Franco-German artist SUN is known for her sound in a unique pop music genre mixed with metal. Brutal Pop has garnered mass appeal, and there’s no doubt about it – SUN is making waves with her boisterous energy.
Her freshly released single "John & I (Money)" paints the multifaceted singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress in a sassy new light. Recorded in France at Studio Blackbox, this cynical rock anthem was produced by SUN and manager Bassem Ajaltouni.
Commencing with colossal percussion and resonant guitar riffs, a spellbinding influence resides heavily in “John & I (Money).” As soon as we’re introduced to the prominence projected in SUN’s feisty cascades, the ante is upped, and you’re left hanging on to each word she conveys.
Intriguing us with her charming candor and enticing demeanor, SUN has the power to make us feel one way with her pop-like vocal delivery through the verses while performing contemptuous lyrical motifs that take you on a whole other journey.
As the instrumentation has the anticipation rising, we’re brought into a full-fledged energy cyclone that spins you into a hard-hitting chorus that plays into metal-core tendencies. Telling a tale about the twisted relationship of a rich couple from the woman’s point of view, you’re met with ruthless honesty as she taps into an alter ego that unleashes pent-up energy in a manic way.
SUN has a knack for getting down to the nitty gritty and getting her microphone dirty in the boisterous sound we adore. Painting vivid imagery that has you whisked away to her destination of choice, SUN even said, “I imagined a rich housewife losing it in her mansion. There is no love between her and John. It's all pretending, and her teenage daughter Amberleen already hates her guts and can't wait to get out of there.” If that doesn’t fit the vigor emitted, then we don’t know what does. “John & I (Money)” is out now on all major streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, SUN! Congratulations on the release of your latest single. Your creativity stands out when we dive into “John & I (Money).” What inspired this fictitious tale that you brought to us in song form?
Thank You so much! Bad love stories inspire John and me (Money). Meryl Streep in “death becomes her” inspired me a lot for this particular song. In the movie, she embodies a rich, sociopathic housewife in distress who completely loses it. I’ve always been fascinated by people who stay in their golden cages and self-destruct in them. John & I (Money) is the meltdown of a fictional Madeline Ashton.
Could you please highlight the creative process of bringing this song to life?
I wrote John and I (Money) when I was going through difficult moments in my family. It’s difficult to navigate with destructive and toxic family members, and I had notebooks filled with teenage rage waiting to become a song. I had written the main riff in my high school years but had forgotten about it …until I saw “death becomes her” one night! Everything just spilled out of me.
“John & I (Money)” has us exploring the opposites of two genres you manage to make sound so virtuous together. How did you come to develop this unique sound?
Since I was thirteen years old, I’ve been obsessed with this term: Brutal Pop. While living between the Black Forest and Paris, I was very lonely, which gave me plenty of time to get obsessed with music and songwriting. I wanted to merge the beautiful song structures and harmonies of masters like the Beatles or Abba with the emotional rawness and brutality of a Slipknot or a Gojira tune. Sometimes belting out a high note just doesn’t get the right intensity across (even when singing about love). So I worked screams and metal guitar action into my songs. Artists like Hole or - even if they are very different - Devin Townsend have also inspired me to create my “Brutal Pop.”
As a touring artist, you’ve been extremely busy as of late! What can you tell us about your life on the road, and have you had a chance to play this new track for your audience?
I’ve been so lucky to have been able to tour again since Lockdown. With my two mystery men, we’ve been touring Asia (Japan, Laos), Scandinavia, and Europe (France, Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, and Portugal…). I have never been as happy as I am now, back on the road, headbanging! People from the audience often asked me about John & I (Money) at the end of shows, and I would hear people walking out of venues humming, “money, money, money.” The audience made me choose John & I (Money) as a second single! I cherish their opinion a lot! I love to give them what they want.
What’s next for you?
I am excited to release my second EP, “BRUTAL POP 2,” on Friday, 13th January 2023. John & I (Money) will be on there, and four other songs that I’m very proud of! It is the first time I produced the whole thing myself, but I’m so glad I worked with genius mixers like Andrew Scheps. Then We go on tour to promote the EP starting in February! Germany, Denmark, and I have a very active Latino Audience, so that I will come to Brazil in the spring! The US is next on my list! I have more to announce very soon!