INTERVIEW: MUNA on The Meaning of 'I Know A Place' & Album 'About U'
By Nicole Mastrogiannis
March 28, 2017
MUNA may describe their music as "dark pop," but the lyrics in their songs hold very important meaning, and can provide light for fans who need it, like on their single "I Know A Place."
Comprised of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson, the trio met while n college at the University of Southern California. Since 2013, the girls have released several singles, the most recent being "Crying on the Bathroom Floor," and two EPs. They also went out on tour last year across the US with indie rock band Grouplove. And recently in February, the band released their debut album About U, which features their hit single "I Know A Place," along with 11 other songs.
We recently caught up with MUNA in Los Angeles, and during an exclusive interview, the girls opened up about the meaning behind "I Know A Place," what it was like putting together their debut album, what fans can expect from the full-length record, and more. Check it out below.
What is the back story & meaning behind your single "I Know A Place?
"We wrote 'I Know a Place' to be like a contemporary anthem for the queer community. The LGBT community. We started writing it in 2015 after the Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriage, and it was a really celebratory song, but we also knew that there were a lot of people in our community who still don't feel safe. So we wrote it also as a message of safety and nonviolence. And then it took on a new meaning after the Orlando shooting. Now we're just really happy to have it, and to be able to perform it, and create a safe space for our fans."
What does it feel like to release your debut album About U?
"We finished the album during summer, so it kind of feels like we've been waiting for this to happen for a long time. Because it's been done for so long. But, we're excited for people to finally hear it so that, at our shows, people aren't hearing songs that they never heard before. Having more people singing the lyrics back to us is probably going to be the best thing."
What was it like putting About U together?
"We started as a band, and this album is just us for the past two years. It's our baby of us, growing up in a way. Like getting out of college, and like becoming actual adults ... or trying to do that. I'm going to self aggrandize, but when I think about the process of putting it together, it makes me so proud of us. We've changed so much and we've grown so much in all types of [ways]. We've grown up with the songs. But there's ripping at the seams, and then we came back together, and we have this union now that's so strong, so much stronger than ever before. And we also have this body of work that is kind of like a documentation of that whole process. It feels good."
Since your songs hold such a deep meaning, what can fans expect from the rest of the album?
"We're just being honest. We're trying to be as honest with ourselves as possible in telling the stories of our lives. It's not to say that we're sad all the time. But, we all have moments. We always say that we aim for people to be able to take whatever they need from the record. So if they want to go and just listen to a bop and dance in their car, hopefully they can find that on the record. But if it's meant to be a more cathartic experience, where they're really paying attention to the lyrics, we want them to have that too."
Tell us about your headlining tour?
"We're on our first headline tour, playing all across the US and Canada. It's cool. It was really crazy playing last night to a crowd of people that came to see you. It's very humbling. We're having a great time so far."