An Interview with Luna Li

Words by Sarah Morrison

Photo by Halle Hirota

Luna Li has became an overnight sensation with her jam session videos and this comes as no surprise. Luna Li has been an crucial part of the Toronto subculture scene for sometime now and it was only a matter of time until the rest of the world picked up on her musical capabilities.

Over the last few months, Luna Li, has slowly releasing new singles such as ‘Trying’ and ‘After Glow.’ With certain world circumstances, what could be next for the artist? We sat down and spoke to Hannah Bussiere on diversity and inclusivity within the Toronto pocket, allowing vulnerability to become present within her work, becoming an internet sensation, and what’s to come.

Your mother runs a music school, was that a leading influence in your interest to pick up an instrument? 

I grew up in a very musical household, but I actually started learning my first instrument before my mom joined her partner in running the music school. My mom was a very musical person and even before I started piano lessons at 5 we would sing together and play little percussion instruments at home. 

You were classically trained in piano and violin growing up. What are some key elements or knowledge that you’ve been able to take away and incorporate into your music? 

My classical training was the foundation of my knowledge in music, so everything I’ve done up until now has been built on top of that. Some of the main things I learned growing up that I’m bringing into what I do now are my knowledge of theory, musical instincts, finger dexterity (a big element I was able to take from violin for when I started learning guitar!) and ear training. 

At what point did you realize that a traditional classical music career or a path with traditional classical music wasn’t suited for you? When did you realize that you wanted to pursue a solo music career?

I was at McGill University in Montreal for violin in 2014 and was feeling like I wasn’t in the right place. My boyfriend Jacob was in Toronto working on music with his band and I started to realize that was what I wanted to be doing too. I was already writing songs and had posted some of them online but before that moment it had never really occurred to me that it was something that would be viable to pursue. But I saw him and his friends doing it and it made me realize I could give it a shot too!

What pocket of the Toronto subculture scene do you say you best resonate with? 

I love the DIY scene where people make an effort to be inclusive and creative in a positive environment. A lot of the shows where I feel most inspired have been at little art spaces surrounded by friends and a trusting and supportive audience. 

How important was it for you to have a female-centric band? Do you still believe there is a lack of inclusivity or diversity within the music scene? What measures do you think others could take in order to help more?

Representation is really important to me. Growing up I never felt represented in bands that I listened to and shows that I went to, and so it’s really important for me to have POC and women up at the front of the stage with me so that other young people coming to the shows can feel seen. I hope that if young marginalized people feel seen, they can be inspired to make their own art, continuing the cycle in this way. Over the course of my experience in the Toronto music scene, there has been a growing conversation about diversity and I think there is definitely still a lot more work to do. Making sure shows are diverse is a big one, but I also think that there is a big need for diversity in the industry and behind the scenes. I don’t have all the answers, but I think if our community continues to uplift one another and grow together, we can continue to build change.

When you go to write a song, what are some things you need in order to hone in on your work? Where do you find concentration? 

When I’m writing I need to be alone in a space where I feel comfortable. I like to be able to try different things without feeling embarrassed or self-conscious in front of someone else. I usually try and start with a chord progression and then if it’s all flowing, I can easily get lost in it and work for hours without realizing how much time is going by. 

Your single ‘Trying,’ is a song that allows you to be vulnerable with your audience. What gave you the surge to be more open? Did it frighten you at all to express more of your emotion? 

I was listening to the podcast Song Exploder - one of my favourite podcasts, and I was hearing lots of artists I love be super vulnerable, which made me feel really connected to them and their stories. A lot of my favourite episodes are the more vulnerable ones because they’re so truthful and emotional. It made me turn around and look at the work I was doing and realize that I wanted to try being more honest and open in my music. It was a little scary, but mostly I just felt proud of the song in a way I hadn’t felt about other old songs because I felt more connected to it. 

You’ve done this for a while but as of recent, your jam video clips have been picked up by the Twitter world and have provided you with a much larger audience. How has it been getting such a large positive perception? Did you ever expect the videos to take off like they did?

It’s been really crazy having them take off like that! I’ve always gotten a positive response from those videos but never on such a broad scale, and I never expected them to reach as many people as they have. It’s been a really awesome and empowering tool during this isolation time when every other aspect of my life has slowed down. 

You recently put out your newest single ‘Afterglow.’ Can you walk me through a little bit of the origins of the song? 

I wrote Afterglow around two years ago, about an unhealthy friendship that sort of tuckered out over the span of a few years. The lyrics are basically all the things I wish I had been able to say to that person but never did. I wrote the verses first and kind of forgot about it, and then ended up coming back to the demo almost a year later and finished it off. Then I took the demo to Braden (my drummer and producer) and we re-recorded everything at his studio Marquee Sound, and he added his magic touch to it, as he always does! 

What can be expected from up-coming releases that might surprise others? What else can you share?  

Gigs have been cancelled for now, but I’m still doing live streams every now and then. I have a lot more music coming out this year, and of course, will continue with the Instagram/twitter jam videos!