Q&A: Pieces of Juno Take Us on a Trip to Jupiter With Latest Album ‘Atlantis’
DREAMY, EVANESCENT, AND PLAYFUL — Pieces of Juno’s sound has a little bit of everything. A stage name that occurred to the artist in a dream, she even changed her birth name to Juno in 2016 as she reached her “sonic destination as a composer, producer, and performer,” coinciding with the arrival of the Juno space probe on Jupiter.
The titles of Pieces of Juno’s albums have a mythological feel — starting with Kalopsia and Tacenda in 2017, she then released Metanoia in 2019 and Euthymia in 2020. Now, with her latest album, Atlantis, released in October 2023, she once again takes us on a journey across galaxies, as we follow her delicate vocals overlaid on each other.
Read below to get this intriguing artist on your radar.
LUNA: Who is Pieces of Juno? How and when was the project born?
PIECES OF JUNO: The Pieces of Juno project was born in 2013, as the name came to me in a dream. When I woke up and did my research, I found two stories that interested me. The first one was about the Juno space probe that was on its way to Jupiter. The second was the mythological aspect of the goddess Juno as the keeper and protector of Rome's women.
Pieces of Juno became my playground to experiment as a producer and composer, and in the beginning, I was reluctant to reveal my gender. The music was mostly instrumental, and I enjoyed being noticed on SoundCloud, where I was referred to as "man” and "dude" a lot. As the space probe entered Jupiter's atmosphere in 2016, I also arrived at my sonic destination as a composer, producer, and performer, and I changed my birth name to Juno to coincide with the arrival at Jupiter. After my arrival, I've released five albums (on vinyl). Atlantis is the fifth, and it is out now. I've used sounds from the Juno space probe on my fourth album, Euthymia.
LUNA: How has your music changed within the past few years?
PIECES OF JUNO: It has changed a great deal. I started out making electronic avant club music for gritty basements, as well as DJing a lot in the underground scene in Oslo. Eventually, I came back to my roots as a singer-songwriter, and the project gradually took another form and got equally more acoustic and mature.
LUNA: Who are your biggest musical influences?
PIECES OF JUNO: I listened a lot to blues and Spice Girls as a child. Films have always been a huge inspiration to my work, and I draw upon mythology, literature, and art.
LUNA: Could you introduce your favorite singles you've released so far?
PIECES OF JUNO: In my whole career? It must be "Ocean Floor" from my third album, Metanoia, and probably "Sense Of Self" from [Atlantis]. "Silence in Secrets" from Euthymia is also a favorite.
LUNA: How did you develop your style? Will you experiment with other genres in the future?
PIECES OF JUNO: I developed this style over a period of 10 years, and I did it by not thinking too much about fitting into an industry standard — I'm opposed to being locked down as one type of artist or genre. For me, music has always been about experimenting, playing, researching, and releasing trauma. Performing arts is an act of exorcism and a powerful tool that is available to everyone. I don't plan to go this way or that way, I just do.
LUNA: What inspired “Sense of Self”? How did it come to life?
PIECES OF JUNO: “Sense of Self” is about this alienating feeling of self and being looked at, and the cognitive dissonance of being human in a time where we need to change lifestyle to save our species from extinction. On November 8, the UN reported that the global production of fossil fuel is actually doubling instead of decreasing.
The song is also about societal beauty standards for women, aging, and self-acceptance. It is the second single from Atlantis, and I knew I wanted a fast-track, stressful arrangement to signify these emotions but also the empowered, self-assured, and whimsical witch/healer as an overarching entity.
LUNA: Who produces your tracks? How do you choose which producers to work with? Do you have some dream producers you'd like to work with?
PIECES OF JUNO: I produce my tracks. I have had bad experiences working with male producers. Either they wanted to change me or fuck me, so I needed to protect my vision from the vultures. I learned to produce, arrange, and record and I am now in complete control over my artistic vision. This is where I want to be.
LUNA: Is music your main occupation at the moment? If not, how are you conciliating your day job with your music career?
PIECES OF JUNO: No, I'm currently studying for an MFA in filmmaking at The Norwegian Film School. I'm changing course — I want to merge music with filmmaking.
LUNA: Have you ever been on tour? If not, would you like to embark on one?
PIECES OF JUNO: Yes, but not with Pieces of Juno. Touring is exciting and draining, and I can't imagine doing it again.
LUNA: Who's your dream feature?
PIECES OF JUNO: If I could choose from beyond this reality, it would be Nina Simone.
LUNA: Where do you see yourself in one year as a musician?
PIECES OF JUNO: I see myself as a filmmaker who weaves stories, imagery, and music
