MUNA: The Queer Indie Pop Trio Redefining Modern Music
MUNA — stylized in all caps and pronounced "moon-uh" — is one of modern indie pop's most compelling success stories. Formed in Los Angeles in 2013, the trio of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson met while studying at the University of Southern California, where Gavin introduced McPherson to Maskin. What began as an experimental collaboration between two guitarists accustomed to ska and progressive rock and a vocalist with a gift for synth-driven pop quickly transformed into something entirely their own.
Their early sound took shape organically, evolving from raw experimentation into a polished blend of indie pop, synth-pop, electropop, and what some have called dark pop. In the summer of 2014, they self-released their debut EP, More Perfect, on Bandcamp and SoundCloud, generating enough buzz to earn them a coveted signing with RCA Records in the US and Columbia Records in the UK. By May 2016, they had released their major label EP, Loudspeaker, and were gaining serious momentum — including a Tiësto remix of their track Winterbreak and a high-profile appearance at Lollapalooza that same summer.
MUNA's debut full-length album, About U, arrived in February 2017, cementing their reputation as a band capable of crafting emotionally resonant, hook-laden pop. The record led to a slot as the opening act on Harry Styles' North American and European tour dates later that year — a significant leap that exposed the band to enormous new audiences. Their song I Know a Place also found cultural relevance beyond the charts, being featured in both The Carmilla Movie and the Netflix film Alex Strangelove, where its themes of queer self-discovery resonated powerfully.
Their sophomore effort, Saves the World, was released in September 2019, preceded by singles including Number One Fan, Who, Stayaway, and Taken. The album showcased a maturing songwriting voice and earned the band a devoted international following. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought an abrupt and painful chapter — MUNA was dropped by RCA Records, reportedly for "not making enough money." Rather than fading into obscurity, the setback proved to be a pivotal turning point.
In May 2021, MUNA announced they had signed with Saddest Factory Records, the independent label founded by musician Phoebe Bridgers in partnership with Dead Oceans. The move gave the band unprecedented creative freedom. Their first release under the new label, the single Silk Chiffon featuring Bridgers, was a buoyant, joyful declaration of queer love that quickly became a cultural touchstone. Rolling Stone praised its "uncharacteristically bright" spirit, and multiple publications ranked it among the best songs of 2021, with The Line of Best Fit placing it at number one.
What followed was the band's most triumphant chapter yet. Their self-titled third album, Muna, released in June 2022, was met with widespread critical acclaim and became their highest-rated album according to Metacritic. It charted across multiple territories, including the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200 — a first for the band. Singles like Anything But Me, Kind of Girl, and What I Want demonstrated a band fully in command of their identity, both musically and personally. They also contributed a cover of Britney Spears' Sometimes to the Hulu film Fire Island, further embedding themselves in the cultural fabric of queer storytelling.
The years following Muna saw the band reach extraordinary new heights. They performed to 15,000 people at the closing ceremony of WorldPride Sydney in March 2023, made their Coachella debut, and served as opening act on select dates of Taylor Swift's record-breaking The Eras Tour. Their own Life's So Fun Tour concluded with two sold-out nights at the iconic Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, later immortalized on the live album Live at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
All three members of MUNA identify as queer, and McPherson is non-binary. What once made the band cautious about being labeled a "queer band" has evolved into one of their most powerful artistic assets. Their songs consistently engage with themes of sexuality, gender, and self-worth, and their commitment to creating safe, affirming spaces for younger listeners has made them role models in the truest sense. In 2020, Queerty named them among fifty heroes leading the nation toward equality, acceptance, and dignity.
Beyond music, MUNA launched the podcast Gayotic in June 2021 as part of the Headgum network, welcoming queer guests such as Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, Tegan and Sara, and Clea Duvall into wide-ranging, charismatic conversations. The podcast, much like the band itself, captures MUNA's rare ability to be simultaneously irreverent and deeply meaningful.
Looking ahead, MUNA announced their fourth studio album, Dancing on the Wall, due in May 2026, preceded by the singles It Gets So Hot and So What. With each new era, the band continues to grow — not by chasing trends, but by remaining fiercely, unapologetically themselves. For MUNA, the music has always been about more than sound; it has been about belonging, liberation, and the radical act of being seen.