This was one of those occasions when I was sent a piece of new music for review but found myself wanting to explore the artist more. That is why we’ve paired this review with an exclusive interview. If you haven’t come across them, Mojo Juju have been delivering explosive live performances, from premier Las Vegas residencies to international stages for military audiences across Japan, South Korea, Diego Garcia, and the Middle East.
They have an increasingly growing global outreach, and I felt they deserved my attention.
I am therefore sitting with family as close to the fan as I can get, as the heat wave continues unabated! But there is an article to write, and a review to complete so I am bravely working on a Sunday for you all!
QUICK FACTS • Based: Las Vegas, NV • Genre: Rock / Modern Rock • Audience: 10M+ video views worldwide • Known For: Explosive live performances • Current Release: “Misfit.”
I will share the press release:
Mojo Juju is a Las Vegas–based rock band led by powerhouse vocalist Lea Cappelli and electrifying guitarist Nazim Chambi. Blending modern rock with retro soul, the band is known for explosive live performances, original music, and a rapidly growing online audience, generating 10M+ video views across social media in under a year.
The duo first connected while portraying Amy Winehouse and Jimi Hendrix in 27: A Musical Adventure, later forming Mojo Juju as an original music project rooted in powerful performances and rock-driven storytelling. Lea’s vocals have appeared on more than 150 television shows across Netflix, HBO, and The CW, while Naz brings years of touring experience with Grammy-nominated artist Jody Watley
The Interview:
Purely out of curiosity, I read that Lea’s voice has been heard on over 150 TV shows across Netflix, HBO, The CW and many more. That’s an extraordinary statistic. Can you tell us a little more about that? Are these original songs, soundtrack placements, voice work or something else entity?
Lea: I was lucky to get into music licensing early. I’ve received placements for everything from original music to “ghost writing” work to hired voice work. For a while I had 3 different aliases that I was releasing music under.. all different genres that have been placed in shows all over the world. Love is Blind, Love Island, Selling Sunset, Too Hot to Handle, The Traitors, Riverdale, and many more… It sharpened my instincts as a writer and put me in many different rooms with many different writers. My goal is to get Mojo Juju to that place where we can hear our music on film/tv, which is always a trip. Seeing a scene I could have never imagined brought to life by music that I worked so hard on has been one of the great joys of my career.
For someone discovering Mojo Juju for the very first time, which song should they play first, and why? What makes it the perfect introduction to the band?
Naz: “The Only High” is a great introduction to Mojo Juju. It’s a blend of powerful vocals from Lea, huge guitar riffs, and biting lyrics. It’s our complete talents in a way.
Lea: I agree with Naz on “The Only High.” I specifically love how I switch from an almost bratty vocal tone on the verse to the intense delivery of the chorus. I feel like there’s something for everyone there.
Your EP – at six songs it’s almost an album in today’s music world. Was it conceived as one complete project, written and recorded together, or did it gradually come together over a longer period?
Lea: We’ve always planned on releasing a full-length album but when we released our first single “Outta Your Mind,” we had no idea where things would end up. We just wanted to keep pushing ourselves forward – every song was another chance to challenge ourselves as writers without second-guessing the outcome.
This is big for us because we’ve both been in writing rooms where we’ve felt stifled. Mojo Juju is our opportunity to see how far we can stretch ourselves, with a full-length album eventually being the goal.
“Misfit” opens the EP and immediately struck me as cinematic—it almost has the feel of a superhero movie soundtrack. Was that intentional, and what was the inspiration behind the song?
Lea: Naz always comes to me with a demo that’s about 80% done, and then I topline it with lyrics and melody. Sometimes I get stumped, but with this one the lyrics just flew out of me. It became somewhat of an autobiographical song about my childhood. I love hearing that comparison because we never thought of it that way. It was created as more of a gritty anthem that could connect with those that have felt the same.
My favorite lyrics are from the second verse:
“You think nobody understands but I’ve held hell in both my hands and came back with a different kind of faith / I’m dreaming of a better life for kids like me who die inside but build their armor out of love and grace.”
Naz: When I wrote the demo for “Misfit” I was coming back to trusting myself as a writer again after a long time of not writing at all. It was in my trash folder and when I played it for Lea she just took it into a completely different dimension.
“In Every Life” (and I have to say I loved the guitar work here) takes the EP into darker territory. It feels atmospheric and textured. What can you tell us about the story behind the song, and what were you hoping listeners would take away from it?
Naz: I was listening to a lot of classical music around this time. Different composers, mostly from the Baroque era. After one long night of inspired listening I sat down in the morning and wrote the song quickly. I started with the bass and eventually built the guitars around that. The outro of the song was recorded spontaneously in the studio with one take for each guitar layer, which created a beautiful orchestra of guitars at the end.
Lea: This song for me is a bit of a hidden gem. It sits behind some of our more “popular” songs on Spotify, but it’s one of my favorites and I hope listeners feel the passion in the vocals. Jeff Buckley inspired my lyricism and vocal approach on this one. His performance on “The Sky is a Landfill” has always been a favorite of mine.
“Outta Your Mind” closes the EP and, for me, feels tailor-made for the live stage. Has it already become a crowd favourite, and was it always destined to finish the record?
Naz: “Outta Your Mind” was the first song we ever released. It’s definitely become a crowd favorite. Before being recorded, we had to play on the news the next morning and came up with a beautiful acoustic version that ended up influencing the final recording. We love both versions and it felt like the perfect way to close an EP.
Lea: One thing I love about this song is that my big 20-something second long note at the end was a spontaneous ad lib in the studio. I wasn’t planning it, but I felt so good that day because we were finally in the studio recording these songs we’d been talking about for a long time. It shows where my head, and my determination, were at. It’s a good strong finish to a record.
Photo credit @tonyhaggertymusic
Your visual image carries a strong seventies flavour, yet the music itself feels thoroughly modern. Where does that aesthetic come from? Is the seventies an era that inspires you musically, visually—or perhaps both?
Lea and Naz: The ‘60s and ‘70s have always been a major influence for us, specifically the British fashion and music scene of the time. We love the non-conforming attitude and willingness to take risks. British bands in particular always seemed fearless… They’re not afraid to be theatrical, vulnerable, or experimental. Musically we’re inspired by bands like Radiohead (Lea’s favorite) & Muse (Naz’s favorite), so naturally Mojo Juju ends up living somewhere between the past and the present.
Mojo Juju only came together in 2021, yet there’s already a strong identity to both your sound and image. When people finish listening to your music, what do you hope they say about Mojo Juju?
Naz: We hope people feel that the music spoke to them. That it was able to change them, inspire them, or get them through a hard time. That’s the best compliment we could receive.
Do either of you have a hidden talent that fans might be surprised to discover? It could be anything—from juggling to baking the perfect cake!
Lea: I’m double-jointed in my pinkies and can bend them all the way back, but most people don’t want to see that because it freaks them the hell out!
Naz: Not many people know this about me. I was a college goalkeeper and was known for stopping penalties. I ended up having to quit because of an injury which made me put all my focus into guitar.
Fun Question: It’s a freezing winter’s night and the tour bus has broken down miles from anywhere. Luckily, you stumble across what appears to be an abandoned house. There’s a roaring fire, a table full of food and the electricity still works. While you wait for morning, you can only choose one book and one film to keep you company. What are you picking?
Lea: I would bring one of my favorite books, “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” by Haruki Murakami. It’s a trippy novel based in magical realism where you never quite know what’s real and what isn’t. It would pair perfectly with an abandoned house.
As for a film, I would watch something old and classic like “Dr. Zhivago.” My dad raised me on classic films and I would be happy to watch it next to the warmth of the fire.
Naz: I think my book pick would be “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom. It was one of the last books I read that felt so real.
For my film, it’s too easy… I’d watch “The Godfather.”
We hope you enjoyed the interview, now on to the review for the EP, “Misfit”
The EP was released on June 9, 2026, so is available on all platforms now.
The EP has six songs and lasts just under 21 minutes.
“Misfit” opens the EP and was the track that got me hooked initially as I dipped in and enjoyed the experience! I liked the lyrical plays, the imagery in the lines and the melodic delivery of the tune. It kicks into a symphonic style rock chorus, rhythmic guitar and “I have held hell in both my hands.” It is a song that dreams of better times and provides a Summer Festival feel in the grooves. As I note in the interview, it took me toward the cinematic, even superhero movie vibe.
“Rebecca” delivers a more pop rock vibe, and there is a great dance feel infused within it. It is another big track with that strut that can sing of the ‘lipstick stain on the coat’ and kick some melodic angst for the live stage. The song also switches in mid-section to an interesting funk beat briefly, giving some texture to the track.
“In Every Life” opens with a great guitar riff, full of energy and downbeat. The bass drives the track with those drums and the emotionally charged dark vocal performance makes this one of the most interesting tracks on the EP.
“The Only High” is a commercial pop rocker with a twist of punk in the mix. It is a song about the love of your life being the only high. It has these little touches such as the panting, and the clap along drum style that gives the sense of addiction to the one you desire. The guitars absolutely catch fire here too.
“Barracuda” is a riff based guitar track, a bit of dirty rock n’roll with that Summer time rock radio feel. It flies along on the strength of its infectious riff and feels tailor-made for the live stage – has to be a track built for the live show!
“Outta Your Mind” is discussed in our interview (above) – it is one of the strongest tracks on the EP, a power pop rocker with a real synergy between vocals and guitars. It has the jury announcement piece that adds interest and the track runs quick at under 3 minutes. A lot of fun!
Mojo Juju have managed something many modern rock bands strive for but never quite achieve—they’ve found an identity. The six tracks on “Misfit” blend melody, emotion and arena-sized ambition into a concise twenty-one-minute collection that leaves you wanting more. With a full-length album already in their sights, this feels less like a destination and more like the beginning of something genuinely exciting.
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You can stream music by Mojo Juju here
Band Website here
By Lorraine Foley
and
Mark C. Chambers
Join Rock the Joint Magazine on the road to the best independent music journalism, interviews and reviews. We cover Rock, Country, Jazz, Blues and Christian music. Support us on Ko-Fi (link on each page) to help the magazine grow and value independent journalism.
So the writers of this article don’t know that “Barracuda” is a song by heart? 🤣🤣🤣Wow!!
Hi Steven, thanks for the comment! We were aware that “Barracuda” was originally recorded by Heart. In the same way we don’t always mention every original songwriter or artist when reviewing a cover, our focus here was on Mojo Juju’s interpretation of the song rather than its history. If the origin is especially relevant to the review, we’ll certainly mention it, but in this case we chose to concentrate on the performance itself. Thanks for reading, Lorraine!
I saw these guys live and I thought they were one of the best new live acts I have seen recently. I enjoyed reading this piece.