‘Sunny Luwe’, the Gold Coast songbird formerly known as Dani Teveluwe, is pouring soul and sunshine into our ears in 2023, starting with her soaring and nostalgic new single, ‘Fly Like A Bird’.
From its first synthy chords, ‘Fly Like A Bird’ lifts your mood like a sundrenched day when you’ve got nowhere to be but cruising the coastline on a chrome-plated Malvern Star and listening to the crackling sounds of your portable picnic radio.
Set for release on 24 March, the track is our first encounter with the artist’s new retro-inspired musical persona, Sunny Luwe (pronounced ‘loo’).
After creating a stir with a superb 2022 EP ‘Into The Deep’ and talked-about shows with Jaguar Jonze, Death by Denim and Old Mervs, Dani felt it was time for a glow up that could honour her love of 60s and 70s music and the sun-seeking Gold Coast life.
“For me Sunny Luwe is the embodiment of all the things I love” she says. “Sunshine. Songs. Soul. All with a classic feel, a vintage touch, a real honest and wholesome vibe which is reminiscent of the good old days.”
Sunny’s next album will reflect looking back as well as her faith in brighter days ahead, melting away the tension and pressure of the last few years of a global pandemic.
“When writing for my record during 2022 this often came up” she says. “What makes me feel awesome, alive? The answer is pretty simple - classic music that you can sing and dance your heart out too, a sunny day, just being your goofy, real self, taking life a little lightly and laughing a whole lot more.”
The track is also infused with Sunny’s gratitude from the songwriting experience with Sally Seltmann, who is the Grammy-nominated songwriter behind Feist’s ‘1234’, and one third of Seeker Lover Keeper with Sarah Blasko and Holly Throsby.
Sunny met Sally in Sydney after a mentorship with her through the Women In Music Mentor Program and admits “the world seemed a lot brighter than usual and I feel we captured that energy in the rhythm and lyrics.”
With additional support by RADF Funding for City of Gold Coast and Arts Queensland, Sunny took the track to Bignote Studios producer Tim Goodburn, and it was later mixed by ARIA winning producer Steven Schram at Roundhead Studios in New Zealand.
“It was amazing getting to work with so many incredible songwriters, producers and creatives on this project. This team really translates through the track, it’s so catchy and you instantly want to sing along. I love that,” says Sunny.
And so do we. As Sunny beams more joy into our lives this year, we plan to be right alongside her.