Sun Moon Sky
... is a pair of musicians who craft pop songs that are both melancholic and hopeful, intimate and cinematic. They mix analogue and digital elements in their music, drawing inspiration from diverse genres like art-pop, alt rock, electronica, and sci-fi blues. Jenny, a Swedish-English vocalist with a touch of blues, leads the singing, while Joe, a versatile producer and instrumentalist, adds the harmony. They aspire to create a musical world that is both empathetic and escapist, a safe space where they and their listeners can calm their restless minds.
Sun Moon Sky has a history in the music industry, as Jenny and Joe have been collaborating for years, as well as working on other projects. They have seen the ups and downs of the business, from scoring a top ten hit and traveling the globe, to facing drama and contracts.
Their latest release, "State of Grace", is about discovering hope and resilience in the midst of despair. About how vital it is to fight for a cause, or for your own dignity, never giving in.
How did you, the artists of Sun Moon Sky, start your musical journey?
Jenny: I was an energetic child and when I was six years old my mother hired a piano teacher to keep my hands and head occupied. It helped a bit, but we added the cello a couple years later. Pop came into my life through a girlfriend that I admired and also when my uncle gave me my first record.
Joe: I still remember the first time I played drums (with a loud punk band), my brain lit up with this incredible euphoric feeling. I make music to keep chasing the same kick!
Your latest release, “State of Grace”, is a stunning blend of electro pop and cinematic sound. What inspired you to create it?
Jenny: State of Grace came together really quickly, almost like it wrote itself. Joe had the dark, cinematic verse idea and played it to me, then I came up with the euphoric chorus straight away. After that we just had to get out of the way of the song and let it do its thing. That’s always the hardest part – don’t overcomplicate it.
The song conveys a message of hope and resilience in the face of adversity. Do you feel that we are living in a dark time or that this is only the beginning of something worse?
Joe: Things do feel dark right now, there’s so much going on in the world, plus the way our brains are now constantly overloaded with information and imagery. I think that’s affecting people’s anxiety and mindset. State of Grace is about feeling empathy and finding your way to the light, about not giving up.
As a singer/producer duo, Sun Moon Sky, do you have a clear division of tasks in your creative process, or do you collaborate on everything?
Jenny: As far as songwriting goes, every song is different. Sometimes Joe comes in with a pretty much complete song and sometimes I do, but most often we bounce ideas off each other. We both write music and lyrics. The good stuff happens when we put our ideas together and they become something different.
What are some of the sources of inspiration that influence your musical style and your storytelling?
Jenny: There are some jazz clubs in Gothenburg that have live music almost every day and I like popping in especially to the improvisation sessions.
Joe: I’m really into music that’s hard to pin down genre-wise. And the sounds you can make with a DAW now, it’s just crazy, it’s limitless. So trying to fuse that with a live band feel is really inspiring. Storytelling inspo is everywhere: books, films, but mostly real life.
Being an indie artist can be very demanding and time-consuming. How do you balance your work and your personal life?
Joe: It’s a constant challenge, but for me music making works as therapy. I get really down if I can’t find enough time to be creative.
Music is obviously your passion, but what are some other things that you enjoy or find fascinating?
Jenny: Exploring the mind and ways to expand it. Art is inspiring, especially street art which I think is a democratic and direct communication.
Joe: Anything that’s about alternative realities: books, games, films… Also science and psychology. And linguistics!
What are some of the exciting projects or plans that you are working on or looking forward to?
Joe: We have a lot more songs in the works, which is super exciting. We’d also really like to do some live looping shows, that would be amazing.
Jenny: Playing live is always on the wish list. We love the contact and interaction that’s possible only in a live gig situation.
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