Sunny Luwe Talks New Album ‘Feeling Good’, Burnout, and the Joy of Creating Music
Gold Coast/Kombumerri singer-songwriter Sunny Luwe is ushering in a bold new chapter with the release of her radiant new single Blue Skies and the announcement of her upcoming sophomore album, Feeling Good, out October 10. Blending sun-soaked pop with soul, R&B, and country influences, Blue Skies marks a creative reset for the three-time QLD Music Award finalist. Born from burnout and personal reflection, the track delivers a message of joy, creative freedom, and self-renewal – themes that define her upcoming body of work. We caught up with Sunny to chat about the meaning behind Blue Skies, her evolving sound, and what fans can expect from Feeling Good and her run of free shows across Queensland.
Hey Sunny! Congrats on the release of ‘Blue Skies’, how does it feel to have it out?
I’m absolutely stoked. Sometimes there can be mixed emotions on a release day. I mean I started writing this song almost a year ago, and also put so much time, effort, energy and money into recording the song and making the video. However the sentiment of the song is to let go of the need for external validation, so I kept reconnecting to that sentiment whenever I felt I was attaching to what I thought ‘should’ happen for this release to be successful, so on that note, I’m bloody stoked.
Plus, I had the best coffee and cinnamon scroll at Byron/Arakwal Country today and saw whales playing from Main Beach, I mean, whatta day.
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‘Blue Skies’ feels like a breath of fresh air, was there a particular moment or memory that sparked the idea for this track?
I started writing this track actually in the depths of burnout and in my first ever week of I Heart Songwriting Club. The theme was nature and I fell in love with the chorus melody, it was just so vibey from the get go. I’ll be honest. I totally bombed that term of I Heart and only did two weeks, but I got this song from it so yay!
I regularly write and record with my husband, Matthew Collins (okmattcollins, WHARVES) and together we finished the track and produced the song from our studio, Puppy Palace Studios – dedicated to our two Golden Retrievers- Huey and George.
Your new album is called ‘Feeling Good’, what does “feeling good” mean to you now compared to when you were working on Flowers in the Sky?
Burn out seems to be the theme of this interview. Lol. After I released Flowers in the Sky I was absolutely flogged and a bit ‘bummed out,’ to be honest. However I forgot the true treasure. I had just released my first ever album and achieved a huge life goal of mine. With that in mind I wanted to have as much fun as possible with the making of my next album, and that’s where the title and concept came from. I wanted it to ‘feel good!’
This theme infused everything from the songwriting to our recording approach – we worked with 7 different producers on this! Haha. And we had a blast, I’m so proud of Feeling Good. It’s super poppy. She has hella soul and heart and I gave this album everything I could!
You’ve blended R&B, soul, pop, and even country across your new music was that a conscious decision or something that just naturally unfolded in the studio?
Really this is honouring the songs I write and the music I love. I love big female vocalists and epic female artists. I grew up on Dolly Parton, Christina Aguilera, Tina Arena and later came to love Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Nancy Sinatra. The songs, the music, the sonic inspiration is tied strongly to those epic references.
You’ve spoken about reconnecting with the joy of creating, what do you do when you need to reset creatively or mentally?
Gosh, it’s a tricky thing to manage as an artist. For me, it’s regular and small breaks. A day hiking up at Springbrook with no phone reception. A sauna at my local gym. A yoga or pilates class once a week just for me. A slow aimless walk, and also creating, for the pure joy of it. Honouring little Sunny how creates with the same ease as the wind blows and the sun rises.
We love the vibrant energy in the ‘Blue Skies’ video, how did the concept come together and what was the most fun part of the shoot?
Thank you! It was so much fun to make (definitely a little stressful at times to coordinate) but I’m also so stoked with how it turned out. I wanted it to be fun, cheesy, wholesome and true to me and the song, and with that in mind we nailed the brief. Also, in the truest rockstar statement, my Nanna and Mum features in this film clip which is the absolute best!
With a run of free shows coming up, what can fans expect from your live set, will there be any sneak peeks of the album before October?
Definitely! Get yourself to a show and you can hear unreleased album tracks before they are out – and I’ll even get you to sing some of them with me! I’ve got some other fun things cooking too (which are still secret hehe) so find me on the socials if you want to keep up with all that’s happening. Also, I saw yesterday I get to share my second album release date with Baker Boy so yay!
With Blue Skies already lifting hearts and Feeling Good set to drop this October, Sunny Luwe is embracing a fearless new era rooted in joy, soul, and self-expression. Catch her live at one of her upcoming free shows across Queensland and be among the first to hear new material from the album. In a world chasing metrics, Sunny reminds us that the most powerful art is made from the heart.
Upcoming Shows:
8th Aug – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay| 8pm FREE
9th Aug – Distillery Road Market, Eagleby | 6pm FREE
10th Aug – QPAC for Clancestry (with Keely and Birren), Brisbane | from 5pm FREE
17th Aug – The Triffid, from 3pm with Hazel Mei, Brisbane | FREE
24th Aug – Chevron Island Street Party, Surfers Paradise | 2pm FREE
