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German Singer-Songwriter Mogli Embraces Vulnerability to Connect with Fans

 2 years ago
source link: https://blog.patreon.com/german-singer-songwriter-mogli
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German Singer-Songwriter Mogli Embraces Vulnerability to Connect with Fans

August 26, 2020Lior Phillips

“Nothing stops me from creating,” Mogli says from a bustling cafe in Berlin on a Saturday afternoon. “Every night, I delete everything negative that happened that day, and the next day I start without a plan, ready to let whatever happens happen.”

Each of the German singer-songwriter’s new projects comes with interlocking ideas, and she brings each of them to fruition while retaining her independence and sharing vulnerability through her art. Rather than limit herself to a single outlet, Mogli chases down every passion to its fullest. Not only is she set to release a new album, but she’s also simultaneously in production for a companion film and a sustainable clothing collection. “It’s like I have one big project in my head called Ravage, and the album and the film are both connected to that,” she says. “My mind works like a puzzle, and everything that comes together in an artistic chapter fits together.”

Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7xYC2XAfE4&feature=youtu.be

Mogli grew up surrounded by people who embraced their differences in hopes of inspiring others to do the same. “My dad is from Algeria, and my mom was gay, so I call myself a rainbow child. I’ve learned so many different cultures. I grew up with feminists language, and I’m just really trying to share that with the world. It’s not just theoretical; I’m trying to empower people.”

That unique upbringing inspired much of Mogli’s career—down to her name coined from the main character of “The Jungle Book,” earned in her youth for running around like a wild child and climbing trees. She’s gone almost exclusively by Mogli since, and the name’s untamed spirit fits the sound and visuals of Ravage perfectly.

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The film enlists metaphors and intricate choreography to tell its story while the album relies on indie-folk tones, synths, and electronic percussion. Mogli’s primary focus, however, is sharing a candid expression of her emotions, regardless of the medium. ”I always come back to sharing what is honest, not sharing what looks good or sharing what I want to be seen,” she says.

Mogli’s curiosity and intuitive artistic practice also led to her previous film/album production in 2017. The documentary film Expedition Happiness, followed Mogli on a trip from Alaska to Mexico in a school bus converted into a “loft on wheels.” The accompanying album written on the journey acted as soundtrack to that trip but lives entirely on its own as well.

Mogli keeps her array of projects moving forward thanks to a group of close-knit friends she refers to as her “pack” instead of relying on a traditional production team. Those same friends, who help her retain the creative quality of her work through their feedback and honesty, star in the film portion of Ravage, each playing a different emotion within the world of Mogli.

For Mogli, retaining creative control of her work and sharing her vulnerability means that even the darkest days have hope—and that art is often the catalyst for that hope, inspiring others to find that same light. “When you feel like shit for a long time, and I did while I wrote this album, just feeling slightly better or just not feeling like shit anymore feels like such a big thing,” Mogli explains. “This record made me choose happiness because the creative output was so healing. It’s so incredible that music can do that for myself and for others.”

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Diversification of artistic output is a tall task for any artist, especially without the backing of a major label and its resources. The very idea of working with a label seems incredibly foreign to Mogli.

“When something gets bigger, people tend to not believe anymore that there’s a real artist behind it, but I do everything myself. I’m completely indie, and I intend to stay that way. Every meeting I had with a major label, I was like, ‘Why would I do this?’” she says. “I’m in a room with 10 old white men and I don’t want to take their money for them to tell me what to do.”

Instead, Mogli harnesses her passion for independence by delivering her art directly to fans with Patreon. “I’m very lucky to live in this era as an artist because I get to share what I want to share,” she says. “I’m only doing things that I really believe in, but rather than depend on algorithms to make money, one of the best aspects of Patreon is that I get to have total control and bring it directly to my fans.”

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One member of Mogli’s pack of friends followed her around with a camera for a large portion of the production of Ravage, capturing behind-the-scenes footage of each part of the process. “I want to give my fans the chance to dive into this project on my upcoming Patreon, down to every little decision and detail,” she says.

Rather than drop the album and film on arbitrary dates, she’s planning on releasing the film in 10 “episodes”, each representing a song from the album. “We’re going to start in October with two songs, and release two more every two months later,” she explains. That stretched-out timing allows Mogli to grow, adapt, and communicate new lessons along the scope of the entire project, unlike a traditional single-date album release. “It’s going to be a journey of conquering one’s fears, and I want to invite my fans to come along with me,” she says. “Around the world, I keep seeing people being scared and reacting in the wrong way. And I think if we would all confront our own fears, be a bit more brave, and make ourselves vulnerable, then we would get rewarded.”

Across the wide spectrum of expression, Mogli shows that owning her own career means absolute honesty and transparency, which in turn brings her closer to her fans. That can mean diaristic updates from the studio, sharing takeaways from her therapy sessions with fans, or impeccably-composed indie pop. It can also mean stunning glamour via her sustainable fashion line or a hoodie in the car. But no matter the means of expression, Mogli remains essentially herself. “Change is a beautiful, progressive thing and I want to push these boundaries to tell people that this can be authenticity,” she says. “I’m very happy with my life and how I’ve built it. I’m so grateful for everything that I get to do and want to share it because I hope other people will benefit from it.”


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