Long time no see huh (PSY style). Work has been busy for me, plus I’ve gotten some other projects in mind. I will share them at the end of this interview.
Today we talk to the admins behind @moabirthday, the online festival for MOAs by MOAs! As the 2022 MOA Festival is coming up soon, we catch up with Hannah and Zainab about how they started as MOAs, how they run the event, and their love for TXT and MOAs. You will find plenty of heartwarming moments between these two and their friends. It’s super lovely.
This is #4 of Moaville Stories, a series about MOAs who do interesting things for the community. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Introduction
Where are you based? Do you work synchronously?
Admin H: Since I'm from SE Asia, I do a lot of the things around SE Asia time on a day-to-day basis, however during event time (MOA’s birthday) we coordinate on who is handling what. Since we’re more of a forum and a special event account than a fanbase, we work very casually following our own free time. We still use the account to spread important information and continue holding #moaference here and there.
Admin Z: I am based in the USA! I kinda do stuff during my time (although these days I have been swamped with work 😭). As the other admin mentioned, we are more of a casual account so we try to hype important things when needed.
When and how did you come across TXT? What made you fall in love with them?
Admin H: I came across them when Big Hit was doing those cryptic reveals and I heard rumors about Big Hit’s new boy group circulating on Instagram. The day I saw the lyrics of CROWN was the day I fell in love with them. I was SHOCKED and I WAS A MESS THE WHOLE DAY. I had a proper existential crisis. At that moment, I had never felt more seen and heard. I realized I was in pain but it's okay to feel the pain. My pain felt very valid. I started to open up to my friends, because I was beginning to understand the lyrics and essence of the song. With that being said, I fell in love with TXT the moment I saw their lyrics and heard them convey their emotions in a bop-debut song.
Admin Z: Ah this question, where do I even begin... I regret to say that I technically somewhat knew about TXT’s existence in 2019, but during that time I wasn’t really getting into new groups. Then when 2020 and the pandemic hit, I was at my all-time low. I mean, it was getting to the point where I would break down every other day. I was really miserable and I lost my love for music for a bit. Nothing interested me and I felt like I lost such a big part of my adolescence. I wasn’t able to say goodbye to teachers and friends who I loved and went straight into university. It was a terrible time, but I found TXT. I saw a random video and fell in love. I completely changed and became a much happier person. So yeah, I don’t want to be dramatic but their music really did save me.
Michael: These stories (or perhaps I should say testimonials) are always so moving. I love how tubatu have played a major role in your life. We are all in this life thing together.
What makes TXT different from other artists?
Admin H: For me, the way they portray their artistry is unique. Their growth and emotions are so well-displayed in their discography and their Star Seekers universe. Personality-wise they are super relatable, comforting, helpful and blunt (in a positive way). Stanning TXT feels like going home and getting a big hug. Whenever I have bad or good days, I’ll always look forward to seeing them.
Admin Z: I think everything about them combines together to make them so unique. From their interesting Star Seeker concepts to their endearing personalities, every aspect of them makes them so lovable. I personally love their own sense of direction with music and lyricism. It’s something I have always enjoyed. The music is complex without being overbearing. The lyrics portray such interesting emotions and scenarios. I mean come on, using horns as a metaphor for growing pains and talking about meeting someone just like you with wings? Incredible artistry. Of course their passion for their craft is amazing too.
What are your favorite music videos?
Admin H: VISUAL wise i love 0X1=LOVESONG (Japanese ver), hands down one of the most visually stunning TXT music videos. It also has an excellent storyline and an amazing tribute/reference to Kimi no nawa (2016). Another one with amazing visuals and amazing storyline is Run Away!! The pool scene is so fun: the small details, the theories, and of course the references to Harry Potter are all chef’s kisses. In terms of uniqueness in the visual and storytelling department, all of the TU ones win that category. All of them have unique charms that I love. But the MV that has a special place in my heart is Drama (Japanese ver). As someone who was bullied and tried so hard to fit in a group of “friends” who had ZERO interest in me, the MV hits so close home that I had trouble streaming it when it came out. I was so emotional. It’s so relatable and so underrated! And I love the Haikyu!! references.
Admin Z: Favorite music video might either be Eternally or Nap of A Star. Maybe actually Frost?? I love the +u and the Star Seekers. You can tell the production is crazy. I love fantasy and all of that.
Michael: All very good suggestions! TXT cinematography is top-notch.
What will you tell the members if you meet them one day?
Admin H: I would give them my biggest thanks and gratitude. Their music really helps me a lot and how they deserve all the praises and awards they have, if not more. I believe in them so much and I believe that they will be very successful. They are very very talented and I think their love for music will get them very far. I’ll make sure of it myself if I have to.
Admin Z: If I were to meet them I think I’d be too nervous to speak, but I will always say the same thing: “Thank you. I love you. Your music has helped me and you are important. I wish you the best.” Of course there’s a million other things I want to say but that is the gist of it.
MOA Festival
How did you meet? What is the story behind the account and the idea of MOA festival?
Admin H: We met during the first MOA conference/ moaference. Maryam (@txtgenleaders) were hosting, Zainab (@EBOYJJUN) and Ibti (@blackmoas) were speaking. I’ve been waiting to talk to a big account about an event idea I had in mind but, since I’m a small account with no friends it was hard. Thankfully they were talking about how to make streaming fun, so I took my chances. I messaged Ibti about a festival-like event (like Coachella) with booths, games, movies, and everything that will make it as if all MOAs are in this festival having fun and celebrating TXT and MOAs. An event with streaming and voting too, so we can normalize the process without feeling burdened. In the next moaference Maryam and Ibti invited me to talk in their space and the four of us started making a group chat together. The four of us became the @moabirthday FOUNDERS and we became friends along the way.
Admin Z: I’ll be honest I have a terrible memory haha but from what I remember Hannah and I were in a group chat and then we got to know each other after the moaference space. The rest was a bit foggy but then suddenly we decided to do a fun event. We wanted to make Moaville more fun and just enjoy being together. So we created the account and the rest is history.
Michael: Oh wow, talk about serendipity and being passionate about something! And the friendship along the way - all so amazing.
What was the planning process like? What did you do?
Admin H: We divided the work that needed to be done and put a deadline for when it needs to be out, according to our timeline. Some people were in charge of design, promotion, networking, timeline making, etc. The timeline of the event and deadline for preparations were the things that we finished first in the first meeting. Then we started working on some other things and the marketing plan. And on top of that booth runners had to manage and create their own booth activities before a certain deadline.
Admin Z: We distributed the work between all of the members and assigned each member a role. We also had meetings where we literally sat down and planned for the whole day. I remember taking notes (I still have that sheet) and I was talking about different booths we can do. Once we had an idea, the next step was to make it solid and promote it. We were being really sneaky the day we were going to announce it and made a huge space. I created an Eventbrite and that’s how we calculated “tickets” and got engagements. We also contacted other MOAs to help with engagement (e.g making a flyer and promotional video).
Was this your first time doing something like this? How much work was it?
Admin H: Personally no, since I have been planning events offline and online before as the person in charge. But an event in Moaville? YES. There was a lot of work for it, like staying up late editing, planning the games, making the games, planning the streaming party, making the timetable, having to group four and later more than four people in different time zones. I’d say it’s A LOT of work but it was so much fun. Almost everyone was staying up, especially Zainab. I remember because she’s always online whenever I am awake during my daytime.
Admin Z: This wasn’t my first time planning an event. In my personal life I have planned these sort of events before. Doing it online definitely was new haha, but everything else was fine. It was a lot of work because all of us come from different time zones and during the actual day of the festival I was starting my new semester at university, so I was PANICKING LMAO. But we managed through it.
Were there any challenges and/or interesting stories ?
Admin Z: Having different time zones definitely made it difficult 😭 Moaville is very diverse so making an event that can cater to all time zones was a challenge. Hopefully this year we can combat that challenge. A funny story was I kept making memes during our Fight or Escape YouTube stream competition (which was really fun). Seeing other MOAs join and joke around was fun too.
Admin H: The major challenge has to be the time zone. Also despite working hard on the event, we had our fair share of fun too. During the YouTube streaming competition Zainab was making memes to motivate her team. We were all very chaotic during the games since some of the questions were silly. We also stayed up a lot together, so I befriended a lot of the people working on moabirthday! I became very close with Zainab and Maryam. I remember staying up until 4 AM sharing panda gifs with Maryam. I also remember our first meeting with just the founders, when we all realized we are all Muslim and POC and we instantly got comfortable with one another because we have a lot in common. Another interesting story happened during the spaces for the event! it was filled with us having fun with MOAs especially during the “memories with TXT” event. Another thing that happened during the event was during the reveal! we teased about it and MOAs on the timeline were guessing what we had planned. The guesses MOAs made varied. The most memorable one was we did a streaming party with a clown concept.
Michael: This sounds so lovely. Glad to see you enjoying the process and one another’s company. It must feel very empowering, too.
What are your suggestions for fans to plan online events?
Admin Z: Just do it! It can be difficult but that’s when you can ask for help from friends or literally anyone. As long as you have an idea, promote it and go for it.
Admin H: I say go for it! Don’t be afraid to message big and small accounts in Moaville! It's also important to stay organized. Another thing to working well together is to trust one another.
Getting to Know Admins
What are some challenges behind running your account? How do you manage personal life and your role in Moaville?
Admin Z: Two words: time zones. I know I’ve said this a million times but time zones really make things hard. When I am awake Hannah might be asleep and vice versa. In terms of managing personal life and this, I’d say boundaries are the best. Knowing when to stop and to take a break or when to be active is key. If I know I can’t stay up at 2 AM to do a booth, I won’t sign up for it. Time management and boundaries are the key to anything in life.
Admin H: I have to agree with Zainab with this one - time management! Having worked multiple jobs while being a student, time management will be your best friend. Although I am someone who has a hard time focusing I’ll try motivating myself by working little by little, finishing a couple of things, rewarding myself with every small achievements I made that day.
Michael: These are great pointers for things more than running an account :)
Do you planning to do more Twitter spaces often?
Admin Z: Oh I love spaces because I love to talk (I’m a bit extroverted hehe). I like to talk because it’s easier to organize my thoughts and verbalize everything. I hope we can have more fun spaces just because I want Twitter to be fun and a place to relax.
Admin H: It is something that we will do more often! Since @moabirthday is born in a space, it’s only natural for us to continue the legacy of #moaference. Big or small accounts, all MOAs are important and it’s important to hear their ideas and voices regarding many things so we can improve together. #moaference is usually held monthly to talk about our preparations, progress, plans and the problems we faced. It could also be held more often depending on the situation. We also like doing a relaxing space with just us talking. Recently we experimented with horrorference, a space talking about scary stories. We have a project to promote Thursday’s Child with the whole #Who_Is_Thursdays_Child hashtags.
What are your goals with this account in the next year and beyond? Do you have any secrets about this year's event?
Admin Z: We always want MOAs to feel safe and accepted here. This account is made for MOAs by MOAs after all. Having a day where we can celebrate ourselves and just enjoy being with each other who have similar interests and mutual love for TXT is honestly beautiful to me. Plus it’s a great break from the pressure of life and online drama. Just have a good time and talk about TXT’s music and everything else. As for future stuff… Let’s just say this year’s moabirthday is going to be out of this world. It will really amaze you (I hope so).
Admin H: Just like what Zai said. We want our account to be a safe place for MOAs to have fun and talk to each other, share ideas and important information as well. And of course we have another project in the making!! We cannot wait for MOAs to join us on this year’s moabirthday. It is going to be ASTRONOMICAL! It’s going to (hopefully) be amazing! I hope more MOAs can have fun and join us!
How do you make hit tweets?
Admin H: I think the most memorable one for me was the Star One mubank Gordon Ramsay meme! I tweeted it during the whole Star One meme extravaganza with tags so I think a lot of MOAs saw and interacted.
Admin Z: I can’t even remember some of my hit tweets but I remember I made a joke about Taehyun’s teeth and NFTs (nice fcking teeth) and it got 10K likes 😭 Also I just make a bunch of random jokes (recently one about TXT using slack to talk to each other), so nothing serious. My mind is an enigma so it’s always random.
What do you want to see more often in the community?
Admin Z: More talks about TXT lyrics. Please, there is so much content. You can talk about their songs having so much lore and depth. I once made a tweet talking about how amazing Ghosting was and I was glad others enjoyed the mini analysis. TXT are artists after all, so I would love to dive deep into their artistry, whether it is their music, dancing, or overall performance. Also I love when MOAs make jokes and when we are just not serious, the timeline becomes so light. Just have fun friends, it’s all good vibes. Oh and to everyone who does video editing or digital edits (art in general) I would love to see your work 🫂 I personally am trying to be better at video editing so seeing those edits on my feed is nice.
Admin H: 100% AGREE with Zai!! I love diving more into their artistry! We have to talk about how TXT’s songs have so many interpretations and how all of those are what makes the essence of the song so beautiful and how poetic TXT’s lyrics are. Another content on the timeline I like is streaming BINGO!! It’s so fun and encouraging! I remember seeing a lot of it during comeback time. I also love when we get together to talk about theories behind TXT’s art and MVs.
Resources
What are your key insights to understanding tubatu?
Admin Z: Three things: music, translator/update accounts, and fan accounts. Learning and listening to the music will always be the first step to really understanding TXT as artists and people. If you want to learn more about their personalities and understand their content, translator or update accounts are key. Just follow as many as you can. I also follow a bunch of content accounts (e.g TXT as cats or a Yeonjun video account). Additionally, creating a stan account helps to find other MOAs and to be updated with things. YouTube of course is also a great source to watch random videos and TXT’s official content. At the end of the day, just have fun. You don’t need to overanalyze anything: TXT are just normal people who love music and performing. Once you see more of their content, everything else will fall into place.
Admin H: Understanding TXT by understanding their music. TXT’s growth as artists are very well documented in their discography. Other than that I would also go to content like To Do, Talk x Today, etc. They really showcase a lot of their personalities and wholesome friendships.
Who are some great MOAs for fans to know?
Admin Z: @translatingtxt, @304verse, and @txt_sarangdan2 are the holy trinity for me. All three accounts work so hard for MOAs and TXT, we love you. Love everyone who’s part of moabirthday. We love you. And to all my lovely moots, we love you! To @txtdigitals for helping with US/PR funds for Billboard ILY.
Admin H: @moachartdata @txtdigitals @moavoters @txtlyricism, the translation accounts mentioned by Zai, and the fanbases! Truly if you want to be updated I suggest following fanbases and accounts like @S00BIM @ajjenomoto and @s00bining. Although they are not big accounts, they are very dedicated MOAs who have voting teams and are very encouraging, creative and updated. They also have important threads on their pinned for MOAs. If you want to have fun, streaming party accounts like @moa_station @moa_lympics @moastreams are also awesome. And of course we have our big accounts that updates a lot.
Michael: Just to do some advertisements, we have interviewed @moachartdata, @txtlyricism, @S00BIM @ajjenomoto, and @moa_station already! We are also going to interview more fanbases in the future!
Please share some awesome MOAs with us!
Admin Z: I have so many cool mutuals, I don’t know how to include everyone LMAO. I think @jjkyeonjun (Bianca) deserves so much hype. She literally taught me how to stream using her tutorials (which you can find on the moabirthday moments tab!). And @txtlov (bea) who I recently became moots with is really lovely too. She does a lot for txt.
Admin H: I have so many people I can tag to be honest. A lot of MOAs I met are very dedicated. I think the MOAs I mentioned in this interview are all so awesome and I think everyone should hype them because they are some of the kindest and most dedicated MOAs I've met.
Michael: This is awesome. There are many MOAs yet we are very close-knit. Duality just like the boys haha.
Please leave a message for your friends and moots!
Admin Z: Thank you for bearing with me and making me so happy. I’ll be honest I have met so many incredible people here and I am glad to be friends with you. Lets continue to be friends and love TXT together 🫂
Admin H: Thank you for being my friend and sharing your love for TXT and your other interests with me! i’m so happy to have you guys. I hope we can continue being friends and be MOAs together for eternity. Thank you so much for listening to my ideas and for working together with me to give the best to TXT! Lets continue this TXT journey for life!!
So there you have it, our admins for @moabirthday!
The TXT concerts are coming to an end in the US! I am going to both days this weekend in LA! I will be helping out @LALovesickMOA with fan banners. I also have some lyric cards (hundreds!) for MOAs to hand out as freebies. This should be plenty of hints for a mega project in the future… And of course, I will write a concert review for the LA stop. Meanwhile, enjoy this Teen Vogue piece. More interview to come in the future, you won’t believe our line up!!
And yes, please check out my Twitter Moment, where I have every Moament piece linked! The cover art is by our lovely friend @i_im_fri.
Moaville is amazing.