MUNA Was Broken Down, But They've Built Themselves Up Again

By Ilana Kaplan


At certain points, guitarist Josette Maskin, vocalist Katie Gavin, and guitarist Naomi McPherson asked themselves if they, as pop trio MUNA, were going have the ability to prepare another album soon after their 2017 debut, About U. Though it was well obtained, the three were eventually worn down by the road right after relentless touring. It abandoned them unsure about their future — and then they set out to create a new one. "I think the second record — the complete method of making it — really put everything on the line and put us to the test, also it really pushed all of our relationships with one another to an edge," Maskin told MTV News.


MUNA began off as a college musical group at the University of Southern California in 2013, and in the time it takes most people to earn a bachelor's degree, Maskin, Gavin, and McPherson self-released their debut EP, More Perfect, signed a major-label deal with RCA, released their debut major-label EP, Loudspeaker, and debut full-length album, About U. By the middle of 2017, the three were taking stage because the initial act for Harry Styles on his North American and European tour.


Nevertheless coming off the road two years prior was hard for them to cope with. Despite their markers of success, the trio was left wondering if they and their work were worthwhile. Post-tour, they felt disconnected and had to rebuild up their self-confidence as individuals.


The creation of their sophomore album, Saves the World — out September 6 and led by the infectious "Number One Fan" — became a way to do just that. "Making the record was a method of reclamation of ourselves as well as a method of growth," Maskin mentioned. It was hard. For them, it took a lot of "ego death" and "was very much a hero's journey." You can mention it's been their saving grace — a sentiment reflected right in the title. "We're not attempting to be a nihilistic musical group in 2019 that's like, just 'fuck it all.'" Gavin mentioned. "It's like, no, we really believe in saving the world, yet there's something fun about it as well."


Fun was definitely on the group's mind as they were writing the music, notably drawing inspiration from the lighthearted way Madonna's Ray of Light era put "spirituality in pop music," Gavin mentioned. They also drew vibes from Britpop bands like Oasis, Elastica, and Lush, while pulling a Katy-Perry-dressed-as-a-chandelier level of playfulness from Susan Sontag's Notes on Camp. Adding in some self-reflection, the musical group got involved with Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey, which impacted them so profoundly that it became a guide as they worked through their sophomore slump. Meanwhile, Mitski and Robyn offered songwriting cues. "That's nothing new for us," Gavin mentioned. However just having females continue to share their experiences in ways that are really truthful and cathartic, that's something that's habitually been a North Star for us."


To usher in their new era, MUNA shared their lead single "Number One Fan," a dark, house-tinged departure from their previous work, in early June. Any time because the musical group penned "Number One Fan," they knew it was a strong statement to create. "This record, overall, has been a process about having the faith in ourselves to take risks as a musical group, so that we can continue to grow," Gavin mentioned.


"So I heard the bad news / Nobody likes me and I'm gonna perish alone / In my bedroom / Looking at strangers on my telephone," Gavin sings on the track over thumping electronic pop pounded out by Maskin and McPherson. Layered with each other, the song builds a vivid visual for the way social media has worn down the way we view ourselves. "I think all three of us can relate to just scrolling on Instagram, on the Discover page, and getting to a place where that almost becomes [emotional self-abuse]," Maskin mentioned. "You begin feeling like total shit about yourself, because each person appears to be living a breathtaking life, and of course that's all curated just like everything online. Yet some days it really does feel like everybody fucking hates you and you're alone by yourself on your phone at house doing nothing with your life."


The song eventually climbs out of its black hole, much like MUNA did, feeding affirmations like "Love me in the way that only you could and serving as a conduit for the complete album's message. "The concept that we're attempting to push during the full record is this idea of learning about how to take care of yourself and take responsibility for yourself, and why that method of saving yourself can be ... The same thing as saving the world," Gavin mentioned. Because of that, "Number One Fan" seemed ripe for the introduction to Saves the World.


Although MUNA, whose three members all identify as queer, have not shied away from strong statements in their work. Penning singles like "So Special" for slut-shamed ladies and "I Know a Place" for the LGBTQ+ community, the trio have been influential in shaping the conversation in pop and in helping them become paramount voices in the current political climate. Despite "I Know a Place" becoming a rallying cry for the LGBTQ+ community, it became something the sort grappled with any time making their sophomore record.


"I think that song was really chosen by our community as a song that was going to assist them process specifically the Pulse [nightclub] shooting, yet it's a song that has become sort of an anthem," Gavin mentioned. "['I Know A Place'] in some ways shaped our career so far, also it posed a big challenge for us because it's a lot of responsibility, really, to be chosen as an artist [by] your community to mention 'this is a song that insinuates something to us.'" In turn, Saves the World became a response to the idea that MUNA started to mean something to so several people. "I think a lot of this record has been saying yes attempting to prepare stuff that is of use for other people," Gavin added. "Whether they're using it to process a tragedy or they're using it to celebrate something, I think we're at a position right now where we're really just saying yes to that and taking it on, although it could be scary to have that responsibility."


As inherently political individuals, MUNA do, in some ways, identify with being a political musical group. "We do stay in a time where a lot of artists are feeling empowered to engage with politics and not shy away from it, so I don't think it's unconventional in 2019 to necessarily be thought a political musical group McPherson mentioned. With their empowering messages, they have indeed garnered a larger fanbase, which they acknowledge. Yet despite their success for now — or perhaps because of it — they're mostly concerned with staying grounded, which is all they're attempting to mention with Saves the World. "I think it may be easy to begin relying on other people to validate you," Gavin mentioned. "And I think a lot of this record's process was recognizing that no matter what occurs to us as a musical group, how successful we get, at the end of the day, how we actually feel depends on our relationship with ourselves and why we're treating ourselves."