HEIRS TO THE THRONE

By Porter Che | Photographs provided by Axel Canterbury

In a year when celebrity children have been vocal about their distaste of the term 'nepo baby,' siblings Mick & Moxie King are gracious in the acceptance of their inheritance. They embrace it in all its peaks and pitfalls and aren't afraid to pay homage to their talented and renowned parents. While their resemblance to music mogul Mischa King and movie producer extraordinaire Milena King is undeniable, one afternoon with them will make it clear they are of a different generation—artists on the cusp of greatness but still figuring things out.

Mick is the first sibling I run into, and I do mean that quite literally. In his haste to reach a bathroom stall in time to relieve himself of the far too many Pure Leaf Iced Teas he has consumed in the past couple of hours, we collide and almost end up on the floor. It wouldn't be the first time for him either, although the last time he slipped was in a much more public fashion on stage with his sister, and his pants split right down the middle. "They weren't just red," he recalls after the near-accident. "They were MARS red. I wonder which one of them signed off on the MARS-themed boxer briefs." Mick makes it a point to remind me of his friends Maverick and Stevie nearly falling on the Grammys red carpet last year. "They were not wearing MARS boxer briefs," he adds with a toothy grin.

Moxie, on the other hand, is a different story. If I'm not paying attention, I might trip over her on the way to set up for our first interview. After introducing myself and joining her on the floor, she points out how dirty it is before also claiming it makes her more relatable. "Libra," she explains. "I always gotta play both sides." She only agrees to let me give her a hand up after I compliment the red carabiner on her belt loop. "Not MARS merch," she clarifies later. "But it should be."

It's a gloomy day when we meet, but the Kings are used to this kind of weather. Self-proclaimed half-Canadians, half-New Yorkers, though they spend most of their time in Los Angeles nowadays. A haven for musicians trying to make it big, and home to many of the peers they now call friends. The Los Angeles influence is present both in the fresh sunkissed glow to their skin, as well as their breezy and effortless wardrobe. Mick reminisces about the many conversations leading up to their big move cross country. "We went back and forth over whether this move was necessary," he says. "It's not like we needed to. We have the resources in New York. But, we ultimately decided that if we wanted to do our best to make a name for ourselves outside of just the King aspect, spending time on our own would give us the best chance to do so. Our dad is a huge influence and he would have helped us out if we asked him to, but we needed to prove this was something we could do on our own." They're both tired coming straight off the tour bus, but they clean up nicely. Moxie touts her undereye bags as the perfect accessory.

"Our dad is an expert at solving problems," Moxie tells me as she walks back from meeting her food delivery driver outside—Taco Bell paper bag in one hand, large Baja Blast soda in the other. "Even ones you don't realize are there in the first place. And mom is the kind of person who brings out the best in you no matter what is going on in your life."

They gush about their parents proudly. It's refreshing the way they reminisce about their upbringing. Many of their peers shy away from mentioning their famous and successful relatives—utilizing stage names, or ending the conversation before it starts. Mick shakes his head, ready for a few choice words about those peers. "It's insulting for those in positions like us to deny the very significant privileges we hold. We're escorted through doors most people will never walk through simply because of who we're related to. And it doesn't mean we're not talented. It doesn't mean we don't work hard. It means we have a step up and should acknowledge it. That's all that most people want. The acknowledgment of our privilege. It's silly to deny it."

Mick & Moxie's first headlining tour for their first full-length album MONARCH has been running for two months now, and by all accounts, it has been a success with all of their shows selling out. Thanks to the talent that seems to run in their blood, as well as supporting act Lana Bridgette and surprise visits from MARS members Stevie Kealoha and Jun Nakagawa, they've also been making waves on social media. But, despite all this newfound attention, even after releasing two incredibly well-received EPs that earned them a Grammy nomination, the King siblings have managed to maintain their position just under the radar. "It's all a balancing act," Moxie muses, "between your love for the craft and a desire for success. Obviously, we love making music and that's what will always keep us going. But there's always that part of you that desires some level of success. The validation that what you're doing connects with people." Mick agrees with his sister, adding, "We're fortunate for the level of success we've achieved so far, but we're also incredibly lucky too. We've seen up close how difficult it can be to navigate explosive fame. The kind of fame that makes it impossible to hang out with your friends at the mall or a movie theater, or go grocery shopping without having to wear a disguise. It sucks. So, we're really lucky in that we can continue doing what we love, meet people who connect with it, and still feel normal."

No matter their environment growing up, Mick and Moxie's apprehension about the downsides of fame is not without reason, and rightfully so. With the onslaught of new music releases from artists across all genres and generations, 2024 is already shaping up to be an explosive year for music. Along with all that attention and adoration comes the dark side of fame—the judgment, the harassment, the invasion of privacy, the expectation to be perfect and relatable and flawless all at the same time.

"I guess that's the million-dollar question, isn't it?" Moxie smiles at me. Or maybe the smile is going right through me. "Does all the privilege and fortune that comes with this life outweigh any criticism we hold for it? The average person probably thinks not. I don't blame them. And I agree with them. But I do wonder what the point to any of it really is, or if there is a point at all. If I embrace it, I'm spoiled rotten. If I call out the issues, I'm ungrateful. If I stay in my lane, I'm complacent. If I acknowledge my privilege, I'm performative. It doesn't matter if I speak out against injustices or criticize those in power. It doesn't matter that I use my platform to uplift those in a less fortunate position than I am in. It doesn't matter if the people whose art you appreciate fear for their lives because some random person on the internet thinks it's their right to stalk us. Or, worse, a person with a camera. Those vultures are so normalized that we're told it comes with the territory. Then we wonder why so many people burn right out of the spotlight." Moxie gazes off in the distance. "Suffering third-degree burns while the world tells us we're lucky the fire is there to keep us warm." The Kings are no strangers to speaking out against the invasive ways fans interact with their so-called idols. After friend-of-the-family Stevie Kealoha had intrusive pictures taken of her in Melbourne a couple of years ago, followed shortly by a misogynistic slut-shaming campaign orchestrated by anonymous social media accounts, Mick and Moxie were one of the first to speak out in support of the Native Hawaiian singer. "We don't need special treatment," Moxie continues. "We just want the world to remember that we're human, and not every experience in the industry is the same. There are many lived experiences happening all around, and they deserve a lot more respect than they're given."

"It's not just fans either." There's an elephant in the room, and he's kind of obnoxious. Moxie lifts her chin high, allowing her pixie cut to show off her sharp cheekbones. Her reputation precedes her. Intimidating yet gentle. A hard exterior guarding a soft heart of gold. A desire to give the world the benefit of the doubt, but the fierce strength to protect those who have been wronged. "It's the entire system. The people being shot down in the media for daring to speak up for themselves? They're the scapegoats. All of these issues are systemic. People whose names you've never heard of run the industry behind closed doors and play with people's lives like they're puppets. And the greedy, narcissistic types who crave that kind of power are the ones who help them orchestrate it. People like Giovanni Perez. Putting out one of the worst articles I've ever read in my life, dragging down an entire community with him, just so he can add a notch to his personal vendetta against a queer woman of color. It's sad. And the people who feed on that kind of behavior and reward it are just as bad."

Giovanni Perez is facing backlash about a recent article released in which he accuses celebrities of being "fake bisexuals," both from the LGBTQIA+ community and allies alike. Mick and Moxie, both openly queer and outspoken about issues facing the community, call many of those mentioned in the article friends. The tension in the air, once King brings up the journalist, can be cut with a knife. It's personal in a way that when you hurt Moxie's friend, you hurt Moxie, and she's not going to stand by and watch it happen without consequence.

"As a gay man myself," Mick says, "there is no more insidious form of misogyny than that which comes from gay men. Your marginalization does not excuse the ways you mistreat and target women. Misogyny is misogyny, even while waving a rainbow flag."

(Let it be known at our queer and AAPI-founded publication that we do not condone or support the invalidation of anyone's sexuality. The queer community deserves better. Journalism deserves better.)

"Ultimately, I think it's important to not just stand up for ourselves but for others as well," Moxie says. "I try to do my best, though I know there's always a lesson to be learned. I'm a lesbian but I'm white and don't face the same issues queer women of color face. There's a line in there somewhere. It washes away sometimes. Gets a little muddy, hard to see. I shouldn't feel guilty about my emotions or minimize what I've been through, but I can't ignore the intersectional aspects of these different facets of our lives. I can stand here all day and spin tales about what it means to be a woman, but if I stand by in silence while women of color are harassed, mocked, or criticized for simply existing? Align myself with people whose morals contradict the so-called values I claim to uphold? Remain silent because it's too uncomfortable to speak for those whose voices are inherently less valued by society? Ridiculous. We owe it to each other, to be honest about the way the world works."

When Mick & Moxie take the stage, they appear like royalty, ready to command the audience to pledge their loyalty and praise them as ultimate rulers of the land. Whether they're opening their tour in Austin or on the stage at the Grammy Awards show, the Kings are, well, king. You don't know where to let your eyes linger first. On Moxie's hypnotizing strut across the stage. Mick leaping through the air while his fingertips rip through a hard guitar riff. Those moments when they stand on opposite sides of the stage, catch each other's eyes, and flash the most youthful smiles you know they've been practicing this very moment a million times since their diaper days. They excel at their craft in ways that make it impossible to deny there is a reason they have made it as far as they have. For all the exposure to the creative world that they've seen over the years, they utilize their knowledge well. Fans are still aghast over the Recording Academy's exclusion of them from this year's Grammy nominations. MONARCH received universal acclaim, particularly for the Kings' vocals, lyricism, and experimental sound which was a slight departure from their previously released work yet still authentic to what fans know and love from Mick & Moxie.

If there is one other place in the world besides the stage where the King siblings feel at home, it's not in their shared LA loft or their childhood home in Toronto—it's sitting next to each other discussing their greatest passion. As we discuss the creative process of the making of MONARCH, as well as its transformation into a night of fun and escape, their eyes light up like Christmas lights along Rodeo Drive. Their energy is so infectious I have to remind myself to not get too distracted and forget what I want to share with all of you. Music isn't a hobby for the Kings. It isn't something they were forced into. It isn't even a dream. Music is in their blood. It's what allows them to breathe and live and find meaning in the world.

Seeing them perform on stage at the Grammys is a surreal experience. Sitting across from them at the coffee table as they recount their process is out-of-this-world.

"Listen." Mick claps his hands together like he's about to show off his prized vintage sports car collection. "I know I'm a bit biased but my sister is the most talented person I know." (Said sister rolls her eyes but can't fight the smile from peeking out.) "She inspires me every day and I'm the luckiest person in the world to get to work with her. Despite what you might think, she's the one who introduced me to music. She's the one that helped me fall in love with it. All of this other stuff... it's noise. She turns even the worst moments into the most beautiful melody you've ever heard in your life."

When asked what their favorite songs they've written so far are, Moxie's answer is an unreleased song named 'compulsory.' "Maybe," she says when I ask if she considers ever releasing it. "But it's a bit personal. I think... I think not everything needs to be shared. As I've been reminded recently. Maybe that one will stay with me." Boundaries are important. Ours and others. Mick, on the other hand, quickly blurts out that "Ghosts," the song that earned them a Grammy nomination, written with Stevie Kealoha and Jun Nakagawa. "I love collaborating," he explains. "Being able to bounce ideas off each other. Feeding off our shared energy. I'm very extroverted in that way, so it makes sense that it translates to my songwriting. And, well, it's hard not to create magic when Stevie and Jun are involved."

Mischa and Milena King can rest well knowing they raised their two children well. Not just for their talents but also their obvious empathy. They aspire to see the world through honest eyes. They love connecting with people, whether from across the stage or in the songwriting credits of a smash hit. Listen to even just one of their songs and you can hear how they lead with this affection in mind. They may not have their eyes set on claiming the crown, but it's crystal clear they belong on the throne.