To say Mogli’s curiosity is unparalleled is an understatement. If she’s not making music, she’s crafting films, acting or designing clothes. She believes in female empowerment, sustainability and talking about mental health. “I’m reaching people through my music and I want to use the voice I have to talk about other topics I think are important.” At 25, the German artist has always nurtured a creative and fiery spirit -- something that was first born at home.
Instead of jumping jacks, her two mothers referred to them “jumping janes.” Free from gender norms, Mogli was encouraged to believe she could achieve anything a boy could. “I had lots of freedom to explore and was encouraged to learn, just do and not overthink.” Singing before she could speak, Mogli inherently knew that music was her calling. At 11, she auditioned at an opera house where she would sing for 7 years. She spent her teenage years at an acting school, where she landed parts in two shows in the London West End. Growing up in the city helped foster Mogli’s exploration, which has remained a constant in her life.
That exploration helped her gain international recognition in 2017 with the global Netflix release of her film Expedition Happiness, which chronicled the adventures she and her ex-boyfriend had traveling North America for 8 months in a school bus they turned into a tiny house on wheels. During their adventure, she sought inspiration from nature, and penned the album Wanderer, which became the soundtrack to the movie, which she also directed.
With Mogli’s forthcoming EP, Patience, she instead let her own creative vulnerability flow through her into her music. And instead of exploring her surroundings, she entered the studio to find her narrative, seeking introspection instead of the outside world.
During that time the singer-songwriter went through an unexpected time of upheaval and transition. Relocating to Berlin from the countryside after she broke up with her longterm boyfriend, Mogli needed to learn to be patient with herself as she began a new life cycle. “I was literally alone for the first time and had changed everything about my life. On top of that I fell deeply in love with someone I couldn’t have for the first time.”
As a constant creative force she kept going without taking the time to process but ultimately had to learn to be patient with herself as she battled depression. “Patience is kind of about telling me that everyone sometimes needs a break – which was hard because I just really love to work and I love life and living.” Altogether, Patience is reflective of an artist in the process of shaping her vision, one that’s been inspired by artists like Bon Iver, Lorde, and Ben Howard who have empowered her to trust her gut. “I'm inspired by people who I feel honestly share their feelings and have creative output that hasn't been there before.”
Through five melancholic pop tracks, Patience follows the rebirth of Mogli, just as she is now. On the piano ballad “Another Life,” the dream of being with someone even though it’s impossible haunts Mogli’s sweet lilt. The hazy melody and pulsating synth on “Patience,” recalls a ‘90s-era Cranberries. The title track picks up where “Another Life” leaves off, ruminating on the back and forth of loving someone unattainable, but not being able to let it go: “Pick at your heart to find my splinter, hiding somewhere in there/Lick it, suck it, claw it out.”
“Strobe Lights” is a somber electro-pop track that focuses on a moment at a club when you realize someone can simultaneously make you feel good and be toxic. With a crushing steel pedal, “Cryptic” concludes the EP in a stream of consciousness-turned folk ballad.
Mogli, never one to slow down, is already at work on her second album, which will focus on how depression and the recent rough phase of her life empowered her to grow. With music, the rising singer feels like it’s a spiritual experience: she pours her emotions into her voice and transfers them to other people. “I feel like I get to change perspectives.” Sharing her vulnerability makes her feel stronger. And with that strength and determination, she forges a connection with her audience.
