MONET.SUN Turns Belonging Into Movement
- Editorial Board
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
MONET.SUN opens up about Caribbean rhythm, Black-British identity, emotional honesty, and building a creative world that helps people feel more alive.
GHR: Hi Monet, pleasure to have you here. Your music feels atmospheric, emotionally honest, and deeply personal. What first inspired you to start making music?
MONET.SUN: Thanks for having me. Music was one of the first places where I felt understood without having to explain myself. I grew up very observant and emotionally sensitive, but also quite reserved in
certain ways, so music became a way for me to process things before I had the language to talk about them properly.
I also loved how natural it felt. Learning my voice felt freeing. I was absolutely that child listening to songs dramatically while staring out the window like I had just returned from war. Very committed to the bit.
Over time, though, it became less about escapism and more about connection. I realized music could genuinely shift people emotionally, physically, and even spiritually. That is what kept me attached to it.
GHR: Your live performances feel immersive and expressive. What do you hope people take away from your shows?
MONET.SUN: Honestly, I want people to leave feeling more alive. Not necessarily happy in a simple way, but activated, like something inside them woke back up.
I think we spend so much time condensing ourselves socially, online, and even in nightlife spaces sometimes. I love performances where people can feel embodied again, whether they are dancing, reflecting, laughing, or just letting themselves be present.
I am Caribbean, so movement is important to me. Even when a song is emotional, I still want people to feel like they experienced something with me, not just watched me perform. Whether that means deep reflection or simply catching a vibe, both are equally valuable to me.
GHR: “A Place To Belong” A-Side blends Afro-fusion, soulful textures, and introspective songwriting. What does your creative process usually look like when building a song?
MONET.SUN: Songs usually arrive as a feeling first. Sometimes it is a lyric, sometimes it is a melody or hook, and sometimes it is just a strong sense of direction. From there, I spend time figuring out what sonic world that feeling belongs in.
Over the last couple of years, I have written to tracks more often instead of having full songs simply drop out of the sky and into my lap. But I still love to improvise. If I do not know where a song wants to go yet, I will sing, rework, and follow the results until something reveals itself.
I am actually quite obsessed with simplicity. Not simplicity as in easy, but simplicity as clarity. If a song can communicate a complex emotional thesis in catchy shorthand, that is when I can really say to myself, “this is good.”
I want people to feel the intention before they notice the technique. Sometimes that means leaving the harmony sparse so the writing can read more like poetry or spoken word.
GHR: Themes of identity, emotion, femininity, and self-awareness seem to run through your work. What conversations do you hope your music brings into culture?
MONET.SUN: In a time where authentic emotion feels increasingly up for debate, both in relationships and in creativity, I think there is something powerful about using music to confront how we are processing our humanity.
I love artists like Kelela and Tems for that reason. Their music can move people physically, but there is also this raw, core-shaking emotional honesty inside it.
A lot of my work is about becoming, emotional clarity, femininity, softness, and reinvention, but not in a passive way. I often find myself asking, “How can I be as giving and as selfish as possible at the same time?”
I also want more conversation around how we receive Black female artists who proudly coexist with contradiction. Softness does not cancel out ambition. Sensuality does not cancel out intelligence. Women should not have to flatten themselves in order to be understood.
GHR: Your artistry feels both soulful and future-facing. What can people expect from this next chapter of your creative world?
MONET.SUN: More momentum. More honesty. More world building. And my Lord, more visuals. I am manifesting my cinematic counterpart as we speak.
Growing up between London, Brighton, and Barbados, I have spent a lot of time thinking about belonging, identity, and transformation. Existing between places has shaped not only the music I make, but also the way I see the world.
Every place you leave changes the way you understand home. Moving between different cultures has given me a deep appreciation for both community and individuality, and that naturally finds its way into the work.
Now, everything about me is becoming more embodied. My life feels more rooted and more communal than ever before.
I think there is a difference between escaping your feelings and transforming them.
For me, the best music does not distract us from what is happening. It helps us dance with it.
Sonically, I am interested in the intersection between Caribbean rhythm, Black-British identity, and emotional storytelling, fused with futuristic production.
The goal has never really been avoidance. It has always been about helping people feel more alive.
Through that lens, people can expect even more facets of myself to be on display.
Follow Monet Sun On Instagram
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monet.sun/
