Muna (band)

Muna
Genres Dark pop, pop rock
Years active 2013–present
Labels RCA
Associated acts Harry Styles, Grouplove
Website www.whereismuna.com
Members
  • Katie Gavin
  • Josette Maskin
  • Naomi McPherson

Muna (stylized as MUNA) is an American electronic pop band consisting of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson.

History

Based in Los Angeles, the trio met in college at the University of Southern California and began working together in 2013 after discovering their musical chemistry at a party, when Maskin and McPherson began playing together on guitars and Gavin added vocals. Gavin and Maskin were music majors, while McPherson double-majored in Narrative Studies and American Studies & Ethnicity.[1] The two guitarists, Maskin and McPherson, had been used to playing ska and progressive rock, but when their initial collaboration with singer Gavin resulted in a pop song, their bond was sealed.[2]

Beginning their collaboration in an experimental mode, they evolved towards hooky electronic pop. In the summer of 2014, they self-released their debut EP, More Perfect, on Bandcamp and Soundcloud. Its success led to their signing by RCA Records in the US and Columbia Records in the UK. RCA released their self-produced debut major label EP, Loudspeaker, in May 2016. Their debut full-length album, About U, was released on February 3, 2017.

All three members identify as queer.[2] Initially wary of being pigeonholed as a "queer girl band", they later came to embrace the opportunity to use their musical notoriety to help inspire younger people to be comfortable with their identities. Their songs frequently address issues of sexuality and gender. They describe one early song, "So Special", as "an anthem for the slut-shamed girls of the world who have to assert their own value."[2] According to McPherson, "It would have meant a lot to me when I was, say, 12, to know of someone in a band and think they were cool and know they were out."[1] McPherson added, "I am out and I feel safe being out because the three of us are a little army for one another. I don't feel afraid to be myself. That makes me proud to be queer. That's the whole point of why we do this. We want a safe haven."[3]

The band members have chosen to keep all gender-based pronouns out of their lyrics,[4] which has helped earn them a devoted queer following.

Dutch DJ/producer Tiësto remixed "Winterbreak" in May 2016.[5] Muna played Lollapalooza 2016 in Chicago in July 2016,[6] toured America with Grouplove in the fall of 2016, and made their late-night network television debut on November 7, 2016 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[7]

On June 6, 2017, it was announced via Twitter that the band would be the opening act on the North American and European tour dates for Harry Styles.

In 2017, their song "I Know A Place" was featured in The Carmilla Movie, following the original web series based on Sheridan Le Fanu's novella of the same name. In 2018, MUNA was featured playing "I Know A Place" live in the Netflix movie, Alex Strangelove, which chronicles the sexual awakening of its teen protagonist, Alex Truelove.

In 2018, the band began work on their second full-length record.

Discography

Albums

About U (2017)[8]

Extended plays

  • More Perfect (2014)
  • Loudspeaker (2016)[8]
  • About U: One Year On (2018)

Singles

  • "Winterbreak" (2016)[9]
  • "Loudspeaker" (2016)[10]
  • "I Know a Place" (2016)[11]
  • "Crying on the Bathroom Floor" (2017)[12]
  • "In My Way" (2017)[13]

Other songs

  • "Pipes Of Peace" (2017)[14]
  • "Relief Next To Me" (2017)[15]

References

  1. 1 2 Avery Stone, "MUNA On Their Own Terms: "If We're Lucky Enough to Have a Platform, We Should Use That to Help People"", Noisey, May 10, 2016
  2. 1 2 3 Mark Savage, "Muna interview: Defiant pop from LA rising stars", BBC, September 28, 2016
  3. ↑ Ian David Monroe, "MUNA Are Pioneering a New Identity in Pop Music", V Magazine, November 4, 2016
  4. ↑ Lilian Min, "Dark pop girl band MUNA is ready to graduate into adulthood", Fusion, July 29, 2016
  5. ↑ "Muna – Winterbreak (Tiësto's Deep House Mix)", Tiëstosblog, retrieved November 18, 2016
  6. ↑ "retrieved November 21, 2016
  7. ↑ "Watch MUNA Make Their Late-Night TV Debut With "Loudspeaker" On Jimmy Fallon", Stereogum, November 8, 2016 (retrieved November 21, 2016)
  8. 1 2 "Music - MUNA Official Site". MUNA Official Site. Retrieved 2017-02-04.
  9. ↑ MunaVEVO (2016-03-14), MUNA - Winterbreak (Official Video), retrieved 2017-02-04
  10. ↑ MunaVEVO (2016-07-26), MUNA - Loudspeaker (Official Video), retrieved 2017-02-04
  11. ↑ MunaVEVO (2017-02-03), MUNA - I Know A Place (Official Video), retrieved 2017-02-04
  12. ↑ MunaVEVO (2017-01-20), MUNA - Crying on the Bathroom Floor (Audio), retrieved 2017-02-04
  13. ↑ MunaVEVO (2017-09-15), MUNA - In My Way (Official Video), retrieved 2017-10-23
  14. ↑ Christmas Rules (Vol. 2), 2017-10-13, retrieved 2017-10-23
  15. ↑ Tegan and Sara (2017-10-19), Tegan and Sara present The Con X: Covers – Relief Next To Me – MUNA, retrieved 2017-10-23
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