Raised in a small town in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, and, later, western North Carolina, Mokita- born John-Luke Carter- took to music at a young age, beginning 13 years of classical piano lessons at age six, before picking up the guitar and trying his hand at songwriting as a teen. Initially drawn to singer-songwriters like John Mayer, James Taylor, and Jackson Brown, it wasn’t until relocating to Nashville after college, adopting the Mokita moniker, and honing his talents writing and producing for others, that John-Luke began exploring and refining the electronic elements that would cement Mokita’s sound.
Taken from Kivila, a language native to Papua New Guinea, the word Mokita roughly translates to “the truth we all know but don’t talk about,” and it’s that sentiment that has always informed Carter’s approach to songwriting, exploring themes like depression, anxiety, the joy and stress and uncertainty of budding and fading relationships, and other personal themes, all in ways we all too often feel but rarely so truthfully articulate. And after gaining more confidence in his own songs after time spent working with other artists, it was that unique voice and lyric-focused foundation that set Mokita apart and immediately garnered widespread attention online as he began releasing solo material in 2016. Fast forward to 2020 and he continues to spill his heart via ink, especially on his latest offering "Over You" where he notes:"There can be so much therapy in just writing something down, even if you know no one’s ever going to see it." Listen to his new single below now.
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