New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Mooski, the viral sensation from Opp, Alabama, has released the official video for his breakthrough global smash, �Track Star.� The long-awaited visual for the emotional song features fellow rising star
Coi Leray and a cameo from Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Nija - both in non-singing roles. Out via Capital Records, �Track Star� has become an absolute sensation across the web, with 475+ million views on TikTok and 42+ million global streams.
�Track Star� finds
Mooski at his most vulnerable, sketching a narrative worthy of a dramatic Oscar�all the more impressive considering he wrote the song while playing the instrumental in his car. Despite singing about personal experiences,
Mooski is able to appeal to a massive (and growing) audience. �I talk about the unspoken,�
Mooski says. �When people listen to my music they�re going to be like, �Mooski was in my head.� It�s going to be personal to them.�
On its rise, �Track Star� picked up more than just fans. The associated TikTok challenge has inspired videos from Keyshia Cole, Lala Anthony,
Dream Doll, and Halle Berry, among others. Additionally,
Trey Songz and
Jacquees have both remixed �Track Star.� The video builds on that legacy, casting
Coi Leray as the �runner��a woman
Mooski meets at the club and builds a relationship with, only to discover �She gon' run away when it gets hard.� When she attempts to return, Mooski's moved on with Nija�s character, but there�s a hint that history may repeat itself.
Mooski�s emotional mastery is earned. After serving a four-year tenure in the Marine Corps and reaching the rank of sergeant, he left the service to pursue his true passion. He began releasing freestyle videos on social media and was pleasantly surprised at the reaction his songs got, particularly when he told his own stories. �Track Star� is the culmination of this experience, the rare track that offers introspective analysis and becomes a universal smash at the same time.
The whole world is buzzing about
Mooski thanks to the popularity of his runaway smash single �Track Star.� The versatile 23-year-old has been riding a wave of success since releasing the track last June, but his journey has been anything but easy. Born Darien Hinton,
Mooski was raised in a religious household in Opp, Alabama, where he grew up listening to and performing faith-based music. The second oldest of four kids,
Mooski and his mother and sisters were often part of the praise and worship services at their church and it wasn�t uncommon to find family members singing around the home. Despite their faithful foundation, Mooski�s childhood was marred by both parents� struggles with poor health, and arguments between his mom and dad often revolved around the financial toll taken due to frequent ambulance calls to their home. Determined to start earning income to help with bills and buy his own clothes,
Mooski began working part time jobs when he was only 15, building a strong work ethic that would serve him well when he joined the Marine Corps at just 18-years-old. �I talk about the unspoken,�
Mooski says. �When people listen to my music they�re going to be like, �Mooski was in my head.� It�s going to be personal to them. I know how depression works. I didn�t grieve my father�s death until two years later. I�m going to talk about things I was thinking and things I was going through, stuff I didn�t want to talk about. I�m going to put it in the music because I know these are things everybody is going through.�
