Connan Tant Hosford, better known by the stage name Connan Mockasin, is a New Zealand singer-songwriter, composer and record producer. Described as "a psych-funk oddball...a contrarian", Mockasin played a role in the contemporary crossover of psychedelia with indie music, and has been praised for his unique approach to songwriting.

Mockasin was born in Napier, Hawke's Bay, and raised in Te Awanga. He gained his moniker from his childhood habit of making mocassin-like shoes out of sheepskin and old motorbike tyres. He moved to Wellington at the age of 20 to further his music career, and played in various bands until the formation of a group called 'Connan and The Mockasins' in 2006. They relocated to the United Kingdom the same year, and Mockasin was pursued by record labels before returning to New Zealand in 2008. He released his debut solo album in 2011, Forever Dolphin Love, to critical acclaim and success particularly in Europe. His second album, Caramel, was released in 2013, and was described by Pitchfork as "stainless world that is both unsettling and fitting". Mockasin has released a string of albums since then, the latest being 2021's Jassbusters Two, the "sequel" to his 2018 album Jassbusters. Additionally, he has scored and produced his own films, such as a visual interpretation of Jassbusters and Bostyn 'n Dobsyn.

Mockasin has also worked with Lawrence Arabia, Liam Finn, Dev Hynes, Mick Fleetwood, and MGMT, as well as his own father on the 2021 album It's Just Wind released through American label Mexican Summer. Those who have cited him as an influence include Beach House, Tyler, the Creator, Nilüfer Yanya, James Blake and Charlotte Gainsbourg. He has lived and worked in London, Lewes, Wellington, Manchester, Los Angeles and Tokyo. He is in a relationship with a Japanese glamour model and has one daughter.

Mockasin was born in Napier in 1983, and raised in the "dinky wee settlement" of Te Awanga in Hawke's Bay, to father Ade Hosford, a musician formerly of Autumn Stone and Philharmonia Orange. He grew up on a vineyard and had a "lovely" time there, as it featured "lots of nice wines." Mockasin entertained himself as a child by making mocassin-like shoes out of sheepskin and old motorbike tyres, hence his stage name. He started his first band "The Four Skins" (named by his father, Ade "because there are four skins on the drums") while attending Havelock North Intermediate School in 1995.

In 2003, after moving back to Wellington, Mockasin briefly played in a band called The Hornery Stiffmen (later to become a track title on Please Turn Me into the Snat), consisting of Blake Pryor (bass) (who later appeared as an actor in "Bostyn 'n Dobsyn") and Christopher Chalmers (drums), before forming his principal New Zealand group "Connan and the Mockasins". Playing alongside Connan were Ross Walker (upright acoustic bass) and Seamus Ebbs (drums). It was with this band that Connan relocated to London in May 2006 after releasing their second EP "Uuu It's Teasy".

The first release to bear the name "Connan Mockasin" was the 2010 LP, "Please Turn Me into The Snat", which was re-released as "Forever Dolphin Love" the following year. This album saw a significant change in style to Connan's previous work, and has been described by critics as "fluid", "meandering and blissful", "seemingly effortless" and "mesmerising". In a conversation about why he made the album, Mockasin said "It was never meant to be released...It was just me being silly, really, and Mum forced me to do it." Recording took place in his home in Te Awanga. The re-released 2CD version included a live recording entitled "Forever Dolphin Love", recorded in an apartment in London.

It was at this stage Hosford put together an incarnation of the existing Connan Mockasin live band: Matthew Eccles (drums), Nicholas Harsant (bass), Sam Dust (keyboards) and Rory McCarthy (percussion).

Mockasin and band toured with Charlotte Gainsbourg as her live band after Mockasin composed the song 'Out of Touch' for her 2011 album Stage Whisper.