Mo'Ju

Mojo Ruiz de Luzuriaga, known professionally as Mo'Ju and previously as Mojo Juju, is an Australian musician, best known for their 2018 album Native Tongue and the lead single of the same title. The single won the Best Independent Single category in the 2019 AIR Awards. They play guitar and piano, write songs and sing, and have created music in a number of genres.

Mo'Ju has toured with international performers and their music has been featured in a number of television shows. Their identity is a matter of pride and they have spoken publicly and through their music about being Wiradjuri, Filipino and queer.

Early life Mojo Ruiz de Luzuriaga was born in regional New South Wales. Their father is Filipino, from Bacolod City, Negros and their mother is mixed race, of Wiradjuri and European heritage. Their family moved around the region when they were a young child due to their Father's work, but their grandparents lived in Dubbo where they attended high school. They have spoken openly about feeling like an outsider through their childhood and how this laid the grounds for their exploration of cultural identity in their work. Their father speaks, but did not teach them, Spanish, Ilonggo or Tagalog language.

Mojo grew up around music with a number of musicians in their mother's family. They had a few piano lessons before starting to play the guitar aged eight.

In a 2019 interview with SBS TV's The Feed Mo'ju said: "Traditions are really important and family histories give you an insight into your own identity. Songwriting is a huge part of keeping those oral traditions alive."

Career

Mo'ju has toured with international performers Tony Joe White, Rufus Wainwright, Aloe Blacc and Australian artists including Hilltop Hoods, Paul Kelly and Kira Puru.

Mo'ju has performed live shows with artists such as Hiatus Kaiyote, Ella Hooper, Kaiit, Sampa The Great and Emma Donovan.

Their music has been featured in a number of television shows including Underbelly: Razor, Underbelly: Squizzy, Roadtrip Nation and Total Control.

Mo'ju was interviewed in the documentary film Her Sound, Her Story, along with a large number of high profile women in the Australian music industry.

2006–2010: Mojo Juju & The Snake Oil Merchants

Between 2006 and 2010, Mojo fronted a band called Mojo Juju & The Snake Oil Merchants. The band released two independent albums, Mojo Juju & The Snake Oil Merchants (2007) and Sellin' You Salvation (2009) before splitting.

A compilation of earlier material, Mojo Juju & The Snake Oil Merchants – Anthology, was released in 2015 on European label Off-Label Records. to coincide with the release of German film Bestefreunde, whose soundtrack was composed entirely of songs from the band's back catalogue.

2012–2015: Going solo In January 2012, Ruiz de Luzuriaga released their eponymous (performing as Mojo Juju at the time) debut solo album on ABC Music. It featured the singles "Horse Named Regret" and "Must Be Desire", and was in a blues style, featuring a lot of guitar. The album explored their family history, identity and race politics.

The Pasefika Vitoria Choir feature on the title track, which is produced by Malaysian-Australian hip hop artist Joelistics; Mo'ju's brother, Steve "T-Bone" Ruiz de Luzuriaga, and Melbourne-based producer and musician Yeo, were the backing musicians on the track.

2019-2020: Ghost Town Chicago Tribune listed Mo'ju (then Mojo Juju) as one of the top 12 acts to showcase at SXSW in 2019.

In May 2019 Mo'ju appeared as a featured artist on the single "Black Child" by Birdz.

In June 2019 Mo'ju joined A.B. Original as a guest vocalist for their live performance on the SummerStage in Central Park in New York.

In November 2019, Mo'ju released the collaborative EP Ghost Town with Joelistics.

2021: O.K. On 17 September 2021, Mo'ju released "Wave", the lead single from the forthcoming EP OK, scheduled for released in November 2021. In a statement Mo'ju said "These are sad songs but they were also part of a healing process. Music is pretty special like that and I am extremely grateful to have the tools to express myself and process my feelings through a creative practice."

2022-present: Oro, Plata, Mata In November 2022, Mo'ju released "Change Has to Come", the lead single from their fourth studio album, scheduled for released in March 2023. Oro, Plata, Mata was announced in January, alongside single "Money".

Personal life Mo'ju uses they/them pronouns. They stated that they have a "complex gender identity".

Discography Albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions AUS Mojo JujuReleased: January 2012 Label: ABC Music Formats: Vinyl LP, CD, digital - Seeing Red/Feeling BlueReleased: 17 April 2015 Label: ABC Music Formats: Vinyl LP, CD, digital - Native TongueReleased: 24 August 2018 Label: ABC Music Formats: Vinyl LP, CD, digital 76 Oro, Plata, MataScheduled: 24 March 2023 Label: ABC Music Formats: 2×CD, digital

Extended plays + List of EPs Title Details Ghost Town (with Joelistics)Released: 25 November 2019 Label: Mojo Juju Formats: digital, streaming O.K.Scheduled: 19 November 2021 Label: Mojo Juju Formats: digital, streaming

Singles As lead artist Year Title Album 2011 "Horse Named Regret" Mojo Juju 2012 "Must Be Desire" 2013 "Psycho" non-album single 2014 "A Heart Is Not a Yo-Yo" Seeing Red/Feeling Blue 2015 "They Come & They Go" 2017 "Think Twice" Native Tongue 2018 "Native Tongue" 2019 "Leave It All Behind" Ghost Town 2021 "Wave" 2022 "Money" "Native Tongue" Best Independent Single APRA Awards The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters".

2019 "Native Tongue" (Mojo Juju / Joel Ma / Rita Seumanuta) Urban Work of the Year Song of the Year 2024 "Change Has to Come" Most Performed R&B / Soul Work

ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual award ceremony event celebrating the Australian music industry. Mojo Juju has been nominated for three awards.

Best Urban Release Breakthrough Artist "Native Tongue" (directed by Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore) Best Video 2023

Best Adult Contemporary Album

Australian Music Prize The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. It exists to discover, reward and promote new Australian music of excellence. 2023 Oro, Plata, Mata Australian Music Prize

Australian Women in Music Awards The Australian Women in Music Awards is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in the Australian Music Industry who have made significant and lasting contributions in their chosen field. They commenced in 2018. 2019\ Mojo Juju Songwriter Award

Songwriter Award

Artistic Excellence Award Environmental Music Prize The Environmental Music Prize is a quest to find a theme song to inspire action on climate and conservation. It commenced in 2022. 2023 "Change Has to Come" Environmental Music Prize

J Awards The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.

Themself Double J Artist of the Year "Native Tongue" Australian Video of the Year Music Victoria Awards The Music Victoria Awards (previously known as The Age EG Awards and The Age Music Victoria Awards) are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.

Mo'Ju Best Female Artist

Seeing Red / Feeling Blue Best Soul, Funk, R'n'B and Gospel Album

Best Female Musician Best Solo Artist Best Global Act "Native Tongue" Best Song 2020 Joelistics for Mo'Ju & Joelistics Ghost Town (EP) Best Producer

Best Solo Artist Soul, Funk, RNB & Gospel Work 2023 Mo'Ju Soul, Funk, RNB & Gospel Work

National Dreamtime Awards The National Dreamtime Awards are an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in sport, arts, academia and community. Mojo Juju won the Female Music Artist Award in 2018. 2018 Mojo Juju Female Music Artist

National Indigenous Music Awards The National Indigenous Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises the achievements of Indigenous Australians in music. Mojo Juju have won two awards

Mojo Juju Artist of the Year

Native Tongue Album of the Year

Song of the Year Film clip of the Year

"Sometime" Song of the Year

Mo'Ju Artist of the Year

Oro Plata Mata Album of the Year

National Live Music Awards The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016. 2016 Mojo Juju Live R&B or Soul Act of the Year 2017 Mojo Juju Live R&B or Soul Act of the Year

Live R&B or Soul Act of the Year

Best Live Act of the Year - People's Choice

Live Act of the Year

Live R&B or Soul Act of the Year Victorian Live Act of the Year

Mo'Ju Best R&B or Soul Act