Sunflower Bean: Living Your Truth in “Mortal Primetime

Last Updated on 2026-02-15 by a-indie

Sunflower Bean-Mortal’s Fashion

– Kaoruko Momoi: This is personal, but I’m a little envious of how cool Julia, Nick, and Olive look in what they wear and how well it suits them. How can one improve their fashion sense and sensibility?
Julia: I think the best style comes from individuality, and not being afraid. We are lucky to be in a band together and have similar ideas of what feels right and authentic to us, and we like making sure that the show looks and feels connected to who we are as a group and as individuals.
Olive: Just dont be afraid to try stuff until you find something works. Its so okay to go through phases with clothing too, like i will wear the same thing for months straight and then get bored of it and look for something else to wear. Find your uniform and wear it till it doesn’t feel good.
Nick: Don’t follow trends and always be yourself! Accessories are always a great way to find something interesting you can spice up any outfit with.

– Kaoruko Momoi: The first track 「Champagne Taste」 has a simple band sound similar to your previous work, but as the album progresses, arrangements become more classical with the addition of piano and cello. Why did you incorporate these classical elements that weren’t as present in your previous albums?
Julia: The album picks up from 『SHAKE』 – and then develops into a softer and more colorful world. Our albums 『Human Ceremony』 and 『Twentytwo in Blue』 also have a lot of sweetness and baroque tones. I think this album harkens back to that, and we’re more confident with our soft sides as well as our hard sides now.
Olive: As much as we try, we will never make an album that is just one tone through the whole thing. I think that’s one of the coolest things about us as a band is allowing all these different vibes to exist and all be part of the same story.
Nick: Some songs just really called for more lush arrangements. A Lot of our favorite music is the softer songs on otherwise rocking albums.

– Kaoruko Momoi: I got the impression that the band’s sound maintains a relaxed yet grounded resonance based on classical sounds like piano and cello. What techniques do each of you use to ensure your playing harmonizes with the instrumental sounds? Also, how do you incorporate influences from the sound and playing style of those instruments into your own performance?
Julia: Getting to work with elements like cello on this record – especially because it takes up such a sonic space that is different than what guitar, bass, and drums do.
Olive: Just listening, always keeping our ears and hearts open to whatever it is that’s calling us. As songwriters were kind of just vessels for whatever artistic frequencies are in the cosmos, it’s important to not make too many decisions about what something should be and rather work to let it be what it needs to be.
Nick: Most of the piano is very simple and used in a way to highlight the lead melodies. Blending with the guitar or vocal in a way that sounded pretty unique when we first tried it.

– Kaoruko Momoi: I think Sunflower Bean had high skills from your debut, but when incorporating instrumental sounds, did each member reconsider their own skills and instruments from the basics? If there was such reconsideration, how do you think it changed the band’s connection and the album’s atmosphere?
Olive: We hired some extra musicians to play cello, piano and harpsichord on this record. We needed people who were as in tune with their perspective instruments as we are with ours.
Nick: An important part of my production process is layering guitars and bass in a way that is very tight. I love playing to the click and having all the stringed instruments being very orderly and specific. I usually do a lot of double takes on different guitars on different places of the neck, you can make an entire orchestra out of guitar.

– Kaoruko Momoi: I noticed that both Julia and Nick sing with calm, gentle voices in this album based on instrumental sounds. Does your vocal expression change between songs with prominent band sounds and more classical songs?
Julia: Every part of the song needs to bring something out to the listener, and the vocal is a big part of that puzzle. Whatever we are trying to say is dictated by that vocal performance.
Nick: My voice usually sounds better when I sing a little bit softer too, so Julia helped coach me into getting the right performance even when I needed to push it more.