Mola is an indie pop project from Munich, founded in 2017 by singer Isabella Streifeneder and producer Markus Sebastian Harbauer. The band's name comes from Isabella Streifeneder's mother's surname. The singer grew up in Munich and has Italian roots. Together with Markus Sebastian Harbauer, she developed an independent style between indie pop, rock, soul and electronic sounds. Her lyrics are in German, personal and direct. They deal with love, anger, closeness and alienation and are characterized by a relentlessly honest tone. The debut album Schnee im Sommer will be released in 2021, on which Mola collaborates with artists such as Haiyti, Fatoni and Roy Bianco & the Abbrunzati Boys. Songs such as "Schnee im Sommer", "All" and "Vino Bianco" combine pop and urban sound, melancholy and a spirit of optimism. The album establishes the duo in the German independent scene. Life is Beautiful (2023) followed two years later. The sound seems broader and more self-confident, influences from Italo pop and blues are clearly audible. Isabella Streifeneder uses her voice as an emotional instrument, while Markus Sebastian Harbauer balances the production between retro charm and modern pop. Mola will release his third studio album Liebe Brutal in September 2025. The single "Mama" is released in advance and is praised for its powerful statement on female self-determination. The album reaches number 90 in the German album charts and cements Mola's reputation as an honest, independent voice in German-language pop. In 2022, Mola is awarded the Udo Lindenberg Foundation's Panic Prize and nominated several times for the Pop Culture Prize.
