#26MUSICMOMENT: MEETING 'MOKITA'!

With a moniker you’ll likely not forget and a sound easily as impressive Carolina native, singer/songwriter/producer MOKITA is trailblazing his musical path to success. From collaborations with Demi Lovato and Florida Georgia Line front runners to early inspirations of John Mayer and Coldplay. Mokita arrives with a refreshing blend of southern infused instrumental pop that already has the numbers (over 7+ million streams and counting) to back him up! Figures aside, we found that it’s the ‘heart of the art’ that means the most to Mokita, following the incredible success of his ‘Love Alone’ single, comes his latest entitled ‘With You’. Have a listen & check out Mokita’s 26 Magazine online exclusive chat as we discover the ‘meaning of Mokita’!

Where were you born, where did you grow up?

I was born in Spartanburg, SC. My dad is a pastor, so we moved around a lot when I was younger. I grew up in two different places, Staunton, VA and then when I was a sophomore in high school we moved to Sylva, NC; which is about as far west as you can go in the state of North Carolina. Home to me is in Sylva, NC. That’s where my closest friends and whole family live.

When did you know that music was what you wanted to do with your life?

I knew from a really young age when I found myself obsessed with melody. I was into post-hardcore, pop-punk and singer-songwriter type music in middle school, and then I knew that’s what I wanted to do. A lot of it came from the fact that I was always ‘ok’ at everything I did, but music felt like something so natural in me. It didn’t ever feel like work.

How did you come up with the moniker Mokita?

I was reading an article a few years ago about beautiful words that weren’t translatable, and that word really interested me. Its exact definition is ‘a truth that is known but not discussed’, or something loosely around that.

Who are your favorite artists & which artists inspire you/your sound?

Any different season of life, I can be listening to so many different styles of music. There are a couple of artists that have totally shaped the way that I write and produce music. John Mayer was huge for me growing up as he became super popular right as I was learning how to play the guitar. Jon Foreman, the lead singer of Switchfoot, has always been my favorite writer. His ability to ask hard questions or to speak so poetically while still capturing your attention with beautiful melodies, has always been something I have tried to emulate. Coldplay is also a really big one for me. Chris Martin was a huge influence for me by just showing me that you don’t have to have the most powerful voice to capture an audience. Coldplay is all about the music, and I’ve always loved that.

How do you feel about all of the success that you’re singles have garnered?

I think its easy to always want more. For me, I’m just thankful that I am able to do music full time. This is my dream job. I just want to work hard, and help other people get through the same things that I go through. I think rather than streams or radio or any of that, when someone tells me that a song has helped them get through something, that means more than anything else.

Speaking of success ‘Love Alone’ has already crossed over 7 Million streams just on Spotify alone! What inspired that record?

‘Love Alone’ honestly just came out of nowhere one night. I was just playing piano in my studio and the chorus melody just came in my head. About 45 minutes later, I had written the entire song. I had never written a song that fast before, so it was hard to tell in that moment if I really liked it. I revisited it the next day and produced the whole thing out in a few hours. I think the reason it moved so quickly is because I wrote it out of an honest place. I think anyone that has ever been in a relationship can relate to the fear of being vulnerable, especially since there is always a chance that those feelings won’t be reciprocated. Being transparent and honest is always worth it, but it is a scary thing and that is really what the song is about.

What can we expect next from you?

I have a lot of new music that I am excited about putting out, some collaborations in the works, and then just more live shows. I am excited to play these songs live.