Experimental dark progger Maud The Moth, the solo project of Spanish-born and Scotland-based pianist, singer, and songwriter Amaya Lopez-Carromero, has recently released her new album The Distaff via The Larvarium (digital + CD) and La Rubia Producciones (vinyl). The album delves into past trauma, exploring the difficult aspects that shape our darker selves. Through creative catharsis, it aims to offer both closure and solace, as discussed in an interview with Femme Metal Webzine.
Being busy
So, Amaya, first of all, thank you so much for accepting this interview. I’d like to welcome you to Femme Metal Webzine warmly — I appreciate you taking the time to speak with us. How are you doing, and how has this period been treating you?
I’m doing okay! I’m excited about the album coming out in a couple of weeks — finally! But honestly, I’m also a bit burnt out. It’s been pretty intense. I’ve always handled the whole process of making my albums — organizing, coordinating, playing, and making all the production decisions. But this time was different because I applied for funding and got it. That meant I had to take on the role of project manager too, on top of doing the application itself — which was wild because it turned into this massive project.
So, my brain has been split between being an unpaid businesswoman and an unpaid musician — it’s been exhausting. And the album itself wasn’t easy — as you know, since you’ve listened to it. It was tough to make, tough to record, and even tougher to mix. But honestly, I’m super happy with the final result. I don’t think it could have turned out any better or come together any faster. It feels like this monumental piece of work — almost like giving birth. Now I just feel completely drained and honestly, I’d love to just go on holiday, sip margaritas on the beach, and relax — but, yeah… not happening anytime soon!
Applying to the funding for Maud the Moth new album
You mentioned that you had to apply for funding to bring the whole plan to life. Let’s put it that way — how challenging was it to handle all the funding procedures and the bureaucracy, on top of recording, making creative decisions, and essentially taking the producer’s seat?
I wouldn’t say that exactly. I mean, I handled the funding, the recording, and most of the production decisions — but I also leaned heavily on Scott. He helped me so much. We’ve been making music together for a long time now and have worked on several projects together. Most people know about Healthy Living and Arm and the Moth, but it goes way back. I’ve done an album with his old band, and I’ve been involved in a lot of other things he’s worked on.
Collaborating with Scott
Scott is just as passionate and obsessive about music as I am — which is rare to find in a collaborator. I’ve gotten to the point where I trust him almost completely with my music. Almost — because this project is so personal to me that I don’t think I could ever fully hand it over to someone else. But Scott did a lot of the heavy lifting, and honestly, I don’t think I could have made this album the way I did without him.
What made it work so well was that he understood how much this project meant to me. He was always respectful of my boundaries and knew exactly when to push artistically and when to step back. Just like I trusted him with the production, he trusted me right back. If I said, “This isn’t how it should be,” he’d immediately get it. It was a true team effort — especially during production and mixing. We had this balance where we both knew when to take the lead to push the project as far as it could go.
Maud the Moth taking a leap of faith
Yeah, exactly. You know, it’s also a real leap of faith to work with someone who truly understands the whole vision of the project. On the flip side, you could easily end up with someone who says, “I don’t get what you’re going for — you’ll have to handle the artistic side yourself. I’ll just take care of the technical stuff.”
Yeah, exactly. I’ve experienced that in the past, so I’m very aware of how lucky I am. It’s taken me a long time to find someone like this — I’ve been making music for decades, and I’ve never had this kind of musical collaboration before. So, yeah, I think it was kind of a magical moment, you could say.
Ariadne and the red thread
I’d love to ask about the album title, The Distaff, which refers to the tool used for spinning wool and also has ties to the Greek goddess. I was trying to find the “red thread” — the connection, like with Ariadne. Though, I understand women traditionally used the distaff, is there a theme of emancipation here, or does Ariadne’s pain play a role? Indeed, I see powerful female references, but what connects the distaff with Ariadn?
So, Rina has a poem called The Distaff, and yes, it’s from around 600 BC. The poem is an eulogy for her best friend, Baucis, who’s been sent off to marry. The poem is about Rina narrating the many ways she’s lost her friend and expressing the grief and change that comes with it.
Well, her friend doesn’t die, but when I read it, I found a very strong analogy between marriage and death. It’s like the death of individuality. There’s the physical loss of her friend, but also the loss of who she was as an individual because she had to marry. It’s a kind of symbolic death. Sadly, this is still something that happens in certain parts of the world today.
Ariadne and the red thread part 2
The reference to the distaff comes from Rina’s poem. Later, I started reading about it because I didn’t really know what the word meant. I looked it up and found that it appeared in many foundational texts of Western culture, like the Bible, but also in other texts. The distaff was often used as a symbol for the virtuous woman — as you mentioned, an emancipated woman. However, it still places her within a patriarchal system, where some people hold power and others don’t.
“that generational trauma”…
I started working and giving the money to the man, exactly. Well, maybe not at that point, but now you’re still giving the money to the man, you know? I mean, the album touches on political themes, but to me, it’s also very spiritual. Both aspects are connected in the way I processed everything. However, the album itself isn’t necessarily a sociological commentary — it’s more about me processing my personal experiences. And because of who I am, how I’ve been treated, and how I’ve been socialized, it’s deeply influenced by those experiences
We often talk about toxic masculinity, but there’s also toxic femininity. In many cases, it stems from oppression, but there’s also a lot of trauma that is distinctly feminine. A lot of this gets passed down through generations, and to me, that generational trauma carries a very specific hue. It’s something that deeply affects me personally, and I think most of my friends I speak to are also impacted by generational feminine trauma.
Women should never be pissed
For example, when talking about generational feminine trauma, I’ve learned that women are often taught they shouldn’t be angry. They’re supposed to always be polite, never use bad words, and just stay calm. “Don’t be pissed.” But I’ve learned, through my own experience, that sometimes you need to be pissed.
Yeah, exactly. Otherwise, you get told, “You’re going to be labeled as difficult.” I’ve heard that in the music industry as well. But guys don’t have that problem, you know? In most environments I’ve been in, I’ve been labeled as insubordinate or difficult. It’s not about me trying to be that way — it’s just who I am. I’m a proactive person who takes action, and I can’t help that.
Reconcile that anger or pain for Maud the Moth
So, yeah, you know, for me, it’s when you say, like that. It’s for me, it’s breaking boundaries.
I don’t know, it was an exploration of that in the album — trying to reconcile that anger or pain, confronting the shadow, and hopefully finding some catharsis through music creation or even just through listening. That’s what music means to me: it’s always been a way for me to deal with reality and my issues. I hope others can resonate with that too.
Being vulnerable on stage for Maud the Moth
I’m about to ask a tough question now. The album is meant to acknowledge and have catharsis over past issues and traumas, but don’t you feel a bit exposed or vulnerable having to perform these songs? Because they hold such personal meaning for you.
This is something I’ve had to learn — how to protect myself and set boundaries. A few years ago, I’d probably say yes to any show if it was a good opportunity, no matter the context. But now, I’m much more cautious. I don’t think my music fits every environment, so I’m more selective. I also consider what it’s going to be like for me to be on stage beforehand
When I perform my music, it’s not just about this album, it’s the same with Moth — there’s no real barrier between me and the audience. However, there is a barrier in the sense that I don’t talk about personal stuff because that’s just not my style. I don’t write or create that way. I prefer using symbolism or fictional settings. Sometimes, I switch between third-person and first-person narration, creating an interplay that makes it feel a bit outside of reality. It’s not about saying, “This happened to me” — it’s not like going to a psychologist to process things. That’s one layer of protection. But at the same time, it’s still very raw. When I perform, I’m not necessarily reliving the experiences, but I do put myself in a vulnerable place to perform them authentically. So, I don’t think my music is for every moment.
Finding the right balance
So, again, we’re talking about boundaries. I write with equilibrium in mind because while you protect yourself, you also have to be a little vulnerable. It’s about finding the right balance between those two factors.
Well, it’s risky, but when it works — when you’re playing for an audience that’s respectful and comes along for the journey — it’s magical. However, it’s so beautiful, and it gives everything meaning. Being able to offer someone words, a sound, or an expression for something they’re feeling inside — that’s everything.
The collaborator of Maud the Moth on “The Distaff”
I know you’ve also collaborated with Helen Money, Sebastian Rochford, and of course, Scott McLean on guitar. We know how much Scott contributed to the album — that word collaborator doesn’t even cover it. But what role did Helen and Sebastian play during the production and pre-production of the album?
For the strings, I wrote all the arrangements myself. I gave the scores to Alison (Helen Money) and my friend Faye, who’s an incredible violinist. So all the string players were working from pre-written parts — there wasn’t any pre-production involved with them; it was more of an add-on at the end.
With Alison, since I’d played shows with her and knew her music well, I liked how she uses pedals and effects. She contributed a bit creatively too — she recorded a few sections with her arrangements, which added a lot to the album.
With Seb, both Scott and I had some ideas for certain parts since I’m not great at writing drums. We shared those ideas with him, but mostly we gave him total creative freedom. We sent him the album, shared some references, and explained what it was about. Then we went to a studio in London — one Seb recommended, owned by Leo Abrahams (who’s worked with some incredible artists) — and just let Seb surprise us. And he did! There were a couple of things we adjusted, but he had absorbed the album’s spirit and translated it into something incredible.
The new singles: “Despeñaperros” and “Siphonophores”
I also love the videos for the two singles. They don’t feel like just music videos; they’re almost like mini-movies with how they’re shot and styled. The videos for “Siphonophores” and “Despeñaperros” are stunning. I’m curious — where did you shoot these amazing videos?
Oh, thank you! Well, for Despeñaperros, I had been collecting footage for months — same with some of the other stuff. The one I released last week, for example — I filmed that time-lapse two and a half years ago and had it sitting on my computer. But with Despeñaperros in particular, none of the footage was working. I was so over it and just exhausted.
Then, on this really cold but sunny day, the light was beautiful, so I thought, why not? I did my hair and makeup, and we just went outside. I live near a volcano called Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, so we went there. It was freezing — below zero! You can’t tell because the video is in black and white, but there was ice on the ground.
Filming the videos…
And there was this field they had just plowed — it was perfect. A lot of the songs on the album explore this world of memory, where trauma is produced and passed down. My mom’s side of the family is from rural Spain, so the idea of fields and harvesting wheat connected with that sense of inherited history. So, yeah, we just went there one morning, and Scott filmed me lying there.
Some of the cave scenes were filmed a few months ago near Valencia, in the east of Spain. The bird footage was a mix — some were filmed in Madrid, and some here in Edinburgh. We pretty much put it all together ourselves since we didn’t have the budget for more — very DIY!
Are they video clips or mini-movies?
Yeah, exactly! I didn’t want them to feel like just simple video clips — they’re much more on the side of a short film or mini-movie.
Yeah, I think, you know, this might not be directly related, but I’ve been asked so many times, “How do you create an inclusive working environment?” And honestly, I don’t know — I’m just not a misogynist, not a racist, not a homophobe, not a transphobe. I have friends from all over the world and from all kinds of backgrounds. It’s like, you create what you consume, you know?
Working together
Yeah, and I feel like with this kind of thing, even if you don’t have a big budget, if you understand the music and the feeling behind it — if you’re really in tune with it — the videos can come together naturally. I love collaborating with other people and have so much respect for filmmakers, but it takes time and effort to communicate your emotions to another artist in a way they can translate into their work. So unless you have a really big budget, it’s hard to do that while also respecting their creative process, you know?
The new tour of Maud the Moth
Speaking of ideas — with this amazing album, are you planning to perform it live with some added elements or new arrangements?
I will be performing the album live. Right now, Scott and I are rehearsing as a duo. For the past few years with Moth, I’ve been performing completely solo, using live looping to bring in a lot of the textural elements. It’s not the same as on the album, but it builds up the intensity and preserves the intention of the song in a new way.
At the moment, we’re focusing on the fact that this album features a lot of guitar and sound textures that aren’t piano-based. But interestingly, there’s quite a bit of distorted piano in there too, which I think a lot of people might not realize. They probably assume it’s all distorted guitar, but it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time—using a real amp for distortion, rather than relying on digital effects.
Working on the new tour of Maud the Moth
There’s a lot of that, and we’re excited to be announcing a UK tour soon. I’m also hoping to tour Spain and other places later this year. For now, we’ll be touring as a duo. There are a few shows where we might bring in a drummer, but we’re not completely sure yet. The drummer from the album is Patti Smith’s drummer, so he won’t be coming along to play club shows with me. But we’re considering bringing in a drummer for certain performances.
For me, songs are living things—they’re not confined to one version or form. Sure, you can play a song the way it’s recorded on the album, and that’s great because that’s how I intended it. But when I perform them live, they can take on a different life, and that doesn’t make them any less significant. If you want to experience the songs exactly how they are on the album, then just listen to the album.
I want to thank you for your time. I hope you have a wonderful evening, and again, thank you for chatting with me.
Oh, thanks to you. and hopefully, we meet one day. Thank you for chatting with me.