Photographer: Claire Fenn
Mothica Brings Her Dark Pop Fantasy to Phoenix
MOTHICA brought her signature blend of dark pop, vulnerability, and gothic edge to the opening night of Jutes’ U.S. & Australian Tour. From fan favorites to a haunting “Can You Feel My Heart” cover, she commanded the room and left the crowd wanting more.
Mothica
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Kicking off the opening night of Jutes’ current U.S. & Australian Tour was none other than Oklahoma-born dark pop singer MOTHICA. Serving as the second opener of the evening, the crowd was ecstatic once she took the stage. Sporting a black and plaid, gothic rock-inspired dress and fishnets, her tattoos and silver locks tied the whole look together, leaving new audience members intrigued about who MOTHICA was.
Fans watched with stars in their eyes as the set began with a song off of her 2026 EP, followed directly by a 2022 fan favorite, “CASUALTY.” Right out of the gate, the energy in the room shifted as fans began to jump and dance along to the dark pop singer’s exceptional vocals and vulnerable lyrics. As a special treat, her set included a fun cover of Bring Me The Horizon’s “Can You Feel My Heart,” which was an absolute crowd favorite and had the audience singing along.
Wrapping up her setlist with a new song titled “stay,” along with “Evergreen Misery” off of her 2026 EP and another fan favorite, “SENSITIVE,” there is no doubt that MOTHICA left the stage having gained many new fans that night. An iconic look, killer vocals, and superior songwriting are all must-have elements for an up-and-coming star, but mixed with the openness and vulnerability MOTHICA shares with her audience, it is no surprise that she has become one of the most promising stars on the rise within the dark pop community.
We soon learned more about MOTHICA’s origins and how she got her name, inspired by moths being drawn to a flame and how they looked like “emo butterflies.” Within the first few songs of the set, it was already nearly impossible to tell that this wasn’t MOTHICA’s headlining show, as she had the audience in the palm of her hand.
It’s always a special moment when an artist takes the time to open up and be vulnerable with their audience, helping new and veteran listeners alike connect with the artist. MOTHICA went on to share with the audience her severe struggles with mental health and self-harm tendencies she dealt with growing up, as well as an attempt to take her own life at just fifteen years old. Moments like these allow fans to find themselves in the artists they look up to and idolize, bringing us back to why so many of us lean on music as our safe space. Following her speech about mental health and getting through her darkest times, she debuted her 2024 song “Doomed” in a live performance.
Article by: Claire Fenn
Plug In. Tune Out.
MOTHICA, the stage name of McKenzie Ellis, is an alternative pop artist known for blending dark pop, electronic production, emo, and rock into what she calls “gloom pop.” Themes of heartbreak, mental health, trauma, and self-destruction. After gaining attention with her viral 2020 track “VICES,” she has continued pushing into heavier, darker territory while keeping the theatrical edge that defines her sound.