‘SNL’ veteran Kyle Mooney insists he’s now a serious musician. Don’t believe him.

Kyle Mooney spent nine years at “Saturday Night Live,” but he was never one of the show’s big stars. That may be because he was a little too obtuse, more Andy Kaufman than Andy Samberg.

His new album, “The Real Me,” and national tour, which kicks off at the Fine Line on Monday, is a perfect example of his style. He’s pitching himself as a serious musician, but the super-short songs, performed with a sleepy delivery that often ignores rhythm or pitch, suggests he’s poking fun at pretentious artists.

How much is he putting us on? A Zoom interview from the porch of his Los Angeles home last week offers some clues, although figuring out when the 40-year-old performer was being sincere and when he was slipping into character got tricky.

Q: News broke a few hours ago that Brian Wilson died. One of your songs, “Blue Car,” seems inspired by his music. What did he mean to you?

A: When I was growing up, my father had about three or four CDs in his car, one of which was the Beach Boys’ “Endless Summer,” their early hits. When I turned 10, I became aware of the songs that were about more than just cars and surfing. I particularly love the album “Love You” and this song, “I’ll Bet He’s Nice.”

Q: What other music did you listen to as a kid?

A: The other CDs in my dad’s car were the Eagles’ “[Their] Greatest Hits,” The Beatles’ “Past Masters” and Billy Joel’s “Greatest Hits Volume I & [Volume] II.” My mom was deeply into Michael Jackson.

Q: Your mom [Linda Kozub, who died in 2023] was a pioneer in journalism, the first female sports reporter for the San Diego Union-Tribune. That must have taken a lot of guts. Do you see yourself in her when you take chances?

A: I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about that, but I’m fully with you. She was incredibly brave and also small in stature, but she demanded to be heard. I’m sure she inspired me in ways that I’ll never know or I’ll be learning the rest of my life.

Q: I really liked your film, “Brigsby Bear” [in which his character is obsessed with a character from a children’s show]. What were your favorite cartoons growing up?

A: Oh, man. I loved “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe,” “Transformers.” I wasn’t that discerning. I had a real appreciation for cutesy characters and vibrant colors, like “The Care Bears.”

Q: Let’s talk about the album, “The Real Me.” Why are the songs so short?

A: I will say that I’m an impatient listener. I don’t want to overstay my welcome. The other component is that this is just what came out. If there was a narrative that I felt needed more time, I would have done it.

Q: You’ve got a song called “Gwendolyn Bartley” that sounds like a certain Beatles song. Are you worried Paul McCartney might think you’ve borrowed from it a little too heavily?

A: A lot of people are claiming that it’s too much inspired by “Eleanor Rigby.” I don’t really hear it. “Eleanor Rigby” has actual strings. My song has electronic strings. And I believe Eleanor Rigby is a British character. Gwendolyn is American.

Q: I wonder if the song “Blue Car” is deeper than it first appears. Is it important that the car is blue?

A: I thought I knew where you were going with that question and you took me for a turn. I mean, the song is about more than a car. It has a little to do with the protagonist’s lot in life. But I never thought about the symbolic nature of the color blue and that it can also mean sad. That’s a very intriguing place you’ve brought me to and I appreciate it.

Q: How seriously should people take you as a musician?

A: This is who I am. I’ve always wanted to make music. You as an audience member can decide what you want from it, but I’m standing by it.

Q: “SNL” isn’t really known for absurdist humor. Was that the best fit for you?

A: Well, I was there for nine years. It allowed me to purchase a home and I made lifelong friends. My work is arguably a little more left of center than some of the pieces on the show, but it made me a better writer and performer.

Q: So, is Kyle Mooney the clown dead?

A: I’ll still be doing some of the characters from “SNL” and other videos in my show. The clown is not dead. If anything, I’m closer to the clown. Maybe there’s a way of embracing the clown, as long as I know he’s fake and there’s a real me behind it.

Q: That’s deep.

A: I hope you spend the rest of the day thinking about it.

When: 8 p.m. Mon.

Where: Fine Line, 318 1st Av. N., Mpls.

Tickets: $50.48, first-avenue.com