Although she made her debut just over six years ago, Lunny is only getting started. With a résumé that includes touring with Loreen and Ellie Goulding, and a growing catalogue of increasingly strong releases, the unpredictable nature of the music industry means Lunny could well be the next breakout star.

Following an exclusive shoot with Principle, Lunny talks about her blossoming career, why she’s ready for global domination, and how she’s felt about her career trajectory so far. 

Corset and shorts Balykina / Tights Falke / Heels Talent’s own / Gloves Dents 

Your project, VELVET & DENIM, dropped at the beginning of June. How have you felt about the overall reception so far?

So amazing. I feel like I’m at this beautiful point where I actually have fans now, and specifically in the UK and Europe. It’s been so great to see people have favourite songs and stream the album, and buy the merch. It’s been growing beyond me and beyond just the album, which is so cool.

You’ve been spending your summer on the road, playing lots of festivals. How have those audiences been reacting to the material?

I’ve been gaining new fans on the road. I feel like “VELVET & DENIM,” the title track, people are loving that one live, which is so exciting because that’s one of my favourites. It’s always so interesting to play the songs live because it adds a very different spin and gives it a whole new meaning, a little bit. 

This is a little bit of a geeky question. All the titles are in caps lock. What was the reasoning behind this?

Thank you for noticing. That was very intentional. Aesthetically, I like how it looks, and it feels strong and powerful. I think I saw ROSALIA do it in the past, and it really caught my eye. 

Shirt The Frankie Shop / Tie Stylist’s archive / Hot pants Balykina / Socks Calzedonia / Shoes Talent’s own 

If you had to pick, which songs from the project are you most proud of?

Probably the title track, because the initial idea I wrote when I was 18. I would say, “JESUS HELD THE DOOR,” I’m really proud of. It’s a very personal, honest, literal song. And then, oh, it’s like picking children. I like “MARILYN” a lot. That one feels like an anthem. It feels empowering. It feels cool, and I haven’t really done a song like that. 

Oh, we have completely different favourites. 

Okay, wait. What are yours?!

“CITY OF ANGLES,” “GUILTY PARTY”…

I love that you said “GUILTY PARTY” because I was gonna say that. It feels like a sleeper banger to me. It’s quite grungy. I love that you love that one!

My other favourite is “JOHNNY & JUNE.” 

Oh yeah, that one is one of my favourites to perform live.

You’ve been spending a lot of time in the UK and Europe recently. Is this a market that is important for you to crack?

It’s super important. Honestly, at this point in my career, I’m kinda just going where my people are. And it just so happens that because I’ve done some touring here, my people are here. I personally love it. I love the UK, I love London. I love Europe and everywhere I’ve been touring, so I’m truly happy that it’s here. Honestly, the goal one day is everywhere. Worldwide takeover, but for right now, I’m just kinda going where my people are. 

Where is somewhere in the world you would love to perform next?

Next? I think, in general, I would love to perform in Brazil. I feel like once you get to play Brazil, you kinda made it in all markets. The fans are so receptive and love music over there. Also, the US. Minus playing the Governors Ball Music Festival last month in New York, I haven’t played there since I was younger. 

Coat The Frankie Shop / Tights Falke 

Your music does a good job of blending pop sounds with emotional depth. What is the first thing you try to capture in your songs?

I think it’s all about how I’m feeling. Sometimes that comes with chords in production, or sometimes it’s just words that I’ve come up with that evokes a certain feeling in me. Vibe and energy are really, really important for me. I’ve already written three songs since I’ve been here in my little Airbnb. My inspiration is everywhere at all times. I have my guitar in my apartment, so I’ll start singing ideas into a voicemail. I wrote a full song the other day, and I haven’t written on my own in a really long time. There’s something about London that’s really inspiring me. 

Your homeland, Canada, has birthed many icons. Who are your favourites?

Oh, I mean, to name a few, we have Justin Bieber, Drake, and Shania Twain. I definitely love The Weeknd. I feel like his music sonically is really interesting and going forward in my more pop songs, I have been inspired by his synthy, cool sounds. 

You’ve done a few support tours in the past year or so. The next one is opening up for BANKS in October. She’s definitely not an artist who would have ANYONE with her on tour. How are you feeling?

Very honored. I’ve also been a BANKS fan for a really long time. Specifically, I remember, in 2019, post-breakup, I found the album with the song “Contaminated,” and I listened to it on repeat the whole year. It’s really full circle, so to open for her is amazing because I respect and love her music so much, and even sonically, how her music sounds. I’m very inspired by it and I admire it. It hits differently. I feel very honored and so excited. 

You debuted in the industry in 2018. What’s been the biggest eye-opening moments for you?

I think the continued spontaneity and randomness of it all, but also to contrast that, it’s the extreme hard work and persistence that then leads you to random spontaneous encounters that always continue to blow my mind a little bit. It’s about being in the right place at the right time, and you have to work really hard to get into those places to then be ready, let’s say, to seize an opportunity to be able to say yes and go on tour and actually put on a good show. That’s wild to me, but I’ve slowly rewired my brain to say that uncertainty is opportunity. That’s a really grounding statement for me. 

What have been the biggest turning points in your career so far?

I feel like there have been a few. Supporting Ellie Goulding two years ago was really huge for me. I hadn’t really toured before, beyond playing to nobody in rural Canada. And then definitely this summer, playing at the Lido Festival. I had a full tent for that show. I know that the Justin Timberlake dates were huge, so I’m really starting to feel the fandom grow. It’s all starting to feel real.

Dress Balykina / Tights Falke / Heels Talent’s own 

Now that you do have quite a lot of live experience under your belt, is it still quite daunting going out on stage?

Of course, yeah. When I opened for Justin Timberlake two weeks ago, it was crazy. There were 12,000 people in Belfast and Dublin. Dublin, specifically. There were so many people. They were so loud, so ready to go, and I was like, ‘Oh my god. There are so many people watching right now.’ But as soon as I get on stage, after I’ve played the song in my set, which is “CITY OF ANGELS,” once I hear that outro, I then take a breath, and then the nerves go. It’s such a weird thing. It’s the anticipation. The anticipation that freaks you up. Justin’s fans are really receptive, so that was really exciting. 

Have you begun to think about what your next project will look and sound like yet?

I had my first two sessions in London last week. I am writing some great music. I won’t share the title yet, but in my mind, I have it. I’m super excited. Even all the stuff we’re doing today here at Principle, I really like everything aesthetically. I’ve created this world of my artistry, finally beyond just the music, and I think it’s all coming together. 

What’s been the key ingredient to finally getting to this place?

Time. It’s been five to seven years of just trying a bunch of different stuff to learn what I don’t like and what’s not me. It has helped me find what I do like because it’s easy to know what you like, but knowing what you don’t like helps everything come together. 

Dress Balykina / Tights Falke / Shoes Talent’s own / Rings Maria Nilsdotter 

How often do you reflect on your early material?

I definitely reflect on it, but I also feel like my eyes are always looking forward. I don’t spend too much time with the rearview mirror metaphorically. It’s music that fans can discover as they’re finding me and my discography. I think being present and continuing to create as I evolve as a person and an artist is really important. 

It’s not that old but one of my favourites from your back catalogue is “HEARTBREAK ON REPEAT.”

I love that you love that! I wanna put it back into my set for the BANKS tour. For summer, we added some fun, more upbeat songs. But for BANKS, I really wanna get a little weird, creative, and dark for sure. 

Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?

I would love to be headlining Hyde Park like Sabrina Carpenter just did! I feel like so many artists recently, like Sabrina, Charli [XCX], Tate McRae, have been at it for so long, but people think they’ve just blown up overnight. I read in an interview with Tate where she said she’s been in the industry since she was like 15, auditioning and dancing. It takes ten years to be an overnight success. And if anything, I’m motivated by that. Slowly but surely, you’ll see my journey grow. Obviously, there’s a moment when there’s exponential growth, but just hearing that sort of thing is really inspiring. Three years from now, we’ll probably be backstage and be like, ‘Remember when we talked about this?!’

Do you think you’re ready for the pandemonium if it were to happen tomorrow?

I honestly do. And I don’t say that in a way that’s prideful or cocky. It’s just I feel like I’ve been at it for a long time, and I’ve been putting in tons of work, and I just have direction. You know? I’ve played around 60 plus shows alone just in the UK and Europe on tours. So if and when it happens, I’ll just be really excited to finally have people who really, really care. I’m truly finding the people, but it’s just the masses that we’re trying to get to out here. 

Coat The Frankie Shop / Tights Falke / Heels Talent’s own

How do you balance the work side and then the fun side of social media?

Good question. I think I’ve learned there was a moment where I felt a little jaded. I’ve learned to celebrate it and realise that now that I’m making art that I’m so excited about, it makes promoting it easier. But in the past, when, let’s say, I released something that maybe didn’t feel like me, it felt almost forced to promote it. So having it now be an extension of me because I want people to hear it is better, because I’m so proud of it. I definitely have an app on my phone that locks me out of Instagram six hours a day because I’m definitely a doom scroller. 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received that’s helped you along the way?

Be yourself. As silly as that is, I would even rephrase it as authenticity is your superpower and is your strength. And over the past year, I’ve really leaned into that. And certain things that I thought I didn’t wanna share, like, ‘Oh, I’m from Winnipeg,’ when I thought it was cooler to say I’m from LA. It’s actually so much cooler that I’m from the middle of nowhere in Canada, and now I’m here in London, connecting with people on a real level. I think even as an audience member, I wanna connect with people in a human way, not because they’re unattainable. Authenticity right now is what’s trendy, and that’s the coolest thing ever. 

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