Interview With Dream Pop Artist Jaguar Sun
Interview by Christian Hernandez
August 23, 2023 — This week, I’m sharing with you Jaguar Sun, an up-and-coming artist whose sound washes over the listener, getting them lost in its guitars and synths. They have released a series of summer singles and have garnered much praise from their sophomore album, All We’ve Ever Known, a beautiful and dreamy album. Their works have been featured in HBO and Netflix shows and they are now on tour to share his work. I had the pleasure of meeting with them and chatting with them about their artistry and the incoming tour, The Super U Tour.
Chris: To our readers, tell us a little about yourself, who is Jaguar Sun?
Jaguar Sun: My name is Chris and I write and record dream pop under the name Jaguar Sun in my little home studio in Southern Ontario. What started as a passion project and thesis during my final year in college for graphic design later turned into my career and I’ve been pushing it since 2018!
Chris: How has tour been? What’s been the most exciting thing about it, or your favorite moment so far?
Jaguar Sun: Tour has been incredible so far, challenging but incredible. I find it’s the sharpest mix of ups and downs but the positives of seeing all these new places, meeting long-time fans of the project and making new ones, and playing music in places I never thought I’d be. It absolutely keeps me going and outweighs the hard aspects like these LOOOONG drives and being so far from home. My favorite part on this run so far was playing to our largest crowd yet in Denver, it was a free outdoor show in a beautiful park and there must have been over a thousand people there. Really proud moment for the band.
Chris: Going through your discography, I could not help but feel as if your music to me felt like a warm autumn breeze, taking me back for a moment to childhood and bringing me immediately back. How would you describe your sound to someone and how did you find it?
Jaguar Sun: I love this, I think that’s absolutely what I’m going for, I usually describe my music as dreamy, layered, and very nostalgic. I find a lot of inspiration in the things and moments that make me feel most nostalgic and I really love to bring that feeling into the songs I create.
Chris: I remember finding a case full of old hip-hop cds as a kid in my uncle’s room. From there, it grew into a lifelong passion and appreciation for music. Tell me, what is your earliest memory of music?
Jaguar Sun: Oh that’s a tough one. I think one of my earlier memories in music or at least one that really shaped how I appreciate music, is buying Justice’s Across The Universe Live album at random when I was younger. It was the first CD I bought and I just chose it because the cover art looked cool but it was the first time I remember really being hooked on music and a genre. I guess that ultimately led me to now even though I don’t create music in the electronic world I guess haha!
Chris: I have a deep love for cinema and when I listen to your work, I can’t help but imagine scenes with your work playing over them. I can see them playing over works like Juno or The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Are there any other forms of art or media that you pull inspiration from?
Jaguar Sun: I’ve actually never written music that was directly inspired by another form of media, not that I can remember at least, but I absolutely love the pairing of music and cinema and it’s always been a goal of mine to create something based on a strong visual theme whether it’s a movie or a show. Lately, I find that just constantly listening to new music keeps me inspired.
Chris: When it comes to being an artist, there’s always something driving you, motivating you to pursue your passion. What is that for you?
Jaguar Sun: I think that’s sort of shifted over time, when I started I was just super inspired by the music I was listening to at the time like Youth Lagoon, Real Estate, Fruit Bats, Animal Collective, etc… and I wanted to be a part of that world and create something that was my own. Just having the ability to have full creative control over something where I could express myself was motivation enough but now there’s a new layer where there are people who listen and appreciate the project or take something from it and that means the world and keeps me motivated to continue to create as well.
Chris: If you weren’t making music in your genre, is there another you’d pursue?
Jaguar Sun: I’d love to start a garage rock side project someday. Something loose and thrashy and fun, I love that genre of music so much.
Chris: Do you have a dream music collaboration?
Jaguar Sun: Collaborating is something I always used to shy away from, I’m so used to working on everything alone but I’ve really grown to love it over the last year working with bands like Husbands. I think a dream collab for me would be someone like Fruit Bats or Toro Y Moi or Youth Lagoon now that they’re back in it. The list could go on though.
Chris: How do you see yourself right now vs. when you first started? Where do you see yourself from here?
Jaguar Sun: I feel like I’ve grown a lot since I started both as a writer and producer and now with all the live stuff I’ve been doing with my band and friends. When I started the project I was dead set on never playing live, the idea made me incredibly anxious and I didn’t know how to play and sing at the same time, I didn’t want to bother with it but now I’m on a tour across the states. It’s incredibly surreal and I’m really proud of how far things have come. I hope down the road I can just continue to grow, play more shows, hopefully, larger ones, and continue to write music I love and care about!
Chris: To close out, what’s the best piece of advice you have gotten as an artist, and is there any you’d like to give to anyone out there who’s watching?
Jaguar Sun: I know many people say it but someone said to remember the golden days while you’re in them to me recently which really helped me. I still get really anxious going out on these tours and getting caught up in the stress of all the numbers and growth and all the things that come with trying to build a music career but that reminder to be present during these days has been really important. I’m in the middle of doing some of the coolest things I’ve ever had the chance to do and I wouldn’t change it for a thing, I feel really lucky to be out here doing what I do. I’d say the same to anyone else doing the same thing!
You can catch Jaguar Sun during his Super U Tour, coming to a city near you. I’ll be seeing him at the Houston show on August 31st! Be on the lookout for coverage of the show and make sure to check out his music! It truly is something special that comes from the heart. It’s memories, childhood, love, and warmth in audio form.
KEEP UP WITH JAGUAR SUN HERE:
