Discovering June’s music split my mind. It centered around this voice that seemed to suddenly appear out of the ether in the most angelic and graceful way. Deeply emotive and raw, I didn’t expect its kaleidoscope of reflections of 60s/70s folk and more modern sounds. June’s 2023 EP, With Strings, opens with “Emerald River Dance,” a haunting track followed by a cover of the traditional Appalachian ballad “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair.” The EP continues with orchestrally arranged versions of June’s original songs, previously released on a self-titled EP in 2022. Acoustic guitar rings out with arpeggiated motion while the orchestra’s longer tones reverberate to surround June’s yearning melodies. With drum machine and synth, the first EP includes some elements of 80s pop and rock. At the same time, it builds an intimate, contemplative world that strikes me in a similar way that Sibylle Baier does with Colour Green. Whatever way you categorize her work, it clearly demonstrates authenticity and seamless diversity of style.
Although Black musicians throughout history have contributed significantly to guitar centered genres (folk, rock, etc..) they hardly ever receive recognition as such. Implications around which styles belong to each kind of person continue to rule the industry, but June’s work ignores what “should be” to embody intuitive creativity, unlocking endless possibilities–possibilities we all need to believe in.
June’s multidimensional affinity for music grew out of her teenage years, during which she learned guitar, inspired by Simon and Garfunkel and Lianne la Havas, and then studied vocal jazz in undergrad at The New School in New York City. A Jamaican folk musician, June’s grandfather also had a hand in shaping her appreciation, as did her father, who was a part of the MC scene in New York in the eighties.
I saw June perform on a shared bill with the compelling and talented Kara Jackson at Schubas Tavern. Illuminated by a bright, full moon the mid-summer night felt extra special because of the two phenomenal Black women on stage who used sound to vulnerably share themselves and their individuality in ways that I had never seen. Later in early September, I interviewed June about her journey in music. Thanks to June for being yourself and for allowing our conversation to continue beyond that night with your invaluable insights!
(Photo by Bella Newman)
We dove right into June’s feelings behind what she does.
June said, “the main reason I want to make music is to encourage people, specifically with folk music and genres that Black people have been shut out of. A lot of the folk music I listen to, a lot of the artists are white and I think about that period of time, the late sixties and early seventies, it just makes me so mad to think about how not diverse those communities were at that time, especially in New York.”
Music-making communities in NY are now evolved, however, not totally absent of the industry’s genre confines and categorizations. June understands how her uniqueness helps her stand out, but at the same time, she feels that the music itself is most important.
“I think the industry is an interesting place when you’re creating and people recognise that you’re different in the space that you’re creating stuff in. I really just want to make the best music possible and be open minded and free in that way. I don’t want to overshaw what I’m making,” June said.
Even in the knowledge of such challenges, June felt drawn to the art of songwriting and diy creation which eventually resulted in her stunning, dreamy EPs.
“Most of the time that I was working on it was during covid,” June said. “I was in college for music and I was like ‘ok I wanna make my own project’ and I had been compiling a little group of songs I had been writing and I thought ‘how do I start recording this?’ I tried to go to some studios and that was tricky. I didn’t know anything about recording cause I had been performing live and that’s a totally different art form. It took a long time, essentially. It took so many months and eventually after like a year. I realized that I really liked doing it on my own at home and I also was working on it with Evan, my partner. We both had a lot of time because of covid and we were patient. In the end I think the EP has a definite diy vibe. I feel like I’ve had insecurities about it but I think it’s special because it marks a time of me trusting myself to do it on my own with someone I really trust. We both were learning. The thing about making music that’s tricky these days is trying to listen to yourself over everyone else. Because it’s such a universal artform and everyone has a valid opinion about music. It’s so accessible. Like I’ll finish a recording and then, my parents aren’t musicians, but I’ll send some things to my parents and they’ll have good opinions about something I could change. Anyone can listen to music and have something to say about it. I worked for maybe three years on my EP kind of loosely in college and I didn’t really show anyone.. You should take as long as you want to record a project. Some days if you’re feeling kind of lazy or lost that’s so normal and just take your time. We are the ones that make the mental deadlines and they don’t really need to be there. If you show someone something and they’re not into it, but you’re into it, that’s fine. Not everyone is into everything or understands what you’re doing, but I think especially when you’re a new musician you really have to practice the muscle of trusting your own voice, which is really hard.”
When clouded by the noise of everyone and their opinions, tuning out to find her own voice was a patient process.
“I think I realized I could sing around ninth grade and honestly my voice was kind of weird at that time (laughs) like I’ll listen to recordings,” June said. “A lot of jazz spaces are very technical so I was very focused on technique for like four years. And then when I realized I wanted to grow outside of jazz, I kind of started thinking like, you know what, I don’t really wanna think about my voice in such a technical way. I feel like that’s when I really started to like what I was doing when I sang. When I do a show I don’t really do any warm ups because I just feel like the less I think about the technical performance of my singing the more connected I’ll be. Anyone that ever comes to me and they’re like, ‘hey I wanna get a voice lesson’ the whole lesson I’m just saying, ‘any anxiety you have, get rid of it.’ I love my voice so much more nowadays when I don’t think about technique. Your voice is completely connected to your body.”
She laughed remembering how differently her voice sounded years ago.
“The voice is so different from any sound-making thing or instrument. The crazy thing is I sound like another person and that’s the cool thing about the voice, it can only get better as you get older because you’re getting more comfy in your body, hopefully, more free in your sound, and I feel like every year my voice changes.”
June spoke with such gratitude regarding the experiences that allowed her to learn and grow alongside gifted musicians who have become important collaborators and mentors in her life. In the last couple of years, she has toured with Nick Hakim and Jessica Pratt, two artists she had been an admirer of and who ended up significantly influencing her work.
Recalling those memories brought us to discuss June’s ongoing experimentation with live shows. Typically, she and her bandmate and main collaborator Evan Wright play with cassette tracks, but gradually, they are moving toward a full band, perhaps along with new music.
“I’ve only played with a full band a couple times, I think recording is more so the space that I spend a lot of time thinking about,” June said. “I really wanna play with people that I really like, my friends, good people. I’m trying to figure out a band and I don’t take it lightly. It’s a super hard thing to figure out. Evan has only confirmed how important it is to have someone that truly understands you and makes music with you. He’s helped me grow so much as a musician.”
In these early stages, June expressed introspection about the self-discovery and evolution this career has brought about and looked to the gleaming possibilities of the future.
“This year has been the first year of doing this thing for real,” June said. “It’s a hard career. I’m a super social person but also an over-thinker. I’m trying to find how to deal with how social and vulnerable it is to share music. Sometimes I’ll forget to tell my mom that I’ve got a tour coming up haha. It can feel like a lot because it’s such a public thing.. sometimes you kinda wanna go hermit mode. I’m learning a lot about it and a huge amount about myself.. Maybe I’ll always feel this way in music.. Like anytime I play a show I’m maybe not fully satisfied.. Live shows are extra complicated because I have a hard time with the idea of being perceived by people, but with recording you have the space to reflect and make it the best version of yourself.. (recalling the Schubas show) Kara Jackson had the best stage banter I’ve ever seen by far.”
June returns to Chicago on September 27th at Hungry Brain. With Evan Wright opening, it is sure to be an alluring night that you do not want to miss. Then, she joins Clairo on the enchanting Charm tour in March 2025.