Jewelz Moya: The Artist Blending Opera, Stilt Walking, Fire Dancing, and Healing
By Kellie Hanna
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Artist You Should Know: Jewelz Moya
Meet multifaceted badass Jewelz Moya. From opera singing to fire dancing, stilt walking, acupuncture, and intuitive healing, her eclectic talents transcend the ordinary. Whether she’s belting breathtaking operatic arias on stilts or channeling energy through her spiritual avatar, Lucrezia Eyewalker, Jewelz’s biggest talent might just be her ability to create connections—helping us tap into a deeper sense of ourselves, each other, and the world around us.
As I told Jewelz after our interview, it’s easy to get caught up in the darkness that surrounds us, so I’m grateful she’s here to remind us that beauty and light are always there if we choose to look and listen.
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Kellie: Hi Jewelz! Thank you so much for talking with me! I’ve seen some of your work but I haven’t been able to catch the full range of what you do. Can you tell me about everything you’re involved with?
Jewelz Moya: Sure! During the day, I’m a licensed acupuncturist, and I have my own practice called Rejuvenate Acupuncture and Massage. I also do esthetics like micro-needling facials. Then, on weekends, I perform in different ways. For example, I do Renegade Opera, professional stilt walking, fire dancing, and intuitive healing to name a few.
Kellie: That’s awesome! I’d love to hear more about Renegade Opera. How did you get into it, and can you share a memorable performance?
Jewelz Moya: I’ve been a vocalist pretty much my whole life. I started in the church choir, moved into a jazz band, and then became the backup singer for a funk band locally. After that, I went back to classical music, studying music theory and singing in the Oakland Symphony Chorus. That was when I started getting more serious about my vocal training.
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Then, I joined the Mystic Midway theater troop, where I did some singing. Eventually, I was commissioned to sing opera at a Bastille Day party in San Francisco, and that’s when I realized I wanted to focus on opera professionally. By 2019, I started Renegade Opera. I took my Bluetooth speaker and microphone to places like Pier 39, and people loved it. They’d hang out of their cars to record and throw money into my box. It was amazing.
Even during the pandemic, I kept performing, singing under people’s balconies or in gardens. One of my favorite gigs was for a mother’s 100th birthday party in a beautiful garden. I’ve been so fortunate with incredible places to perform, like an underground grotto in Texas and in Sibley National Park in Berkeley.
Kellie: Wow, that’s an incredible start! Can you share any other memorable performances with us?
Jewelz Moya: Oh, absolutely! I once hiked about a mile and a half from the parking lot, carrying all my gear, to perform at this volcanic crater with a labyrinth inside of it. I stood in the center of the labyrinth under the full moon, singing songs that were prayers to the moon goddess. It was so beautiful and special.
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I did Lightning in a Bottle a couple of years back, where I performed six times in one year. I invited a colleague to join me, and we did what I call our “tall act”—I was in a giant skirt, and she was in a tuxedo. We performed on the grand antique stage at the festival, and the feedback was amazing. People were like, “Who were those opera singers?” We even did a song called the “Cat Duet” (“De Gato No”), where we harmonized and meowed the whole time. People were tripping out, especially with the mushrooms kicking in!
Another unforgettable experience was performing with the Flaming Lotus Girls. They create giant, flaming sculptures—massive metal works that they take to Burning Man. I was invited to sing under a giant serpent sculpture at a Santa Cruz regional event called Unscrewed. The serpent had these propane-powered flame torches shooting flames from the top and back. When I performed, the head of the serpent, which was controlled by someone behind it, danced to my song. And every time I hit a high note, they’d fire the flames all at once. It was epic.
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Kellie: Wow, that sounds like a movie scene. What an experience!
Jewelz Moya: It really was! And recently, I had another fantastic gig at a vineyard concert in Napa for a billionaire car show. I got to sing over a string sextet at the event. I did my own concert, and then they had this string group play, and I was able to add vocals. It was like I was another instrument in the mix. The woman who hired me just asked, “Can you sing over this?” So, I went out with a couple of violinists by the cars, and I improvised vocals over them. Then, for the second half of the show, she asked if I could sing over the string section again, and it turned out so beautifully. It was such an epic moment!
Kellie: When you improvise, are you usually improvising from well-known operas and arias, or are you making up your own?
Jewelz Moya: It really depends on the event. For example, at the winery event, I was asked to improvise as almost another instrument. I wasn’t singing any lyrics; I was just adding to the string instruments with vocalizations. It was like being part of the instrumental mix, not focused on lyrics. I’ve also done a lot of background vocals, so I’m used to creating sounds and textures rather than structured melodies.
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Kellie: You’ve also performed at Edwardian Ball, right?
Jewelz Moya: Yes! I sang at Edwardian Ball three years in a row over the balcony, which was an amazing experience. And then for the final year, we did our “tall act” on the main ballroom floor. It was such a great way to end the run.
Kellie: I’m really curious about your stilt walking experience. How did you get into it? How long have you been doing it? And what made you decide to combine it with opera?
Jewelz Moya: I became a stilt walker in 2010. Before that, I was a professional fire dancer in Santa Cruz. I first saw stilt walking at an event in 2003 and was blown away by it. I had been into gymnastics and dance, so I thought, “I have to do that!” I became a fire dancer at that time and ended up performing with the Santa Cruz Fire Tribe, especially during the night of the burn when they do a thousand fire dancers around the man before it burns. It was amazing.
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I made friends with some people there who were stilt walkers, and I noticed they were having so much fun. So, after finishing my master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine, I moved to Oakland and decided to learn stilt walking. My initiation as a stilt walker actually happened during the Bay to Breakers race. I climbed onto a mailbox and walked for about 3 miles during the race. There were a lot of people in costumes wanting pictures, trying to go between my legs—super chaotic!
I was already professionally singing, so over time it felt natural to combine the opera and stilt walking.
Kellie: Was it scary at first?
Jewelz Moya: Oh, yeah, definitely. But I think because I already had a gymnastics and dance background, it helped with my agility and balance, which was key for walking on stilts. After that, I started getting professional gigs with entertainment companies around the area. I worked with Catalyst Arts Circus and even some companies in Las Vegas, like Champagne Creative Group.
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Kellie: You seem to challenge yourself by fusing different performances and styles.
Jewelz Moya: Yes! Opera itself is a challenge, which is why I love it so much. The arias are so beautifully written, but they’re not easy. Some of them take years of practice before I perform them. It’s like gymnastics sometimes—I have to do the same piece over and over, slowing it down, playing the ugly notes until I get it right. I also sing in different languages, which is something I really love.
Kellie: When you practice, do you listen to prominent opera singers?
Jewelz Moya: Yeah, I definitely follow the greats. I’ve learned a lot from them—honestly, I call it “YouTube University” [laughs], but a lot of it I developed on my own. Even though I’ve had some classical training, a lot of it was self-taught. I learned from watching the greats like Maria Callas and others. I listened to how they did it, and I try to emulate their style. But I always say I’m a work in progress—there’s always room to grow.
Kellie: You’re clearly doing something right because people really connect with your voice.
Jewelz Moya: Oh, absolutely. I can’t even count how many times people have come up to me crying, telling me how much my music and voice moved them. It’s such a powerful feeling. If I made someone cry, I know I did a good job!
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Kellie: Wow! That’s powerful. How does it feel when people say things like that to you?
Jewelz Moya: It feels really special. Not just because the music is therapy for me—it’s like an emotional release. When I sing, it’s almost like shouting, expressing all these emotions, hitting those highs and exploring all the dynamics. It’s like taking people on an emotional rollercoaster. I love the storytelling aspect of opera too, so I try to pull people in. Often, I’ll share the translation or background of the song so they can connect even if they don’t speak the language. It makes it more meaningful for them, and it’s therapeutic for the listener as well. Music brings people together on a deeper, emotional level. It’s powerful.
One time, someone came up to me after a performance, crying. They said, “I was so dead inside today. I’ve been so depressed and emotionally distraught. You’ve been my hero tonight. You made me want to live again.” Those moments remind me why I do this. All the things going on in the world, all the personal struggles—it’s about how we rise above it, you know? It’s like I’ve found a niche where I can contribute something, no matter how big or small. Uplifting others. That’s what it’s all about.
Kellie: Where did you come up with the name Lucrezia Eyewalker?
The name “Lucrezia Eyewalker” comes from the jazz song Witchcraft, which I love. I added “Eyewalker” because of the medicine card oracle deck that uses Native American animal spirits. In the deck, there’s a rabbit card with a witch named Eyewalker. I loved that name because it spoke to my experiences with psychedelics and spiritual journeys. When I created Lucrezia, it just all came together, I didn’t intend for it to sound like Luke Skywalker.
I consider Lucrezia Eyewalker to be my spiritual avatar. It’s like when people receive a spiritual name in certain traditions. It’s not just a name; it’s an embodiment of a higher self or energy. It’s really part of who I am and what I do.
Jewelz Moya: Yes, exactly. Kellie:. How does creativity play a role in your healing work?
Jewelz Moya: Creativity is a form of spiritual expression. It allows us to stay connected to that deeper part of ourselves, the instinctual, intuitive place. As an artist, when I create, I tap into that energy, and it helps me stay grounded in my purpose. My work is both creative and healing because they’re not separate—they’re two sides of the same coin.
Where can we catch your next performance?
The next big gig I have coming up is at a party called Love Bites at the Ferry Building on February 13th. I’ll be singing three sets of about 15 minutes of operatic love songs. The “bite” part is about gourmet bites—it’s not a vampire thing (laughs), though a lot of people ask. There’ll be gourmet food, wine, music, and art activities. It benefits the non-profit operator of the Ferry Building’s Positive Farmers Market and an educational program for kids about food. So, it’s a fun mix of small bites, Napa Valley wines, and a great time all around!