Q&A: flipturn Illuminates Vulnerability and Resilience with New Single “Sunlight”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
Photos By Amanda Laferriere
EMERGING FROM THE INTROSPECTIVE DEPTHS OF THEIR FORTHCOMING ALBUM BURNOUT DAYS, indie-rock powerhouse flipturn delivers a poignant and personal narrative with their latest single, “Sunlight.” Frontman Dillon Basse taps into an emotional wellspring, reflecting on the complexities of addiction, resilience, and family dynamics through vulnerable lyricism and angsty, grungy instrumentation. Inspired by a deeply personal moment with his sister and mother, Basse turns heartbreak into a cathartic anthem that resonates with raw honesty and an underlying sense of acceptance.
The Florida-born five-piece—composed of Dillon Basse, Tristan Duncan, Madeline Jarman, Mitch Fountain, and Devon VonBalson—has built a reputation for crafting music that marries emotional authenticity with infectious energy. From their high school garage band beginnings to headlining sold-out tours and playing bucket-list venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre, flipturn’s journey has been one of grit, growth, and connection. “Sunlight” stands as a shining example of the band’s ability to translate deeply personal experiences into universal themes, offering listeners a song that is both cathartic and comforting.
With Burnout Days set to release on January 24, flipturn continues to explore themes of endurance, emotional exhaustion, and finding hope amidst life’s challenges. As the band gears up for their biggest U.S. headline tour to date, “Sunlight” serves as a powerful entry point into the album’s emotional world, connecting fans to the band's heart and humanity.
We had the chance to chat with Dillon Basse to discuss the story behind “Sunlight,” the vulnerability of songwriting, and what fans can expect from Burnout Days.
LUNA: "Sunlight" is such a powerful track, capturing an incredibly personal moment between your sister and mother. Can you walk us through the story behind this song and what it was like to write something so close to your heart?
BASSE: I remember first starting on the lyrics the day I found out that my mom was going back to rehab. The story itself, however, is more about family as a whole. It’s about accepting the worst parts of ourselves and others close to us because ultimately that is what we grow the most from.
LUNA: What emotions did you feel when you first started writing "Sunlight," and how did those feelings shape the lyrics and sound of the track?
BASSE: There was definitely a sadness, but as I said before, there was this overwhelming sense of acceptance. I love my family so much and wouldn’t change a thing about them. Though there’s a heavy feeling to the song, a lot of the writing is also a little satirical. These words didn’t just come out of thin air; they are all things we openly talk about with each other and give each other shit for sometimes.
LUNA: The line “Amy’s on her way to rehab again” is both raw and haunting. How did you approach balancing that vulnerability in the lyrics with the angsty, grungy instrumentation that drives the song?
BASSE: It felt like the theme of the lyrics fit very well with the instrumentation off the bat. Just a pure raw dump of some shit that was going on in my life, and the angsty, grungy feel I think is perfect for those kinds of lyrics.
LUNA: Writing about family and personal challenges can be a delicate process. Did you have any hesitations about sharing such a personal story with your audience? How did you decide that this was a story you wanted to tell through music?
BASSE: I did have a little hesitation after I wrote the lyrics, but I have always been very vulnerable and very personal in my songwriting. I’ve found people are able to connect more and let themselves be a little more vulnerable when they hear it from somewhere else. I was definitely scared at first for my mom to hear it, but afterwards we talked and she said she loved that I wrote a song about our family. Just a few weeks ago, she officially hit one year sober. She is and always has been my biggest inspiration, and in this past year of sobriety, I’ve seen her inspire so many others around her as well.
LUNA: "Sunlight" touches on the themes of addiction and resilience. What has the reaction from fans been like, and what do you hope listeners will take away from it, especially those who might be going through similar experiences?
BASSE: So far, fans have seemed to like it, but we haven’t played it too often, so the true response will come when it’s officially released. I hope it does for others what writing this song did for me. I hope it changes an inner narrative of only being sad about fucked-up shit in our lives. That’s not to say I don’t think we shouldn’t be sad about those things because I believe it’s important to feel our emotions rather than push shit down. It’s more about seeing the hard parts of our lives and knowing those are what have helped us grow the most.
LUNA: How does "Sunlight" fit into the larger themes of Burnout Days, which seems to explore endurance, emotional exhaustion, and finding hope? Was this song a central part of the album's concept from the beginning?
BASSE: The central theme always just seems to be what’s going on in our lives at the time we are writing. There was never a plan to write an album all about “burnout,” but rather, subconsciously, I think these themes just found their way into the lyrics as we made the album. It is also possible, however, that at the time we were writing the album, I was a little more hyper-aware of the causes and effects of things like emotional exhaustion, coping habits, and being able to find hope through it all.
BASSE: Burnout, addiction, and family dynamics are themes that resonate with so many people. What do you hope listeners take away from "Sunlight" and Burnout Days as a whole? ⁃ To feel less alone. To feel like there isn’t something wrong with them if they are also dealing with similar emotions and circumstances.
LUNA: What intentions do you have for the fall season / beyond?
BASSE: Burnout Days is officially out on January 24, and we’re super excited to be bringing the new album across the U.S. for a headline tour which kicks off in late February and runs through April. These will be our biggest rooms we’ve played to date, with stops in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and more.
