American dark-pop and alt-rock artist Mothica has officially joined SharpTone Records, marking a powerful new chapter in her career with the release of her intense and deeply personal single Evergreen Misery.
The track, accompanied by a striking video, signals what Mothica calls her “heavier era” – a creative rebirth following a period of personal struggle and artistic rediscovery.
“Writing Evergreen Misery was a journey full of every twist and turn you could imagine,” Mothica shared. “I was a few months out of rehab and needed to release this simmering anger and deep melancholy that I had been numbing for so long. Getting swept up into the underbelly of the music industry took a huge toll on my mental health. I checked into a 30-day treatment program and was ready to leave music entirely. Taking a step back to focus on my recovery finally helped me reconnect with the pure feeling of writing music again.”
The song reflects on the darker side of human relationships – those who drain rather than give. “The lyrics are a reflection of some energy vampires I’ve had in my life,” she said. “There’s a dark humour in that, this idea of ‘take what you want from me, my misery is bottomless’. It’s dramatic, but that’s how it felt.”
After her recovery, Mothica was determined to evolve her sound. “I knew I wanted to step into a heavier era with this next release,” she explained. “My fans have dubbed it ‘Rockica’ after songs like Nocturnal, my collaboration with Polyphia, and my remix for Bring Me The Horizon. I grew up going to metalcore shows, and it finally felt like the right time to pull from that side of myself.”
Her list of influences reads like a who’s who of modern alternative rock – Nine Inch Nails, Sleep Token, Bad Omens, Wage War, Bring Me The Horizon, and Evanescence. Working alongside producer Elliot Polokoff, Mothica crafted what she describes as a sound that’s “undeniably true” to her artistic identity – cinematic synths colliding with gritty guitars and emotionally charged hooks.
For Mothica, joining SharpTone Records represents not only a new label but a renewed sense of purpose. “While writing this new era of music, I knew I was taking a step in a different sonic direction,” she said. “The entire team at SharpTone really saw my vision with both the music and visuals. I’m so excited to announce this partnership and elevate the next evolution of Mothica.”
Mothica, born McKenzie Ashton Ellis in Oklahoma City in 1995, has spent the past decade building a fiercely independent career. She began producing her own music at 18, teaching herself how to record, mix, and release songs online. Her debut single Starchild gained 100,000 plays on SoundCloud in its first day, setting the stage for a string of DIY releases.
Her breakthrough came in 2020 when a TikTok clip featuring her song Vices went viral, propelling it to No. 2 on the iTunes charts – ahead of Harry Styles’ Watermelon Sugar. That same year she released her debut album Blue Hour, a deeply personal chronicle of her path toward sobriety. It was followed by Forever Fifteen (2021), Nocturnal (2022), and Kissing Death (2024).
Across her catalogue, Mothica’s music explores trauma, addiction, mental health, and self-reinvention. Her visual aesthetic – drawn from her background in art and design – complements her sonic world, often weaving together gothic imagery, surreal storytelling, and emotional honesty.
Having collaborated with artists such as Polyphia, Scene Queen, and Papa Roach, and toured alongside Coheed & Cambria and Halestorm, Mothica’s blend of dark alt-pop and emotional intensity has found a global audience.
Evergreen Misery captures both her vulnerability and her defiance – an anthem for survival that signals the start of Mothica’s next evolution.
Evergreen Misery is out now via SharpTone Records.
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