Mosquitos

Biography

Mosquitos is a New York City-based indie pop band formed in 2002, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Chris Root, keyboardist Jon Marshall Smith, and Brazilian singer JuJu Stulbach. The band's origin story is deeply romantic: Root and Stulbach met on the set of a film shoot in New York City and later developed their relationship in Brazil, where Root followed Stulbach to Rio de Janeiro. During this time, Root began chronicling their courtship in song, recording rudimentary tracks in a small Rio studio. Upon returning to Manhattan, Root enlisted Smith, a programming expert and producer, to help flesh out these early compositions, and the three musicians serendipitously formed Mosquitos. The band's sound blends bossa nova with indie pop, creating a distinctive worldly aesthetic that reflects their transatlantic and cross-cultural influences.

Much of Mosquitos' work has been autobiographical, with their debut album serving as what Chris Root described as "a kind of love letter to Juju." The album cheerfully chronicled Root's courtship of Stulbach across two hemispheres, establishing the band's signature style of intimate, personal songwriting. Following their initial success, the band toured North America with live bandmates bassist Mikey Onufrak and drummer Mark Robohm. In 2005, after touring extensively, Juju and Chris traveled to South America to spend quality time in the places that had inspired their music, while keyboardist Jon remained in New York working as an engineer-mixer. The songs written or reworked during these sessions became a diary of joy and sadness, resulting in their sophomore album Sunshine Barato. By this point, the band had evolved into a more unified creative entity, with all three members contributing to writing, playing, singing, and arranging. The band continues to be active, representing a unique fusion of Brazilian musical traditions with contemporary indie pop sensibilities.

Fun Facts

• Chris Root followed JuJu Stulbach to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he recorded their first tracks in a tiny studio before the band was officially formed, making their origin story one of the most romantic in indie music history.
• The band's name was inspired by a Gilligan's Island episode featuring a rock band called The Mosquitoes who performed a Beatles parody, though this refers to a different band also called The Mosquitos from Long Island.
• Keyboardist Jon Marshall Smith is an accomplished engineer-mixer who remained in New York during the band's 2005 South American retreat, continuing his production work while the other members traveled.
• The band's second album Sunshine Barato was conceived as a 'love letter to the rest of us,' representing a shift from the first album's focus on Root and Stulbach's relationship to a more universal expression of warmth and connection.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Brazilian Music Tradition - Stylistic and cultural influence on the band's sound and aesthetic (Bossa nova elements throughout discography) [2002-present]

Key Collaborators

• Mikey Onufrak - Bassist in Mosquitos' live band (Live performances and touring) [2005 onwards]
• Mark Robohm - Drummer in Mosquitos' live band (Live performances and touring) [2005 onwards]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Tu Eres Dios (Vol. 1)
2. Recuperando El Tiempo Perdido (Recuperando El Tiempo Perdido)
3. Asi Eres Tu (Dios) (Vol. 1)
4. Respirando en Tu honor (Respirando en Tu honor)
5. Amor Sin Condiciones (Amor Sin Condiciones)
6. Éres Lo Unico (Éres Lo Unico)
7. Te Amo (Vol. 1)
8. Perdoname (Vol. 1)
9. Cuando Todo Apesta (Vol. 1)
10. Cuentesillo (Vol. 1)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz