MUMBAI: Chill-pop producer-musician Mokita (aka John-Luke Carter) returns with his new single “Happiness” via Nettwerk. The candid track is complimented by a distorted bass line alongside a zestful production. Led by textured chill-pop and sweeping melodies, “Happiness” is brimming with introspective lyrics and fervent vocals. There’s an honest delivery behind “Happiness” not only with its alluring soundscape but with its theme of not finding happiness but creating it. The track is a testament that happiness is not 24/7 or a light switch away and that the biggest takeaway is becoming content right now with yourself.
Mokita shares this about his new single: “‘Happiness’ was born in my buddy and songwriting partner Trent Dabbs’ studio. Most every song me and Trent write together is born from conversations about life, faith, meaning etc. I had this riff on the acoustic guitar that I was playing around with and then we started tossing around melodies. The song came together relatively quickly but didn’t have any production around it for a few weeks. I wanted to write a song about longing, about the craving we all have for real happiness, real joy.
I found myself constantly feeling like I was working towards happiness, and not experiencing it in everyday life. It’s easy to lie to myself and say ‘you’ll be happy when you have this amount of money’ or ‘you’ll be happy when this problem is fixed’ or ‘when you’ve accomplished this goal’. But I don’t want to live like that. I want to be content where I am. I’m so blessed with what I have. With the ability to work my dream job everyday. I want to experience happiness in real time; and that’s what this song is about. There isn’t an anchor in material things. You can’t bank your life on those things; they won’t make you happy.”
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In June, Mokita released his single “Crash”, in which he teamed up with rising artist Charlotte Sands. The track is about being stuck in a relationship with someone that you know won’t last, it’s not good for either of you, but you can’t break the cycle of it. Directed by Ed Pryor, the music video makes references and callbacks to 80s movies and pop culture.
Mokita found music at a young age, started piano lessons at age five, and picked up the guitar at 12, quickly realizing he would prefer to write original compositions instead of playing covers. But it wasn’t until he moved to Nashville at 24 years old that he began to cut his teeth as a prolific songwriter and collaborator. He has spent years writing and producing for other artists (Stephen Puth, Zac Brown Band, Matoma), and has collaborated with a diverse group of artists (R3HAB, Lost Frequencies, Kina, Ella Vos and Slenderbodies). He has seen notable success over the past few years, with over 400 million streams across his releases, such as the 2019 breakout single “Colorblind” that has over 58 million streams on Spotify alone.
Over the past two years, Mokita has been writing, recording, and self-producing meaningful songs with unrelenting honesty. For Mokita, music is a profoundly intimate form of expression; a means to tackle the sincerest of subjects. He’s been in the studio recording new music and is gearing up for his debut project.
