Seattle Superheroes: Adra Boo

Seattle Superheroes is a regular series on seattlemag.com wherein artists depict standout people in our community as superheroes. While we’ve taken some artistic license with the narratives, the sentiment behind them is very real. 

Seattle’s Adra Boo hypnotizes. In an instant, after just one note or word, the listener’s mind is captive. It’s then up to her what happens next. 

Boo is, of course, one half of the super duo, Fly Moon Royalty, who play January 28 at the Nectar Lounge and open for the great Sir Mix-A-Lot. The band is part chemistry lab, part shoulder-propped boombox, part starlight and gold-framed sunglasses. 

Boo’s musical partner-in-crime is, of course, Action Jackson, the architect of the band’s sound. “He knows how to build up the jam,” Boo says. From there, Boo dresses up the music and the vibe. “Together, we create great spaces.”  

Storytelling began early for Boo, an avid watcher of Thundercats and Jem and the Holograms. But her major love was kickball. “I loved it,” she says. “LOVED KICKBALL!”

On stage the band is larger than life. Universes pump from the speakers and Boo’s magic opens eardrums and corneas in a moment. 

“When I’m onstage, I’m only thinking about one mission: take you on a journey,” she says. “It’s when I feel the most queen-like. There’s a definite sexiness, a definite grown feeling. I come for the people.”

Like many superheroes, Boo’s powers were with her the day she was born. Her electrified brainwaves shot, sparked and intermingled as the bright lights of the television glowed and the vinyl record sounds of the home speakers around her wafted (“All these funky voices telling you about how you’re about to dance,” she says, “it was electric!”). From there, her confidence only grew. She met Jackson at the perfect point in her life in Seattle and the two began their journey immediately. 

“We met at work in downtown Seattle,” she says. “He’d only been here for five months. He said he was a producer – we started talking music that first day.” 

Seattle, she says, is a place unlike any other. “Musicians here are the most supportive,” she notes. “Like, they want you to succeed. That’s dope.” 

Boo and Fly Moon Royalty certainly are succeeding: after the show with Mix, the duo plans to release a new record while playing more shows, including Sonic Evolution at Benaroya Hall. 

“I can’t wait for this new album to drop,” she says. “I think about that every day. It’s going to roll up sooner than we think, but ah man, I’m so pumped for everyone to experience this!” 

About the artist: Kyle Bolton has been drawing since age 4. A graduate of the Art Institute of Seattle, he has worked for a variety of game companies creating 2D and 3D animations. He currently draws and lives in West Seattle with his wife Jamie and their dogs, Copper and Zeus.