Serena Sun
I am super excited to share this new interview with the incredible Serena Sun. Her new single “Body” is one of the biggest pop records I’ve heard lately. Co-produced with artist/producer Tiger Darrow, “Body” is about Serena’s own personal experience with sexual assault. Empowering and catchy, the new single is an anthem for anyone who’s ever been in this situation.
Those types are records are important. Artists like Serena are important.
Thank you so much Serena for writing this song and for sharing it with the world. You are making a real difference out there. And thank you for this interview.
“Body” is out now !!
Photo credit: Paul Fajilan
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
Hey friend, I'm so excited to be chatting with you! Thanks for giving me the space to share about my music. My name is Serena Sun and I'm an artist, songwriter and producer from Vancouver, Canada. Songwriting has always been a creative and emotional outlet for me, but growing up, I never felt like I could pursue a career in music. That was partially due to self-limiting beliefs, but also due to the fact that the industry was super different even 5 years ago. I also went down the rabbit hole of thinking I was made to go into the corporate world and thrive as a business woman at one point, but that's a whole other story. Now, I'm super grateful I get to make music for a living. I definitely like to write about topics that affect me emotionally, and in doing so, hopefully the songs resonate with others who've been through similar experiences.
What did you grow up listening to?
Oh my goodness, such a mix. I feel like I was heavily influenced by so many different friend groups, it definitely varies. Way back when, my parents played Elton John in the car, and I loved his ballads as a kid. In elementary/middle school Hilary Duff's "Metamorphosis" was my jam. I also loved listening to The All-American Rejects and My Chemical Romance around that time. Then there was this whole Bon Iver, The Kooks and Taylor Swift obsession that came later on. Since then, I've been listening to so many different artists, it's hard to pinpoint what I was raised on.
When did you start writing songs? When did you know you were good at what you were doing?
I started writing songs in early middle school. I grew up playing classical piano, and I remember only wanting to learn because I wanted to accompany myself singing. Honestly, I definitely didn't think I was good at what I was doing until people started telling me I should pursue music as my career in my early 20s. I took a hiatus from music when I was in college, so becoming an artist wasn't really on my mind when I was in university. It wasn't until I rediscovered my love for songwriting and singing after graduating that I began posting songs I'd written and produced; that's when I got some feedback from friends and realized songwriting was a skill I definitely wanted to continue developing.
What gave you the confidence to be an artist and release your original music?
It's funny, I feel like I would've eventually reached a point where I felt confident before releasing my music, but when I released my first song (independently, and self-produced) I wasn't really that confident in my work. I had a friend who sat me down and, after listening to my song, told me that I would be "disobeying God" if I didn't release it into the world. I guess this felt like the validation I needed to share my work, and sometimes you need that push when it comes to creating art 'cause it's such a subjective field. But I've definitely grown a ton since then, and am now confident in the art I am creating and sharing.
"Body" is your new single - what's the inspiration/story behind this song?
So, trigger warning, this song is about my experience with sexual assault in university. I was sexually assaulted by someone I considered a friend my freshman year of college. At that time, I didn't have the emotional capacity to stand up for myself and confront my perpetrator, but now, years later, I wanted to express my feelings against him and honestly all people who sexually assault others.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this song? Who helped you create it? When did you start working on it?
I was on a writing trip in New York when I got a text from my dad; he sent the family group chat an article about a protest against sexual assault on campus going on at a university here in Canada. This upset me because I immediately felt like yelling "This sh*t is STILL going on? Really?" I had a free morning, so I broke out my mic and recorded a stream of consciousness demo about my experience with SA. Honestly, it felt so nice to express all my feelings in the moment, and I immediately knew I wanted a female producer to help me bring this song to life sonically. I reached out to Tiger Darrow, who's also an amazing songwriter and artist in addition to being a great producer. We co-wrote the rest of the song together and also co-produced the track.
What did you feel when writing this song?
It was a cathartic experience for sure. I wanted to do the topic justice, just because our world is so broken and I know there are many women and men who have had to deal with sexual assault, which is a tragedy. When Tiger and I were producing it out, it just felt really right--whenever a song feels like it's right from the get go, you know it's a winner.
What made you want to release "Body" as a single?
Honestly, I didn't think too hard on it--I knew the message was important, the song felt fun to listen to, and I think it's a powerful song. That's why I'm so excited to have it out in the world soon.
What's your favorite thing about this song?
The chorus has a lyric, "Now I don't trust a guy in a turtleneck, and a little gold chain is a huge red flag for me" and I think that's hilarious. It's super fun to sing and poke fun at the guy that took advantage of me years ago. Also, the tag is literally "F*ck you for trying to claim my body"-- I've never been so direct in my lyrics, but it felt right for this song, and writing it gave me back the power that I felt like I lost. That's why I absolutely love it and hope others feel the same when they listen to it.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
The artwork was created by my two talented friends, Paul Fajilan and Cassandra Masangkay. I've worked with this amazing fiancé/fiancée duo extensively in the past as they are always able to capture my songs in a visually intriguing and beautiful way. The artwork is a mosaic of me in many different poses; some shots are taken close up, others far away. They are all pretty heavy on shadows and I feel like it tells the story of SA survivors; we are all complex individuals with many different facets but what ties us together is a horrible experience that is just plain darkness. That sounds pretty intense, but that's the reality. SA is a horrible act that shouldn't be taken lightly.
What message do you want to give to anyone who's been sexually assaulted?
You did not deserve this. You were not asking for it in any way. You were wronged, it was a literal crime that your perpetrator committed. You are not at fault, please seek help and try your best to find peace. I recommend reaching out to those you trust and sharing when you feel capable. There's no "one size fits all" solution to this, so just know that whatever you are feeling, it is valid.
What can you tell us about your upcoming album?
I am so proud of this body of work and so incredibly grateful to have had so many talented hands work on it with me. It really felt like a collaborative effort, and what ties it together is the songwriting that reflects my life experiences. This EP describes some of the different traumas I've encountered in my life and how they've affected me moving forward from them. I obviously talk about sexual assault in this EP, but I also touch on self-sabotage, missing past parts of myself, and needing more from relationships that aren't fulfilling.
How's it like to be a woman in the music industry? What advice would you give to women out there?
At first, it felt really intimidating, especially as a female music producer. But thankfully, over the years, I've been introduced to different artists, writers, producers, and other people in music that have helped make this industry feel like a safe space for me to create and share my work. My advice would be to find one collaborator you really vibe with and trust. From there they will likely introduce you to others they like to work with, and it's kind of a domino effect from there! The energy you put out attracts similar energy, so do your best to be a kind, respectful and professional human being, and you should be good to go!
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
Oooo I have lots of thoughts. Social media has changed the game for everybody--especially TikTok and the concept of virality. For me, as an independent artist with limited marketing resources in comparison with signed, big-label artists, having a platform on TikTok is a huge advantage that I wouldn't have had a few years ago. It's like a double-edged sword for sure though. On the flip-side, artists are now feeling the pressure of also being content creators in a way, and the pressure definitely can take away from the creative, music-making process. Personally, I am just enjoying getting a shot at making music and hopefully getting people to listen to it and vibe. I just want to write and release songs that make me proud, and hopefully also help others in the process.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
More empathy. More patience. Less feelings of self-importance. We're all (hopefully) trying our best out here, and I think the world has a lot of heaviness by nature, so people giving others the benefit of the doubt would be good. (But also stand your ground when things are truly wrong of course!)
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
You have the ability to be your biggest self-critic, but also your biggest supporter. I have operated as a perfectionist for most of my life, and with that comes a lot of self-scrutiny. When I finally made the switch from being my worst critic to my biggest supporter, things started to flow naturally & fall into place. I think anyone who struggles with being kind to themselves would benefit from adding more positive comments to their internal dialogue—I know it really helped me!
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