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Mood Board: Joviale’s Mount Crystal

The multidisciplinary artist on how Paris Is Burning, Fargo, and James Baldwin inspired their new record.

9:00 AM EDT on October 22, 2025

Mood Board is our column where artists share with us a few of the things that inspired their new record. This time, the North London-based multidisciplinary artist Joviale talks how Paris Is Burning, Fargo, and James Baldwin helped shape their debut record, Mount Crystal — out now on Ghostly International. 
— Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music

1. Paris Is Burning

Black, queer, drama, flair, survival, unity, and beauty. When people ask me if I could travel in time, where would I go? This era would be my Back to the Future moment. There is a lot in this piece which serves as an archive that I would love to dig into. I feel like they would have loved the music I am making.

 

2. Fargo

The imagery, the humor, and the tension. I think a big part of my discomfort when relating to this film is that it happens in the cold. It makes everything so much bleaker. I love that the snow is almost like one of the main characters throughout the world of this film.

 

3. James Baldwin

The way James Baldwin writes… I could drink every sentence. Every word dances with the words beside it. When I write lyrics, I know I'm happy with them if I could imagine him being my teacher and I would feel proud to share with him what I write. I use my journal as a practice.

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