ARTIST ON OUR RADAR: JOYA MOOI
Joya Mooi returns with vibrant new visuals, 'There's Too Much of You,' a jollification of love in all its shades of butter. Stemming from her enchanting 15-track album, 'What's Around The Corner' is a soundtrack to Joya Mooi's past and present. We dive deeper into the making of Mooi and the formation of her latest project.
With teachers like Ray Charles unlocking music's freedom, Mooi soon discovered the remedy to confronting unexplored emotions at six years old. "I just love writing. I love writing honest tales. I like being transparent in life, and I hope people can hear that through my music."
Produced by Sim Fane and SIROJ, 'There's Too Much of You' is a tropical ensemble of trippy-trap melodic rhythms enhanced with afro-echoing beats. Mooi and director Najim Jansen illustrate nostalgia while matching the pace of this tender-affirming number.
"[The song] is truly a celebration of loved ones. There's too much of you to love. There's too much of you to celebrate. I hope that feeling comes across in the music video."
"I wanted to have fun. Sometimes I need to remember that I can do a lot of fun stuff and make music that makes people happy. [As an independent artist], my day involves a lot of administration, emails and not-so-fun things. For this project, I wanted to work with Najim because I've worked with him before and enjoy collaborating. So we picked locations that meant a lot to us or had vivid colours that ooze yellow and the cinema we both like to go to."
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Mooi's inner child is spotlighted, revisiting memory lane through movement and dance. "A friend of Najim, a choreographer, was down to help, so we went to a dance studio. I used to dance but haven't for 15 years, so I was incredibly rusty. But then I told myself, 'f*ck it.' I'm going to dance and have fun."
Being Brown in the Netherlands and a product of immigrant parents of South African and Dutch descent, Joya Mooi's refuge in her internal realms is where many of her inspirations emerge, as identified previously. Like many children within the African diaspora, being a companion to our emotions is a foreign concept that's not embraced until later in our formative years or when we can finally find autonomy over our bodies and minds without facing direct consequences. However, with constant, heavy societal events linked with race and the aftermath of COVID, the conversations centered around emotional intelligence for Black and Brown bodies continue to run rife within the community. Coming out of a different headspace since writing the album, Mooi identifies how the journey has left an imprint.
"At the beginning of writing the album, I was captivated by the people and the media who were looking and talking about Black Lives Matter. I felt trapped in a way. We're doing the theatrics again. So why is it impossible to explore more of our Black lives? In this white world? Why is it impossible to change?"
"I felt stuck in social issues, so if I gave more movement and energy to my music, that would give me a chance to change for me. I felt better in this space."
'What's Around the Corner' successfully hands over the starting blocks to future social change both politically and personally. With themes centered around human patterns, identity and spirituality, the two-sided soundscape exists to fuel the spark of a better tomorrow. It doesn’t necessarily hold the logical answers on how that tomorrow will manifest. But the emotive language used throughout ensures hopefulness as a safety net, ready to catch the answers we seek within us all. Redefining what community means within the digital space leaves room for how the African Diaspora find themselves making sense of their inner worlds and identities.
"[For the African Diaspora], I want them to be seen. The new generation has a lot of pride and new ideas about what identity means to them. They have more of a fluid notion of what it means just to be. There's much more flexibility in where they can tap into the culture and their nature and nurture. Their experience is very important.
"I hope that they love all sides of them. I struggled to feel that I belonged in South Africa and the Netherlands. Those feelings changed because I saw everyone was dealing with the same feeling. Everyone was sharing online and on TikTok, which tightened our bond. I just hope that love continues. That bond continues, and we show up for each other when needed."
Naturally, conversations centring on spirituality were unpacked. A decade after the release of her first EP 'Crystal Growth' (2013), Mooi's rich perspective of faith and holistic practices amplified seasoned messages decoded throughout her discography. Trusting and strengthening her intuition while purging her emotions has taught Mooi lessons to aspire for openmindedness in all aspects of her every day. "When I was younger, I didn't think of myself being spiritual, but I am highly spiritual [now]. I cherish faith in how it has helped me through life, especially during darker times. It's helped me connect with people and those I don't resonate with. It helps me see other people, maybe not for who they are, but I see them."
Staying grounded through her favourite podcasts, such as South Africa's 'The Cheeky Natives' and 'This American Life' Joya Mooi's accession for 2023 promises to be one that continues to nourish her artistry and personal growth. "There are new things on the horizon. First, there's a vinyl coming out [for the album]. Second, I will play in Paris and London to support Benny Sings on tour."
"I say this every year, but I plan to take some time off and be off the grid for a few weeks. I'm going to go to Indonesia to read books, listen to podcasts, eat amazing food and have no one bothering me [laughs]."
We hope Joya Mooi's rest time refuels her to continue to harness the magic she's brought forward in her musical career. To soak her goodness yourself, watch the 'There's Too Much Of You' music video above and stream 'What's Around the Corner' here.
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CREDITS:
Production Company - WEARESOUL
Interviewed and Written by - Esi Mongo
Edited by - Itunu Para-Mallam
Photography by - Ines Vansteenkiste-Muylle
ARTIST ON OUR RADAR: JOYA MOOI
Joya Mooi returns with vibrant new visuals, 'There's Too Much of You,' a jollification of love in all its shades of butter. Stemming from her enchanting 15-track album, 'What's Around The Corner' is a soundtrack to Joya Mooi's past and present. We dive deeper into the making of Mooi and the formation of her latest project.
With teachers like Ray Charles unlocking music's freedom, Mooi soon discovered the remedy to confronting unexplored emotions at six years old. "I just love writing. I love writing honest tales. I like being transparent in life, and I hope people can hear that through my music."
Produced by Sim Fane and SIROJ, 'There's Too Much of You' is a tropical ensemble of trippy-trap melodic rhythms enhanced with afro-echoing beats. Mooi and director Najim Jansen illustrate nostalgia while matching the pace of this tender-affirming number.
"[The song] is truly a celebration of loved ones. There's too much of you to love. There's too much of you to celebrate. I hope that feeling comes across in the music video."
"I wanted to have fun. Sometimes I need to remember that I can do a lot of fun stuff and make music that makes people happy. [As an independent artist], my day involves a lot of administration, emails and not-so-fun things. For this project, I wanted to work with Najim because I've worked with him before and enjoy collaborating. So we picked locations that meant a lot to us or had vivid colours that ooze yellow and the cinema we both like to go to."
Mooi's inner child is spotlighted, revisiting memory lane through movement and dance. "A friend of Najim, a choreographer, was down to help, so we went to a dance studio. I used to dance but haven't for 15 years, so I was incredibly rusty. But then I told myself, 'f*ck it.' I'm going to dance and have fun."
Being Brown in the Netherlands and a product of immigrant parents of South African and Dutch descent, Joya Mooi's refuge in her internal realms is where many of her inspirations emerge, as identified previously. Like many children within the African diaspora, being a companion to our emotions is a foreign concept that's not embraced until later in our formative years or when we can finally find autonomy over our bodies and minds without facing direct consequences. However, with constant, heavy societal events linked with race and the aftermath of COVID, the conversations centered around emotional intelligence for Black and Brown bodies continue to run rife within the community. Coming out of a different headspace since writing the album, Mooi identifies how the journey has left an imprint.
"At the beginning of writing the album, I was captivated by the people and the media who were looking and talking about Black Lives Matter. I felt trapped in a way. We're doing the theatrics again. So why is it impossible to explore more of our Black lives? In this white world? Why is it impossible to change?"
"I felt stuck in social issues, so if I gave more movement and energy to my music, that would give me a chance to change for me. I felt better in this space."
'What's Around the Corner' successfully hands over the starting blocks to future social change both politically and personally. With themes centered around human patterns, identity and spirituality, the two-sided soundscape exists to fuel the spark of a better tomorrow. It doesn’t necessarily hold the logical answers on how that tomorrow will manifest. But the emotive language used throughout ensures hopefulness as a safety net, ready to catch the answers we seek within us all. Redefining what community means within the digital space leaves room for how the African Diaspora find themselves making sense of their inner worlds and identities.
"[For the African Diaspora], I want them to be seen. The new generation has a lot of pride and new ideas about what identity means to them. They have more of a fluid notion of what it means just to be. There's much more flexibility in where they can tap into the culture and their nature and nurture. Their experience is very important.
"I hope that they love all sides of them. I struggled to feel that I belonged in South Africa and the Netherlands. Those feelings changed because I saw everyone was dealing with the same feeling. Everyone was sharing online and on TikTok, which tightened our bond. I just hope that love continues. That bond continues, and we show up for each other when needed."
Naturally, conversations centring on spirituality were unpacked. A decade after the release of her first EP 'Crystal Growth' (2013), Mooi's rich perspective of faith and holistic practices amplified seasoned messages decoded throughout her discography. Trusting and strengthening her intuition while purging her emotions has taught Mooi lessons to aspire for openmindedness in all aspects of her every day. "When I was younger, I didn't think of myself being spiritual, but I am highly spiritual [now]. I cherish faith in how it has helped me through life, especially during darker times. It's helped me connect with people and those I don't resonate with. It helps me see other people, maybe not for who they are, but I see them."
Staying grounded through her favourite podcasts, such as South Africa's 'The Cheeky Natives' and 'This American Life' Joya Mooi's accession for 2023 promises to be one that continues to nourish her artistry and personal growth. "There are new things on the horizon. First, there's a vinyl coming out [for the album]. Second, I will play in Paris and London to support Benny Sings on tour."
"I say this every year, but I plan to take some time off and be off the grid for a few weeks. I'm going to go to Indonesia to read books, listen to podcasts, eat amazing food and have no one bothering me [laughs]."
We hope Joya Mooi's rest time refuels her to continue to harness the magic she's brought forward in her musical career. To soak her goodness yourself, watch the 'There's Too Much Of You' music video above and stream 'What's Around the Corner' here.
CREDITS:
Production Company - WEARESOUL
Interviewed and Written by - Esi Mongo
Edited by - Itunu Para-Mallam
Photography by - Ines Vansteenkiste-Muylle