FEATURE: Spotlight: Cloudy June — Music Musings & Such

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Cloudy June

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A name that everyone should have in their minds…

Cloudy June an artist who has been making music for a little while, but it is clear she is on the rise and capturing a lot of praise and attention right now. I am going to come to some recent interviews soon. Before that, in 2020, DNü chatted with the Berlin-based musician:

“22 year-old Berlin-based singer-songwriter Cloudy June was the lead singer of a death metal band before deciding to focus on her solo career. We had the opportunity to have a conversation about her new chapter as an independent indie pop artist.

As you may already know, we love discovering new artists who create the style of music we feature here on DNü. What we also love, are artists who have an interesting story to share with potential new fans and Cloudy June’s come up is very interesting. She was the lead singer of a death metal band for three years, and if you’re not familiar with death metal, check this link and find out for yourself. Okay, yes we know it’s loud and they all look scary, and all that judgemental nonsense you’re probably thinking of but do you know how skilled as a vocalist you have to be to growl without damaging your voice? It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but we totally respect Cloudy June for doing that style of music and keeping her voice in tact and as captivating as ever. As a newly independent artist who now creates indie pop with sprinkles of emo here and there, she has already secured and editorial playlist on Spotify made it to the Top 30 of the HypeMachine Charts with her single “High Waist to Hell”. And she’s back with her latest offering “Goodbye to Honeymoon”— her best release thus far. The only way is up from here and we were lucky enough to have a chat with her.

How are you doing?

Hey, thanks for having me! Doing great!

Nice! At what age were you exposed to music?

Before I was born my mother played guitar while being pregnant with me. And I think that was actually my first encounter with music. After that, I remember listening to music a lot in my childhood, especially with my dad.

That sounds so cool. So you come from a musical background?

My mother sings and plays guitar and writes songs since I can remember.

Oh yes. Who were some of the artists that inspired you growing up?

A German punk-pop band called Killerpilze. They were my idols when I was like 8 years old. Later when I was about 13 and began writing more songs, one of my biggest idols were Courtney Love and the singer-songwriter Jake Bugg.

How did you get into death metal?

I joined the band at my school after a friend pushed me to it (thank you Kerim). At that time I was already into Hard Rock and Metal Bands, like Judas Priest and AC/DC. Through our guitarist, I discovered the first real Death Metal bands who’s music I actually enjoyed. My favourite one to this day being the Swedish Prog Metal Band Opeth. I also stumbled across Arch Enemy, which was the first time that I ever heard a woman do screaming vocals. And that was the moment when I thought: Damn, I wanna do that too!

Wow, amazing stuff. How did you find the experience, you know, being the lead singer of a death metal band?

It was hella fun but it was also challenging. I had to learn a completely new vocal technique and I definitely did it wrong for the first couple of months. But as I got better and better it made me feel very powerful and it allowed me to express myself in a whole new way. Which is the part that I miss the most about it now.

What made you decide to open a new chapter?

Making music has always been my dream. And I realised that in the band we had different goals, different ambitions. I slowly started playing my first solo gigs and after thinking about it for a looong time I finally decided that it’s time to move on and focus on my solo career.

How would you describe your sound now in your own words?

Pop music, but make it a little emo”.

There is tremendous and enticing sea of new artists coming through. Whilst it is exciting to discover them, it is impossible to hear about every worthy act to watch closely. It is clear that Cloudy June is someone who captured a lot of hearts back in 2020, but she has built this reputation as someone who is going to have a very long career ahead. Real name Claudia Verdecia, everyone needs to ensure that Cloudy June is on the radar. The last couple of years have been so productive and strong from an artist who grows in stature. Her 2022 E.P., Unthinkable, has been followed by fantastic singles this year, You Problem and Love Under the Influence. The E.P. won some incredible reviews, and there are a lot of eyes trained her way now. I am going to wrap up with a couple of 2023 features/interviews. This year is one where the amazing Cloudy June has been marked out for success. The Line of Best Fit spotlighted Cloudy June back in February. The reason I am posting about here now is that she is current on her Does Your Girlfriend Tour? She plays London on Wednesday (12th). I know that there will be a lot of press interest around that gig:

“Having spent the past three years building a fanbase online with her tongue-in-cheek pop-rock bops and equally clever and assertive TikToks, Claudia Verdecia is now reconciling her online success with in-person reality. Having battled stage fright on her recent sold-out headline tour, she’s gearing up for forthcoming European dates with a healthy mix of vocal lessons and therapy sessions.

Born and raised in Berlin, Verdecia’s early inspirations spanned from Judas Priest to Rihanna to a certain British guitar-wielder. “I had a mad obsession with Jake Bugg for a long time,” she laughs. “I wanted to learn how to do a British accent, but it sounded like a German person trying to speak English, so I quit there and accepted my German accent.”

Taking guitar lessons from the age of nine, Verdecia began to write songs alongside her learning, eventually dropping the classes and teaching herself to play. “When I was thirteen, I was really convinced that I was gonna have to be a world star and make music,” she explains. “I was like, this is what I’m gonna do. There’s nothing else that makes sense to me. That’s when I started to think of it as something I really wanted to make out of myself.”

Signing with Columbia in Germany, she flew to LA with TVVINS for writing sessions. Battling with a sense of imposter syndrome, Verdecia found herself in the room with fellow artist emlyn. “She was kinda like my idol. I was nervous to meet her,” she smiles. “She actually had the idea to write a song called “You Problem”.

Out today and featuring emlyn, “You Problem” is a riptide of empowerment and observational humour wrapped in vibrant melody, both singers complementing each other with a soulful rapport. “Men are like, ‘Women don’t want to go on dates with me,’ and it’s like, maybe it’s because you’re being so fucking aggressive about it? So maybe that’s a you problem!” she laughs.

As well as giving Verdecia the opportunity to call out misogynists on TikTok by way of promo, the collaboration reinforced her goal to build a platform outside of Germany. “I’m always thinking about my music being international and I feel like there’s so many artists who want to be international and it doesn’t work out. They try and they try and then they start doing music in German and it works,” she explains. “I was always like, I don’t want to do that. I want to do something that resonates with people everywhere”.

I will round off with an interview from WONDERLAND. You can feel a lot of excitement build around Cloudy June. I am keen to see her play live very soon. If you get the chance to go and see her, then make sure that you do. This iconic artist is going to go a very long way indeed:

“At 24 years old, Cloudy June is emerging within the Berlin music scene as one to watch. Unapologetically feminist, and a queer icon – June’s musical oeuvre interrogates our heterocentric, patriarchal society, tackling issues like sexuality and equality head-on. Getting her start as the frontwoman of a death metal band, June has changed gears – on a one track journey to cultivating her own sound.

Infusing her current work with the shock value and raw energy of metal, her pop-leaning sound merely provides a new canvas for June to explore social taboos. Beginning to amass a steady online following, her independent releases have skyrocketed to over 40 million streams – and she’s got the IRL following to boot. Selling out a headline tour in Germany, and set to embark on an extensive European tour – her new single “Devil Is A Woman” is adding more fuel to the fire.

A church bell rings in the beginning of “Devil Is A Woman”, while June immediately asserts that sexuality is hers, and hers only. A dark-pop, sex-positive anthem, the track’s production prowess captivates listeners, while lyrics like “Your paradise sucks, but your hell sounds good to me” cut through like blades. Electro embellishments shimmer, while toe-tapping beats underpin June’s sultry vocal chops. Subverting religious imagery, “Devil Is A Woman” is a bold declaration against the forces that be, which set out to oppress women’s freedom.

June’s 2023 European headline tour is on the horizon, where she’ll blaze through the UK, Germany, and France – among others. Before she heads off on her whirlwind tour, we managed to sit down with June and get some more insight into what makes her, her. From religious parents, and stage fright to her metal beginnings – we’ve got all bases are covered.

Can you tell us something we couldn’t read about you anywhere else?

I have that strong urge to publish poetry or short stories one day. I might do it soon, using a fake name, who knows. And I feel like I would be a good erotic novel author – I’ve never told that to anyone before!

Your independent releases have racked up over 40 million streams. Can you talk about the growth of your real-life following and your first headlining tour of Germany?

It’s wild to me what is achievable with songs and a dream. I’ve been trying to find my audience for years, reinventing myself, and trying to find out who I am. Now it feels like I’ve finally found my place. That realness resonates with people and makes them wanna come to my shows and hear the songs live.

Your new single “Devil Is A Woman” and its official video have been well-received on TikTok. Can you tell us more about the concept and message behind the song?

Devil Is A Woman is a song about breaking free from ways that people have tried to take control over your life, your beliefs, and your sexuality. If who I am does not fit in your “heaven” then I would rather be happy in hell.

As a rising feminist and queer icon, how do you hope your music and message will inspire and empower others?

When I was younger, I looked up to Courtney Love. I rewatched her old performances and her interviews. I felt like she was the definition of unapologetic, and she inspired me to pick up my guitar more and to speak up. Today I get messages of people telling me that my music helped them to feel more confident or even to come out to someone. That’s when you really feel the impact that the songs have. And it almost feels like a full circle moment, that I get to inspire people now the way people like Courtney have inspired me – and I’m really grateful for that”.

If you have not heard the amazing Cloudy June, then take some time to listen to her music and revel in the magnificent. As she is currently touring and about to play London, that will lead to a new wave of interest and support here. After a magnificent E.P. last year, many will ask when an album is coming. That cannot be too far away. Until that comes, be thankful for…