Moli

In a nutshell

After the release of her debut solo single “Didn’t Mean To” in 2018 was described as “breaking apart the ambiguities of modern romance” by The Line of Best Fit, it was clear that MOLI was on the right path. Her debut EP Résumé, released on Majestic Casual later that year, only continued to push the then 19-year-old further into the spotlight, with Clash Magazine calling it “Bright, vivid, neon-lit pop music, each song makes a deep and lasting impression, with an astute lyrical touch that seems to nail each topic”.

By the start of 2019, MOLI showed no signs of slowing down and independently released “Nowhere” and “Lonely Nights”. A few months later, she decided to take her chances and took to London where she met producer Chris Zane, who is known for his work with Passion Pit, Friendly Fires, Bat for Lashes and Chloe Howl. With the two forming a natural musical bond, combined with MOLI’s admiration of the glamorous aesthetics of the 80s and the icons of French cinema of the 70s, her writing evolved and paved the way for a fresh body of work: “Talking In Emotions“, “On the Weekend” and “Something I Said”. 

MOLI has been featured globally by tastemakers such as Paper, Wonderland, Girls Are Awesome and Complex

Language and legacy

Born in Belgium to an English mother and a South African father, MOLI grew up in a small Belgian town surrounded by humour, tea and biscuit culture, and the Anglo-Saxon musical heritage of her parents. Fluent in both languages, she spoke French at school and English at home. With her rich cultural heritage, MOLI was given a head-start to understanding international pop culture. She combines languages, influences and symbols, offering her the path to international success and a unique artistic journey. At the time, MOLI was afraid to sing in French. It’s a delicate language, not only for singing but also for writing. Today, she is confident in both languages and makes it her main asset. “French is a big part of my life. It’s my second soul, so to speak, and I want to bring these two worlds together. I bring as much of it as possible into my music. I want to make it as authentic as possible.”

Evolution

MOLI’s style has evolved quickly over a short amount of time. She has branched out and experimented through various collaborations and projects, allowing her to define her aesthetic and status not only as an accomplished performer and vocalist but also as a songwriter and lyricist.
“Collaboration is such an important part of my journey. You learn from every experience. Whether it’s good or bad. Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to meet and work with many incredibly creative people. This has really made me grow and become not only the artist but also the person I am today”.
As a songwriter, MOLI has co-written and featured on several productions over the past years. Her recent cuts include the 2020 mega-hit Breaking Me by German producer Topic and Swedish Singer A7S which is currently taking over the world by storm. She also co-wrote the recent single by Lost Frequencies which features Kelvin Jones & Zonderling,  “Love to Go. With currently over 15m+ streams over all platforms and Top 15 in German and Dutch radio charts, the single is set to be her next worldwide success as a writer.

Influence 

Assuming her femininity in a very sexualized world, MOLI identifies with the women who paved the way for the women’s liberation movement, such as Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin. “I want to express my femininity and be proud of it. Share the glamour. Not be afraid to show my emotions,” comments MOLI, “I want to show that it is normal to have emotions, to be sensitive and empathetic and that this does not mean that you cannot be a strong and independent woman. I actually think there’s a lot of strength in opening up and talking about your feelings.” Musically, MOLI’s songs are inspired by the music of the 80s, with a touch of disco elements. Her main inspirations are Daft Punk, Prince, The 1975, Lorde, Christine and the Queens, Lolo Zouai and Blood Orange.

Based on catchy instrumentation of electronic rhythms and bass, her tracks share the ups and downs of a young artist, the difficult moments to overcome when you feel lonely or depressed. In fact, MOLI invites us to apprehend each moment of doubt and sadness as enriching, inevitable and indispensable experiences. A comforting and powerful message delivered with a powerful and convincing soul voice – what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. In her songs, MOLI combines pop, soul, sensitive rhymes, personal and committed lyrics. She is both elegant and irreverent, her music is a clever mix of indie and mainstream pop, extremely accessible, with committed storytelling. 

Strength through vulnerability

MOLI is a natural artist and an exciting performer. She expresses through her songs her personal experiences and tells her stories from a unique and vibrant point of view. “For example, when a guy I really fell in love with ghosted me, I went to the studio and wrote, “Something I Said”. It’s funny for me to listen to it now because I remember how hurt I was and how I over-dramatized the situation. Looking back on it today, it was kind of pointless. It’s like reading your diary, except it’s not so secret because the whole world has access to it.” Sensitive, emotional, MOLI assumes her weaknesses, doubts and worries, uses them as a creative force and integrates them into her artistic process. MOLI uses her music to share the stages of her own personal transformation and express the message of a young, mature and ambitious artist. 

“It’s normal to be vulnerable, it’s normal to feel, it’s normal to be obsessed with silly little things, it’s normal to be unwell. But it’s important to stand up for yourself and fight for what you believe in. Be independent but be emotional, don’t be ashamed of those emotions. Life is full of ups and downs. You will only feel really good if you are willing to acknowledge the bad sides of it as well”. 

Berlin, the maturity

Early on, MOLI felt the need to escape the classic pattern and differentiate herself from her classmates. At only 18, MOLI decided to leave her native land Belgium and move to Berlin.  Upon her arrival, MOLI was captivated by the German capital – its freedom of spirit, creativity, and sexual expression. Innocent but aware of the danger of Berlin’s nightlife, MOLI concentrated on music. “I came here with a goal, with a dream. I have a clear goal that I’m working towards. I can’t get lost in the party.”  As she says in her single “On the Weekend”, MOLI doesn’t necessarily fit in with the Berlin party crowd. Everything actually seems quite overwhelming to her at the age of 18.  Berlin is a real leap into the unknown that pushes her to assert herself and find her identity, both on an artistic and personal level “Brokenhearted, filled with loneliness, finding people to hang out with, having to grow up much faster than my friends at home, … It was also a real eye-opener on diversity, ethnicity, and sexuality”.

MOLI was also confronted with a shock of another kind: she fell in love with a boy sometime after moving to Berlin. But, as many unfortunate souls before her, all doesn’t go to plan. With no way to escape her feelings, her heartache makes her even more productive. She locked herself away in the studio and produced new songs every day. She discovered the therapeutic power of writing. 

“Writing is the outlet for all the emotions I keep inside me. I can’t imagine my life without music. I need it to function and to get through the hard times. Sometimes I write a song from the point of view of the person who made me suffer. For example, I wrote “Didn’t Mean To” as if I was the guy who broke my heart and talked about how he dealt with the situation. It helps to be able to put yourself in other people’s shoes and see things from different angles.”

The 22-year-old Belgian singer-songwriter Moli is releasing her highly anticipated mini-album  ‘Préface’ on 26th March via Embassy of Music.

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