The women of MUNA are not afraid to take up space.
The Los Angeles-based dark pop trio of Naomi McPherson, Josette Maskin, and Katie Gavin have toured across the country, recently rocked The Tonight Show, and have been invited back for an encore. Their songs are as haunting as they are empowering. A closer listen to their catchy synth sound reveals bold themes of reclaiming narratives and "queering" spaces.
I met up with them in the house where they wrote, recorded and produced most of the songs on their debut album, About U. They invited me into their creative space and spoke about recording songs in the closet, literally.
The women of MUNA write, engineer, record and produce their own music but often don't get the credit they deserve for being "part of the team." Here the multitalented women address sexism in the music industry.
Their song "I Know a Place" is about dismantling violence, finding safe spaces, and dancing despite a heavy heart. This song made them and their fans cry when they played it live. Then Pulse happened, and finding places to dance took on a new meaning. Here they discuss discovering unity after the massacre.
Katie, Naomi and Josette all identify as queer, but as Katie points out, "Queer is such an umbrella term, and we all have different sexual experiences." She discusses making the choice to "queer the narrative" of her lyrics and just how much MUNA loves the people who come to their shows.
By shredding onstage and living their "imagined world," they invite us into our own sapces of strength.
Get their debut album, About U, on iTunes, and follow MUNA on Twitter and Instagram.
