For Toronto-based indie artist Mahta, music has always been a way of becoming herself. Growing up, she often felt her creative side wasn’t fully seen, but songs gave her a space to be honest, curious, and free. Over the years, that space has grown into a body of work that blends the shimmering layers of dream pop, the atmosphere of cinematic indie rock, the warmth of folk-inspired harmonies, and occasional touches of psychedelic color and alt-rock grit — music that feels both intimate and expansive.
Her debut EP, Moonlike, takes its name from the direct translation of the meaning of her first name, a reminder that this project is not just a collection of songs but an introduction to her world. Across four tracks, she explores vivid emotional landscapes, shaping soundscapes that feel as raw as they are cinematic.
The lead single, “Thinking of You,” offers an entry point: emotionally charged, layered with detail, and influenced by the atmospheric pull of Radiohead’s Karma Police, the vulnerability of Death Cab for Cutie’s Grapevine Fires, and the intimacy of Harry Styles’ Fine Line. Her voice, at once powerful and tender, carries lyrics that read like personal confessions yet land as shared truths.
Mahta approaches music as something to be felt as much as heard. Her first form of expression was dance. Though never formally trained, she absorbed steps and gestures by watching others, letting instinct carry her. That same intuitive sense of motion now runs through her music, where sound feels inseparable from emotion.
Beyond music, her training in design influences the way she creates, guiding every choice with intention and care. That mindset has shaped Moonlike into more than just an EP: it’s a fully realized project with its own identity, extending from the songs themselves to the artwork, visuals, and videos that surround them.
For Mahta, this debut is more than a release. It’s a turning point. After years of balancing her creative drive with practical paths, she now steps forward with a project that is fully her own. Moonlike isn’t just a title; it’s a statement of identity, a reflection of her journey, and a signal of what’s to come. She dreams of her songs carrying the spark of connection, as if the listener has stumbled on words meant only for them.