Los Angeles-based troubadour Susy Sun’s stands poised after release of her sophomore album On Ivar Hill in 2023.
Sun began writing songs at her Casio keyboard when she was 10 years old. As one of six children and surrounded by the apple orchards of rural Washington, music was an emotional outlet and an essential escape. She studied classical piano and grew up singing at church, both of which remain perceptible in her music today. Memories of sneaking into her fathers CD collection are fond - The Carpenters, Jim Croce, Selena, The Beatles, Mariah Carey, Carole King, The BeeGees. She never missed a school talent show and spent most of her hours isolated in a bedroom, documenting her earliest creations to cassette.
Sun spent her college years focused on classical piano and graduated with honors in business. After studying abroad in Spain, Sun dedicated the following four summers to teaching music in London and Switzerland. She spent a year of this period working for Microsoft as she found herself moving closer to realizing her aspirations. These were pivotal times for the young songstress as she developed the confidence to pursue her passion for music.
Sun’s formative years as a songwriter were spent in Seattle performing at legendary venues such as The Crocodile, Triple Door and Tractor Tavern. In 2016, she traded the stages of the Pacific Northwest for the studios of Los Angeles and teamed up with Grammy award-winner Dennis Herring (Modest Mouse, The Counting Crows, Elvis Costello). They recorded Sun’s debut LP, The Way The Wind Blows, which is a gem of a soundscape - weaving between pop, americana and classical genres while featuring a string quartet arranged by Alexander Rudd.
Sun’s much awaited sophomore album On Ivar Hill debuted in January of 2023. It was recorded in Los Angeles with co-producer Jason Soda and includes a well decorated cast of musicians. The songs were tracked to 2” tape with a live band and mini-orchestra. The setting provided an abundance of analog gear and vintage instruments, complimenting the purity of Sun’s lyricism and performance.