Meet Lara Mamoun | Singer, Artist, Comedian, Filmmaker, Co-Owner of ‘La Vie en Rose Crêperie’, Writer, Producer and Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lara Mamoun and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lara, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m an American Lebanese Singer, Artist, Comedian, Filmmaker, Entrepreneur and Co-owner of the Atlanta-based mobile food catering business called ‘La Vie en Rose Crêperie’, that I started alongside my business partner Berna Agan. I was born in Youngstown, Ohio but I spent my childhood living in between the United States, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to be cosmopolitan by growing up in the Middle East, as it allowed me the privilege to immerse myself in the wondrous and diverse cultures of both the West and the East, while also being French educated – as most Lebanese people are. This is why today I’m able to speak 4 languages fluently, with French being my first, and why I have such a deep appreciation for all of the cultures and all of the people this beautiful world has to offer.

Growing up in the Middle East was such a blessing, as I was raised both Christian and Muslim, which gave me a deep understanding of monotheism and as a kid, it also meant I got to celebrate both Christmas and Ramadan with my family. My parents have always been so open and understanding towards me and my siblings growing up, which made it easy for me to come out as a bisexual woman at the age of 21. I feel so very fortunate to be loved, accepted and embraced by my incredible family and to have the types of relationships that I share with my friends, my family and my community. I’m so proud of my American Lebanese communities, and of my Palestinian, Syrian and Slavic ancestry. And even though Lebanon may be a tiny country on the map, I truly believe that my people’s resilience, compassion, love and hospitality knows no bounds.

Our Middle Eastern culture, especially that of my Lebanese roots, prioritizes education and the need to work hard to achieve our goals in order to support ourselves and our families. Moreover, I’m quite blessed really to have come from a long line of hard-working, ethical and creative intellectuals, and I feel as though my parents and my community instilled in me a desire to learn that I carry with me every day. That is why I have a background in Economics and engineering, and why I’m able to work in various industries, such as Music, Entertainment, Food and Tech.

I feel as though my background and upbringing inspired me to have the many goals that I strive to accomplish today. And I truly believe that my community’s ethics and hard work inspire the drive and dedication that I have towards all of my creative endeavors, my music and my businesses. All that I am and hope to be was molded by my family and my people, and for that I feel so incredibly grateful.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
For sure. So, I love singing, writing and composing my music under my stage name ‘Elle Moon’. I make Pop, EDM, Rock, Hip Hop and Rap songs that I sing in English, French and Arabic. Moreover, I produce, direct, style and edit all of my music videos under my independent record label, Moon Scope Records. I believe that what sets me apart from others is just how much of my work is produced entirely by me and how it is predominantly funded by my work in various industries. Since 2020, I’ve been self-financing all of my creative endeavors and have been very fortunate to be able to collaborate with incredibly gifted cinematographers and actors throughout the process. I believe that my music allows me the privilege to share my inner worlds with my amazing fans, my loved ones and my community.

As an Artist, I love being able to express myself freely and given my scientific background, a part of me still craves working within Tech. What many may not know is the fact that I used to code back in the day and that I designed all of my websites, as well as the product lines from my merch store. Some days I miss the Tech space, and with the emergence of AI, I knew I wanted to experiment with it in my art. And so, around this time last year, my wonderfully talented friend and photographer Corey Willis captured photos of me from one of our shoots, and I then took the photos and used AI prompts to design a series of digital prints as part of my ‘Elle Breaks the Matrix’ digital print series. It was so fun getting to composite and design each print as a way to illustrate my relationship with Music, Tech and Art. Outside of the digital space, I’m also about to debut some of my artworks with my ‘Céleste’ line – which comprises 31 painted pieces to celebrate the 31 years of Life I’ve spent on this plane of existence.

Outside of my work in music, I enjoy writing and performing comedy. Weirdly enough, I started my journey in Entertainment by performing stand-up, writing and filming sketches with my best friend and business partner Berna Agan. I then became a lead actress on season one of ‘The Going Live Show’ and I spent the next few years working both in front and behind the camera. So, when I think back to the journey I’ve had in the Entertainment and Music industries, there were definitely a lot of ups and downs creatively and in my personal life, but overall, I feel very fortunate to have been able to explore the different facets of my artistry within such industries.

Along the way, I learned to be open to new opportunities and experiences, to be patient with myself and to be more confident in being who I am today. I believe that Life is all about growth, which is why I’m always so excited to evolve and discover more of myself over time, as I don’t quite know who I’ll be in the next few years or what more I’ll be doing. But one thing I know for sure is that the world is welcome to ride along with me, and if anyone is interested in learning more about me, my work and my family, then rest assured as I’m in the process of releasing a few episodes from my upcoming reality show ‘Making Moves with the Mamouns’.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend Berna Agan was visiting the area for the first time, there are oh so many places we could visit. I’d start off by taking her to Kabob Land, so she could buy me lunch, because I’m sure I’d be hungry by the time she arrives and as my music manager for my “YAAA” alter ego, she always loves to indulge me. Once we feel satisfied with our meals, we would then go walk around the beltline to shed some weight so we could get our ‘summer bods’ just in time for Christmas. Plus, the beltline is such a hidden gem in the city, so I’d recommend anyone to visit it if they’re in town.

When we’re done enjoying the wonderful sights along the beltline, I would then coerce Berna to come with me to East Atlanta Village, so we could hopefully run into my toxic ex-boyfriend to make sure he’s still up to no good and that I made the right decision leaving him. After he’s done harassing us, we would go grab a quick coffee from Little Five Points, so that we may roam freely amongst the Artists and other Filmmakers – something that Berna keeps insisting she hates doing, but I’m sure she’ll grow to love it in due time.

After we finish enjoying our coffee from Java Lords, Berna and I would then go back to Buckhead so we could enjoy some of our deliciously sweet crêpes from our ‘La Vie en Rose crêperie’, while we discuss our upcoming reality show ‘Making Moves with the Mamouns’. We both love Atlanta so much that we decided to start our businesses in this beautiful city because we want to represent our wonderful community. And once we finish devouring our incredibly scrumptious crêpes, I would politely ask her to leave my house, because I’m sure she would’ve overstayed her welcome. Once she’s gone, I would surely miss her for she always warms my spirit with her presence and the electric heater she occasionally brings to my cold apartment. And that would be one way we’d spend our awesome day in Atlanta. Ah yes, Atlanta, the city that everyone must visit at some point if they’re looking for beautifully warm and yet humid weather, while also enjoying amazing food with wonderful people whose Southern charm will brighten anyone’s day. “Bless your heart” is what the people always cheer whenever we walk into the room, and it’s just one of the many awesome things you too could enjoy when visiting this city in the forest.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many incredible people who have inspired me to become the woman that I am today. First and foremost, I’d like to give a huge shoutout to God, my main G, for being so incredible to me and my family, and for giving me the opportunity to experience Life in all of its wonderful facets. I know for certain that I would not be here if it wasn’t for God and for my wonderful parents, to whom I would also love to dedicate this shoutout to. I am so very blessed to have been given such amazing parents who taught me so much and continue to enrich my life with their love, their support and the lessons they impart in me.

Moreover, I would very much like to give a shoutout to my wonderful sister and brothers, who continue to inspire and motivate me, while also giving me the strength that I need to make it through difficult times. My family means everything to me and I know that I would not be able to accomplish any of my goals without the love and support that I get from my incredible family.

I strongly believe that my family is an extension of my community, and so, I would also very much love to dedicate this series to my Lebanese and Palestinian communities. I’m so fortunate to have survived the 2006 Lebanese war and witnessing the genocide that’s unfolded over the past year, as well as the relentless bombardments of my beautiful homelands, I want to give a huge shoutout to my people for their resilience, their compassion and their unwavering strength in the face of such atrocities. In war, nobody truly wins. Not you. Not me. Not them. And so, I dream of a world where every boy and girl can share the Earth to live out in peace and not fear, no matter their race, their creed or what they believe.

Website: https://www.laramamoun.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laramaamoun

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lara-maamoun/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElleMoonmusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ellemoonmusic

Other: www.instagram.com/itsellemoon
www.ellemoonmusic.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0mW5rL9A8Ced0XrHWrP25D

Image Credits
All rights reserved to Moon Scope Records, LLC