Native Tongue
July 12, 2018 10:40 PM Subscribe
Mixed-race, queer artist Mojo Juju’s new single ‘Native Tongue’ is a declaration: ethnic identity is not in the eye of the beholder—it’s what you make it.
The opening lines of Native Tongue are softly-spoken, almost apologetic. But as the song builds (with backing vocals by Pacific Island choir Pasefika Vitoria) it’s clear that Juju is over being bashful and polite: “I will not apologise for taking up this space.” Interestingly, this is also a defence used by Australian white nationalists who claim that celebrating multiculturalism has made them feel unwelcome in the only place they can call home.
The opening lines of Native Tongue are softly-spoken, almost apologetic. But as the song builds (with backing vocals by Pacific Island choir Pasefika Vitoria) it’s clear that Juju is over being bashful and polite: “I will not apologise for taking up this space.” Interestingly, this is also a defence used by Australian white nationalists who claim that celebrating multiculturalism has made them feel unwelcome in the only place they can call home.
Today, Juju tells The Feed what she will proudly tell anyone: “I’m 100% of everything.” It might not make sense, but for Juju—a queer woman of colour—neither does trying to quantify someone’s identity. And that’s what her scorching new single Native Tongue is all about.
I don’t speak my father’s native tongue.
I was born under the Southern sun.
I don’t know where I belong.
Thank you, I really enjoyed that. The fair-skinned Indigenous Australians, the 'where are you really from" with the Chinese-Australian and the video. I'm not Australian and I don't want to take up too much space attempting to draw parallels with my own faraway country, but this really resonated with me.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 12:13 AM on July 13, 2018 [2 favorites]
I don’t speak my father’s native tongue.
I was born under the Southern sun.
I don’t know where I belong.
Thank you, I really enjoyed that. The fair-skinned Indigenous Australians, the 'where are you really from" with the Chinese-Australian and the video. I'm not Australian and I don't want to take up too much space attempting to draw parallels with my own faraway country, but this really resonated with me.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 12:13 AM on July 13, 2018 [2 favorites]
Beautiful. And powerful.
I immediately dived into Mojo Juju's channel to hear her other songs - I also loved Native Tongue (Reprise) and Must Be Desire
posted by Gordafarin at 3:30 AM on July 13, 2018
I immediately dived into Mojo Juju's channel to hear her other songs - I also loved Native Tongue (Reprise) and Must Be Desire
posted by Gordafarin at 3:30 AM on July 13, 2018
Her self titled album, which is kinda cowboy, is also fabulous. And if you ever get the chance to see her live, grab it. She’s magnetic.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:37 AM on July 13, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:37 AM on July 13, 2018 [1 favorite]
This is a gorgeous song, gorgeous performance, and I love the way she uses glitch effects to emphasize both certain movements and the feeling of being out of place.
Thanks for introducing me to a new favorite!
posted by bile and syntax at 4:45 AM on July 13, 2018 [1 favorite]
Thanks for introducing me to a new favorite!
posted by bile and syntax at 4:45 AM on July 13, 2018 [1 favorite]
So many shivers. Gorgeous. Thanks.
posted by freya_lamb at 4:57 AM on July 13, 2018
posted by freya_lamb at 4:57 AM on July 13, 2018
Wonderful stuff, I saw it an hour ago and thought it would make a good post here! But I would never have gotten around to it.
posted by Coaticass at 5:41 AM on July 13, 2018
posted by Coaticass at 5:41 AM on July 13, 2018
That gave me some shivers. I cannot speak to that individual experience but it resonates with me in the way that I often feel so fractured about my cultural identity.
India, Texas, Canada. I speak English and understand Hindi but I cannot read/write and I often avoid speaking it because of embarrassment with my fear of fucking it up.
Everything about that video, the lyrics, the whole tone just touched my heart. I needed this kind of song at this very particular moment. So this is me, saying thank you for posting a little bit of beauty and thought.
posted by Fizz at 5:48 AM on July 13, 2018 [4 favorites]
India, Texas, Canada. I speak English and understand Hindi but I cannot read/write and I often avoid speaking it because of embarrassment with my fear of fucking it up.
Everything about that video, the lyrics, the whole tone just touched my heart. I needed this kind of song at this very particular moment. So this is me, saying thank you for posting a little bit of beauty and thought.
posted by Fizz at 5:48 AM on July 13, 2018 [4 favorites]
This is awesome - every part of it.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 7:50 AM on July 13, 2018
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 7:50 AM on July 13, 2018
Australian white nationalists who claim that celebrating multiculturalism has made them feel unwelcome in the only place they can call home
are welcome to wake the fuck up or fuck the fuck off, and I say that as a white Australian.
posted by flabdablet at 8:06 AM on July 13, 2018 [7 favorites]
are welcome to wake the fuck up or fuck the fuck off, and I say that as a white Australian.
posted by flabdablet at 8:06 AM on July 13, 2018 [7 favorites]
wowwww major heart-eyes all over the place for this! Its funny, the humming and hymnal attitude of the song really related to me, being from the south. She talks about the southern sun, but it's a different south from me. Absolutely stunning.
posted by FirstMateKate at 10:07 AM on July 13, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by FirstMateKate at 10:07 AM on July 13, 2018 [2 favorites]
This is great! Thanks for posting this.
posted by homunculus at 5:19 AM on July 14, 2018
posted by homunculus at 5:19 AM on July 14, 2018
Ugh ugh ugh so gooooood. There’s something about the off-beat that hooks right into my spine, is there a musical term for that? And the video is astounding. I want to check out more hope it’s half as good even.
posted by Iteki at 11:46 AM on July 14, 2018
posted by Iteki at 11:46 AM on July 14, 2018
Wonderful. Thanks for sharing. Just spoke with her people about importing her releases to Canada for my shop.
posted by dobbs at 9:30 PM on July 16, 2018
posted by dobbs at 9:30 PM on July 16, 2018
« Older Indigestion | Come Out To The Coast! We’ll Get Together, Have A... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by greermahoney at 10:47 PM on July 12, 2018