Toronto native, Luna Li is a multi-instrumentalist who has been on the rise for the last year, culminating with music videos, multiple interviews from Nylon to Paper, and even a Spotify billboard. If that weren’t enough, she has been announced as the opener for Japanese Breakfast on their 2021 tour. Luna Li chatted with me about her music process, some of her inspirations, and her bond with an unlikely instrument not seen too much in the indie music scene. Stream her latest release, Alone But Not Lonely, below after reading. Enjoy! 

I read about your ability to only focus when you are solely alone. Why is this important for your music creating process?

• When I’m alone I feel like my energy can settle into a creative and focused place with no distractions. Having space to feel like I can try anything freely without worrying about someone hearing me is really important to me. 

It seems as though you connect very well to the harp. What brought you to pick up that instrument and play, as it is not too popular in the indie world?

• I’ve always thought the harp was really beautiful, and when I briefly went to university for violin in classical music, the friends I made there also loved the harp, and we would sit in our dorm and listen to harp pieces together. After I dropped out of music school, my mom rented me a harp for my birthday since I’d been talking about wanting to learn it! 

Who are some of your heroes when it comes to music and film? What about these artists inspires you to create what you do?

• Some of my musical heroes are Moses Sumney, Solange, Melody’s Echo Chamber, and Tame Impala. What inspires me most about these artists is that they create incredibly compelling and authentic art without compromising their vision. In terms of film, I love Miyazaki - the worlds he creates are so imaginative and beautifully done. 

What is your favorite album of all time and why?

• I don’t know that I could choose a favourite album of all time, but during isolation my favourite album has been Sensitive Soul by Hope Tala. Her exploration of what it means to be sensitive is super relatable to me, and her lyrics and voice are so beautiful. The music makes me feel so light and good which is such a welcome feeling given the state of the world right now. 

In a world that constantly tests your patience when it comes to pursuing your dreams, what keeps you going?

• What keeps me going is the feeling that I’m meant to be doing this. I can’t even really picture myself on any other path. There are definitely hard times, but it’s also so rewarding to connect with people around the world through music, and to be a part of creative communities. 

You are very self-aware about the fact that there are not many Asian women in the indie music scene, but more are getting the recognition they deserve! What does it feel like to be on the forefront for not only women but Asian women in the music scene as an artist?

• Representation is really important to me since I never really saw myself represented in the music and film world growing up, and I don’t want young Asian-American girls growing up now to have that same experience. It’s really incredible when when young women come up to me at shows or send me messages saying that they feel inspired by me. I feel very honoured to be a part of this movement. 

Thanks for the conversation Luna Li.