MOZIAH & John Mark Nelson share latest single, 'Do The Right Thing'
MOZIAH and John Mark Nelson are proud to share their new single “Do The Right Thing”. This first collaborative work from the two musicians is very much a product of the times, the only meetings between Nelson (based in Los Angeles) and MOZIAH (based in NYC) so far having taken place virtually. Despite never setting foot in the same room together, the connection between them when they first met was instant. “I could tell right away that he could excel at pretty much anything thrown his way,” says Nelson, “so the range of possibilities in collaboration was huge.” “Right after that initial conversation,” recalls MOZIAH, “JMN sent along a beat for us to toss back and forth. The song IMMEDIATELY inspired some lyrics. By the end of the week, we had a demo.”
You can watch how that creative process played out in a series of TikTok videos produced by MOZIAH and John Mark Nelson detailing how they met, started sharing ideas, and ended up with the song “Do The Right Thing”. Watch Parts 1, 2, 3 and the full teaser video on TikTok.
“Do The Right Thing” tackles a timeless foil to many relationships, especially early on in life. Observing the pairings that end not because of strife or lack of connection, but because of unforeseen events like a career changing job offer across the country, or the upheaval of a global pandemic, that might pull a couple apart. “I had recently dated someone who got the opportunity of a lifetime,” relates MOZIAH, “and they decided they wanted to be single for it. The supportive/right thing to do was to let them go after what they want; but in that case, it wasn’t the easiest thing to do. I think the biggest obstacle of dating when you’re young is that you still have your whole life ahead of you.” “Do The Right Thing” is the story of letting go of a relationship with maturity and grace because you want what’s best for someone you care about deeply.
MOZIAH (Marcus Moziah Guerrier) is more than just an emerging pop artist—he is a storyteller. The 24-year-old Haitian-American creative from central New Jersey was surrounded by artistic inspiration from an early age, and that energy went on to fuel his own pursuits as he grew into adulthood. After watching his dad sing around the house as a kid, Guerrier sang in church choirs, theater productions, and even played in a punk ska band in high school. This past August, MOZIAH dropped hip-hop leaning ZYEBOI—the first of two contrasting fraternal EPs. The second—Sweetboy EP—dropped in September and was a collection of love songs, released alongside a music video shot in Nintendo's Animal Crossing which was promoted in partnership with top gaming brand HyperX. Strapped with an eclectic mix of influences and training in entertainment, MOZIAH strives to use music to tell true stories that KNOCK. (www.moziah.net)
Originally from Minneapolis, MN and now residing in Los Angeles, CA. John Mark Nelson has released 5 records and toured worldwide with the likes of Tallest Man On Earth, Trampled By Turtles, Little Green Cars, The Strumbellas and more. Over the years Nelson’s music has been applauded by and featured on NPR, World Cafe, Minneapolis Star Tribune, American Songwriter, City Pages, and Mountain Stage to name a few. (www.johnmarknelson.com)
Listen to "Do the Right Thing" on Spotify: