“It feels like the most authentic thing to me and what I want to make right now”: Lunar June on her newest single ‘always been u’

Up-and-coming indie pop artist Lunar June (Olivia Judd) recently featured on Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds’ playlist with her single ‘always been u’: a euphoric track about yearning and heartbreak, it’s lyricism infused with vulnerability. I recently had the pleasure of chatting with June about her creative process and inspiration for this track, being sure to leave no stone unturned!

She describes the recording process as “so rewarding and fulfilling”, the final result “really scratching the itch”

‘always been u’ marks a shift in June’s sound, diverging away from her signature electronic-pop style. She says, “I’m slowly going into more organic production”, taking inspiration from the likes of Bon Iver, Charli xcx and Lorde to cultivate the raw emotion within this track. She claims: “I’ve been really resonating with bringing guitars back because guitar was the first thing I started writing on and I think it almost feels like a full circle moment”. She describes the recording process as becoming increasing collaborative but “full of peaks and troughs”. Voicing her frustration, she says “I think my strengths lie with the vision of the sound I want it to be. I know I want it to sound like this, feel like this, evoke these emotions, paint this picture but actually being able to put it into action a lot harder”. Yet, June’s music is testament to her hard work and determination, executing her creative visions with care and passion.

Being a multi-talented lyricist, producer and composer, June opens up about the balancing act required to perform these roles, stating “I think being a songwriter has always been my bread and butter, that’s the thing that I love the most, but I’ve really grown to become fascinated by production and how it influences the feeling and emotion of the song”. Working with producer Luke Marsden to help her venture into unchartered territory, June claims that she wouldn’t feel as “connected or proud” of her music without the persistence and patience required to produce it. She describes the recording process as “so rewarding and fulfilling”, the final result “really scratching the itch”.

Yet, her candour is what makes June’s music so appealing to young audiences, June states “but that’s why I write music, I wouldn’t get what I get out of it if I was skirting around it and being coy”

June’s ‘homecoming’ single draws heavily on the emotional turmoil of a turbulent relationship, a vessel through which she bravely wears her heart on her sleeve. She says, “I’ve had a lot to write about in the last couple of years, very significant breakups and changes and big things happening in life”. Yet, she’s been “ready and raring” to write, teasing many singles we can anticipate to be released this year! Chatting about June’s knack for lyricism, she claims “I’m such a journaller and always reflecting on how I feel about things, probably too much, but also that’s what makes me a songwriter”. I can certainly speak on behalf of her audience that June’s new musical direction leaves us wanting more! She admits, “It definitely feels like this is what’s resonating with me most at the moment and I think my audience have also felt that”.

However, this brutal honesty doesn’t come without apprehension on June‘s behalf, as she confides, “When it came to release the single, I was like ‘Shit! I’m really airing out my dirty laundry here!’”. Yet, her candour is what makes June’s music so appealing to young audiences, June states “but that’s why I write music, I wouldn’t get what I get out of it if I was skirting around it and being coy”. It seems that June too shares a liking for vulnerability and honesty within her own music tastes, claiming “The more context the better, because when you’re obsessed with an artist you want as much access to their inner world as you possibly can”.

We can look forward to many singles this year, June claiming “It feels like a year of experimentation, trying different things and not committing too much to anything…”

As our conversation unfurled, it became apparent that June has an eclectic music taste of her own, ranging from folk artists such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Gabrielle Aplin to electronic music made by The Japanese House and London Grammar. She mentioned she “grew up being just enamoured with the Arctic Monkeys, The Wombats, Oasis and The Smiths and then completely went away from it and now I feel like I’m so back in that mindset of loving that kind of music”. Her multitude of influences makes for a unique blend of sounds that anybody can get on board with!

Switching from singles to EPs, we spoke about June’s most recent EP release titled an ode to the girl i once was. Asking June if she had an ‘ode’ of her own she wanted to deliver to young women today trying to navigate complex relationships, she says “I think my message would be try not to outsource your sense of okayness, try and cultivate that within yourself through taking care of yourself and having friendships and whatever it is that fulfils you”. These wise words are echoed in her music, affirming her own self-love and worth.

But what can we expect Lunar June to do next? We can look forward to many singles this year, June claiming “It feels like a year of experimentation, trying different things and not committing too much to anything but it’s all still existing in the whole Lunar June world, still bringing everyone along on the same story”. So, Lunar June should be the name on everyone’s lips, and you can catch her in Brighton on Tuesday May 13 performing at Jodie Byrant’s Discover Live!