You just dashed every good dream I ever had!” He goes, “Malina, the good news is, they are never going to be you. So, you go out there and be Malina Moye, and kill it every time. Whatever Malina Moye does, that’s what you do, and you’re going to inspire many people.” So, I’ve always taken that approach.
If you live your life that way, you’ll always win because you are the prize. You! That’s your gift. If certain people go against you, guess what? Those are not your people. Keep going, and you will find your people.
Do you agree with the statement “never meet your heroes”?
I’ve met a lot of my heroes, and they’ve been great—so amazing and encouraging. There still aren’t that many African American guitarists in the spotlight. But there is a lot more diversity now than before. I loved it when H.E.R. came out at the Super Bowl and played a solo. I remember going, “Gosh, I hope I look this cool!”
"I never felt being a Black woman and playing the guitar was a statement; it’s just me."
I never felt being a Black woman and playing the guitar was a statement; it’s just me. I’m just showing up. I never thought it was any more than that. But now I realize that it is a statement. It’s about trying to educate and re-educate so we can see change. It’s 2024, and I’m excited to see change happening. I mean, look at what Beyoncé’s done with her country single becoming number one. Let’s keep it rolling. Let’s keep this ride going.
