Monjola’s recent single
‘Extrovert’ boosted his profile at home in Ireland and further afield, picking up tastemaker coverage from
Wonderland and
Notion, and leading to a major upcoming
Dublin show as guest to
Atlanta rap star
Russ. Today sees
Monjola share the brand new single
‘Big Fat Liar’ as he works towards releasing much more new music in
2023. Listen
HERE.
There’s only one way to confront a liar and that’s to pull no punches while telling the truth. Monjola immediately goes in, melodically singing “You’re a liar” before taking off with the rhyme, “Let’s go: I’ve got some things I need to let go.” His flow continues to fire, set to a loop of spacious, psychedelic guitar and a rattling boom-bap beat.
Monjola says, “‘Big Fat Liar’ is fundamentally about trust. Putting your faith in the wrong person can have a detrimental effect on your well being and on the relationships. Not only does it affect you and the relationship but also affects any relationships that’ follow., romantic or otherwise. The song explores it from all aspects, initially from the hurt you feel and having to let go to finally accepting the fact that you’d been let down.”
‘Big Fat Liar’ was written by Monjola and was produced by his brother, Moyo. It is released on Chamomile Records, a label and creative hub co-founded by the two rising talents alongside another ascending artist in the shape of Aby Coulibaly.
In addition to the Russ show, Monjola has enjoyed a number of big live moments this year with festivals including Longitude,Forbidden Fruit, Body & Soul, Sea Sessions All Together Now and AVA. He toured the UK and Europe with Genesis Owusu, and was also part of a St. Patrick’s Day show which highlighted the versatility of Ireland’s current music scene, with a bill completed by Fontaines D.C., Biig Piig and Kean Kavanagh.
Monjola’s next shows come as support to Biig Piig at London’s Hoxton Hall (November 3rd and 4th) and The Sound House in Dublin (November 9th and 10th).
Raised on the outskirts of Dublin, Monjola grew up playing guitar and drums but had a unique experience when writing his first song: he replaced the lyrics to the Oasis classic ‘Wonderwall’ with a selection of biology facts to help him study for an exam. Things soon became more serious, however, as Monjola started hosting club nights as well as releasing his early music via SoundCloud. He’s now on the rise as part of a wave of Dublin artists, many of whom are fans and supporters of each other, including the Chamomile crew plus Tebi Rex, Bricknasty, Elzzz, Gaff and Zack Oke.
Monjola’s inspirations are varied, from current stars Pharrell Williams and Kendrick Lamar to the iconic James Brown and even Two Door Cinema Club. He has shown a similar diversity within his own music. From the bright summer grooves of ‘Smile’ to the raw emotions of ‘Pain Don’t Die’ and the pop-leaning alt-R&B of ‘Know You’, he never lingers in any one genre or mood. His voice lends itself to his adventurous nature, giving him the ability to deliver bold bars or soulful toplines.
