Artist of the Week: MoZella

Detroit-based singer MoZella is an artist to watch. Reminiscent to that of Macy Gray, Norah Jones and Duffy with her infectious vocals, you will undeniably be humming her music long after the last note is played. A versatile artist, MoZella blends pop, soul, and jazz into endless tales of life and love.

While her sophomore album, Belle Isle, hits stores tomorrow, MoZella is not new to the music scene. In fact, you've probably heard clips of her songs in Nivea commercials and shows like "One Tree Hill," "Las Vegas," "How I Met Your Mother," "Bones" and more. Not to mention, she's been on tour with notable bands like the Dave Matthews Band, Lifehouse, Five For Fighting, Daniel Powter, Michelle Branch and Colbie Caillat.

MoZella's tale is that of hard work and determination. Moving to the West Coast after graduating high school to pursue music, when things didn’t develop as quickly as she hoped, MoZella found herself decorating cakes by day and performing in coffee shops at night. All her hard work eventually paid off, as she was signed to Madonna’s Maverick Records in 2004. Nearly five years later, MoZella is back with her sophomore release.

"Magic (Oh Oh Oh)," current single off Belle Isle, is a fun track with catchy "oh-oh-oh's" and fitting lyrics. "Went down to the river/To wash all my cares away/Saw a little fish swimming and here's what he had to say/He said, 'Girl don't you know/Life is just so easy when you go with the flow,'" she sings. With upbeat percussion accompaniment and her playful vocals, the listener can't help but believe her.

A pining love story, "Freezing" is a more jazzy and soulful number. The song invokes the pain of lost love with MoZella singing, "The seasons may change/But the ice still remains in my soul/You're so cold." Moving past lost love, "More of You" is an optimistic and soulful track. "So it goes without saying that I'm hooked on you/And by now I'm out of my mind with this self abuse/I guess I should have looked out for myself/I guess that I could have found someone else/But I never met anyone who's love made me so damn crazy." With songs this catchy, MoZella will be a household name in no time.

Must Hear Track: Standout song on MySpace is Motown hit, "I Second That Emotion" with the legendary Smokey Robinson.

Recommended: For fans of Norah Jones, Macy Gray, Duffy, Anya Marina.

Watch MoZella's video for "Magic (Oh Oh Oh)" below.



For more on MoZella, be sure to visit her on MySpace and if you're in New York this week, catch her at CMJ!

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