Name: Karoline Rose Sun aka SUN
Occupation: Singer, songwriter, guitarist
Nationality: French-German
Current release: SUN's Brutal Pop 2 is out now.
Recommendations: I feel like you should definitely have listened to Stengah by Meshuggah once in your life and read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.

If you enjoyed this SUN interview and would like to stay up to date with her music, visit her on Instagram, Facebook, and twitter.  



When did you start writing/producing/playing music and what or who were your early passions and influences? What was it about music and/ or sound that drew you to it?

I started to sing when I was eight months old (according to my mom). Apparently I would imitate what ever would play on the radio and make up the words. Then I started playing guitar at 12, had my first bands around then. One thing led to another and I started programming drums, producing songs on Samplitude by the age of 14.

I was already obsessed by mixing metal and pop. But always with an indie flavor. I just always wanted the Spice Girls and Gojira to make a record produced by Courtney Love … That’s how I create my «Brutal Pop.»

When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening and how does it influence your approach to creativity?

To me music is very visceral, I can’t live without it and I know exactly what I need to hear. I feel like I make music with my root chakra a lot! It has to have a primal energy to it, even if it’s calm.

Same when I’m on the receiving end. I feel a stream of energy going through my body, especially my belly. I can cry easily when a song moves me.

How would you describe your development as an artist in terms of interests and challenges, searching for a personal voice, as well as breakthroughs?

I feel like it’s an infinite journey of self-discovery. I can’t believe that what I made even two years ago felt complete and mature then!

I’m very grateful for my journey and the lessons I learn. Even when musicianship is hard, especially as a woman who screams, produces, plays lead guitar … All the lessons lead to more authenticity and I feel like my world is getting bigger and bigger as I go.

The key (for me personally) was to let go of anger towards a broken system, mysoginy and let my feelings lead the way. Even if that sometimes leads to break ups, letting go and changing … a lot.

Tell me a bit about your sense of identity and how it influences both your preferences as a listener and your creativity as an artist, please.

That’s a tough one. I feel like I always knew who I was, from very early on I had strong views about how I wanted myself to look, to sound and what I expected from my music and my life.

I never questioned my identity until society’s weight made me feel weird and «not normal». I never really felt weird myself but the weight of our world made me cave in a little. It took me years to get out of a deep depression and find myself again, both musically and on a personal level! Now, when I look at old childhood pictures I realize that I still dress like little baby SUN, who had it all figured out from the start.

Being free is often a journey back to one’s authentic self. I hope that my music can help people on that journey.

What, would you say, are the key ideas behind your approach to music and art?

On the surface it’s mixing pop and metal with an indie sound. But it’s a celebration of being myself and celebrating life through my own experiences and sharing them with the audience.

All I really want is to make someone feel good, better or understood. To motivate someone or to inspire.

How would you describe your views on topics like originality and innovation versus perfection and timelessness in music? Are you interested in a “music of the future” or “continuing a tradition”?

Music of the future! I really love classic pop songwriting or French chanson though haha! I think the modern and the timeless need one another to keep music going and not die out.

I’ve always been a fan of confronting tradition with modern elements, even in architecture. I think AI might be intimidating in that regard but something great might come out of a human/Ai collaboration.

Over the course of your development, what have been your most important instruments and tools - and what are the most promising strategies for working with them?

My vocal technique is my most important tool. It allows me to travel around in my songs and put the right note, the right sound on an emotion I want to convey. I feel free knowing that I can scream, growl or sing without pain.

I’m also very happy to be able to produce, especially the drums. I have a very precise idea of what I like and I always write and produce my drums to get the most feel out of my songs.

Take us through a day in your life, from a possible morning routine through to your work, please.

I wake up late, as late as possible, drink water, go for a walk and start to work on whatever I’m doing right now (and have a nice coffee). When I produce I set up my portable studio and spend the day there. When I’m rehearsing with my team, I drive to the rehearsal space and when I’m on tour I wait around on the bus, read, work on my computer.

I always squeeze in 30 minutes of vocal technique and guitar playing and at night I wind down playing Zelda on my Switch, watching TikToks and doing a very thorough skin care routine.

I can’t predict when I’m going to write a song, it kind of happens in the worst places (in the bathroom, in the van, right when I was going to fall asleep and I have to pull an all-nighter) …

Listening can be both a solitary and a communal activity. Likewise, creating music can be private or collaborative. Can you talk about your preferences in this regard and how these constellations influence creative results?

I love to listen to music with and without people. I love to share music and I also have some stuff I want to keep to myself - when I’m sad for example haha

When it comes to creating I have such a strong drive and my vision is very precise. So it’s not easy to collaborate, unless it’s a happy accident.

How do your work and your creativity relate to the world and what is the role of music in society?

Music is the soundtrack to life in general. It can soothe you, accompany whatever is happening around you (like in airports etc) and it is what gives our world its colors!

Music is central, no movie, no TV Show, no TikTok would exist without music.

Art can be a way of dealing with the big topics in life: Life, loss, death, love, pain, and many more. In which way and on which occasions has music – both your own or that of others - contributed to your understanding of these questions?

Music has always been my preferred language! I can’t always express my feelings, they get stuck …so I make songs that help me.

It’s my way of speaking / communicating. I just feel shy to share certain things with words…and without music.

How do you see the connection between music and science and what can these two fields reveal about each other?

Music is a never-ending exploration and science, too. Especially Quantum Mechanics … I feel there is a lot in commun between Quantum Mechanics and Art in general.

Science is also very inspiring. Being curious and exploring the unknown are traits that scientists and musicians have in common.