MUNA
BY JACKSON MCCOY ILLUSTRATIONS BY CASSIDY WOODS
Indie-pop trio MUNA has elevated the art of unabashedly queer music for years, yet is not incredibly well-known among LGBTQ+ audiences outside of the hit song “Silk Chiffon.” However, the band’s impact on all things queer culture and beyond can not be understated.
Hailing from Los Angeles, MUNA members Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson were all undergraduate students at the University of Southern California when they met in 2013. Though Maskin and McPherson had both been playing ska music together for some time, their collaboration with Gavin produced a pop song, leading them to switch to the genre they have crafted their music in ever since.
The following years were a whirlwind for the band. MUNA released its debut EP “More Perfect” in 2014, leading to a deal with the highly influential record label RCA Records. The trio would go on to release its major label debut EP “Loudspeaker” in 2016, followed shortly by the full-length debut album “About U” in 2017.
Of course, these music releases coincided with an impressive set of performances. MUNA performed at Lollapalooza in the summer of 2016, toured across the U.S. in 2016, and joined Harry Styles as an opener on his North American and European tour dates. The group made late-night show appearances, contributed to multiple soundtracks, and released another album titled “Saves The World” — all things a major up-and-comer in the indie music scene can do to be considered successful.
However, MUNA’s incredible shows and music were apparently not performing as well as RCA Records was hoping they would. After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Gavin, Maski, and McPherson were dropped from RCA for reportedly “not making enough money,” a fact that was revealed in a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone.
For some, this would be the end. But for MUNA, the show wasn’t over.
Shortly after being dropped from RCA, MUNA was signed to the Phoebe Bridgers-owned label Saddest Factory, where the trio has been delivering its signature gay anthems ever since. In 2021, MUNA released the popular song “Silk Chiffon” featuring Bridgers, as well as a “But I’m A Cheerleader”-inspired music video alongside it.
Following the release of “Silk Chiffon,” MUNA has stayed incredibly active. Appearances on more late-night shows, touring with Kacey Musgraves, and even opening for Taylor Swift on select dates of her massive Eras Tour are all on MUNA’s resume.
MUNA’s electronic, synth-pop energy alone should be enough to solidify the band’s place as indie royalty; McPherson and Maskin’s masterful guitar work on top of Gavin’s ethereal vocals create lush songs about queer love for queer people. The group’s earnest, longing songwriting, combined with the individual members’ queer identities further emphasizes the need to bring MUNA into the spotlight.
