Photo Courtesy of Atlantic Records
For Nashville based artist MUNN, creating music has served as a source of healing. When confronted with the devastation of a broken engagement, he picked up a guitar and wrote his latest single, “I Lost Myself.” Through smooth vocals and intricate guitar fingerpicking, MUNN expresses the relatable and raw emotions that come along with heartbreak.
MUNN opened up to ECHO about the single, healing and what fans can look forward to next.
How did you first get interested in music?
Through my younger years, I never thought of myself as a musical person. My mom was actually the one that talked me into joining choir in highschool. From there it just evolved into me casually writing songs from time to time and messing around on the guitar. Eventually, making music became my way of healing from a broken engagement and, subsequently, I quit school to pursue music full time.
Who did you listen to growing up and did they influence your sound today?
Growing up, I listened to a wide variety of music. Artists such as Coldplay all the way to Eminem were constantly on shuffle. It’s hard to pinpoint the music that may have influenced my sound today. I don’t think there is one specific artist or band I take after stylistically.
For those who aren’t familiar with your music, how would you describe your sound?
I’ve always had trouble explaining the “sound” of my music. I think the best way I could describe it is “soft pop”. There is almost always an acoustic guitar in my songs, and I have no plan of changing that. My music is often built around an acoustic guitar picking pattern either my producer Dylan Stiles or I come up with.
You’ve noted that music was what helped you heal after a broken engagement? What about music did you find particularly healing?
Yes, music was definitely part of my healing process from the broken engagement. It wasn’t listening to other artists’ music, but rather the process of expressing myself through my own music that I found healing in. I felt like I was finally able to make sense of all my pain.
What inspired you to write your latest single, “I Lost Myself”?
There was a lot of inspiration that went into “I Lost Myself.” I wanted to write something that was true to myself and what I was going through. Moreover, I wanted the song to be something others could relate to. In writing this, I hoped to paint my struggle of feeling weighed down and defeated by my past mistakes. No matter how hard I try to escape these mistakes, it feels like around every corner they’re one step behind me.
I feel like too many people feel bogged down by their past, and I want them to know they’re not alone in that struggle; this song was more or less a way of me expressing that.
What did the writing process look like for “I Lost Myself” ?
The song was actually written around the guitar that can be heard throughout the track. I played the guitar on loop and wrote the song in no more than an hour or so. At the time, I was recording out of my bedroom in Indiana and had minimal equipment for doing so. It was one of those songs that just came together so fast. From writing to recording, it all just felt right.
What was the inspiration behind the music video “I Lost Myself”?
A lot of thought and planning went into this video. For quite a while I had actually been hesitant and a little scared to shoot a music video for “I Lost Myself;” I knew it would be difficult to encapsulate my feelings from the song into a 3 minute visual. I can however confidently say we’ve been able to accomplish that. The biggest goal for the video was fitting as much of a story line into that 3 minutes as we could and have it relatable. It tells the story of a broken relationship, but does it in a way I think is fresh and unique. It wouldn’t have been possible without the team of people that worked on the video. The videographer/director/editor Jake Heidecker and his company Jelly House brought everything to life in this video. And of course a huge thank you to everyone else that helped out with it; from my manager Dylan Stiles to my roommate Andrew Monheim who let me steal his mattress and ruin it for the opening scene.
If you could set fans up in the perfect environment to listen to “I Lost Myself,” what do you imagine it looking like?
As depressing as it sounds, “I Lost Myself” is one of those songs best listened to alone. If I had to set up the perfect scene for listening to it, this is what it’d be: Out on a drive, alone, clear skies, sun is setting, a nice breeze, and just taking a minute to reflect on the past and letting the song sink in.
What has it been like to see such a positive response to “I Lost Myself” and your other music?
When I released “I Lost Myself” I had just come off a failed EP that flopped horribly; I was in a tough spot as an artist and wasn’t pulling the amount of streams I’d hoped I would be after the EP. I knew the song was something special when it was completed, but to see the numbers it’s done and the responses it’s garnished has been incredible. There was just an unexplainable feeling my manager Dylan Stiles and I had about this song before we released it; We really believed in its potential, and it has meant the world to see people validate that. Having this positive response to I Lost Myself as well as many of my other songs has been incredibly motivating.
What can fans look forward to next?
I may be biased, but I believe fans have a lot to look forward to. They can expect a ton of new music and other content. I have so much I’m working on and can’t wait to share! I plan to start making a lot more videos for YouTube and overall just upping the volume and quality of content in general!
What is one quote that you have heard or that you go by that you want to ECHO out to the World?
“Why not you?” This quote motivates me every day. I don’t think it’s a quote anyone is known for saying, but it’s just a thought I have regularly. In an industry as competitive and cut-throat as music, it’s easy to get discouraged. Some days you just have to give yourself the benefit of the doubt, believe you’ll make it, because “why not you” …someone has to do it.