Artist Spotlight: Sonne! on their debut EP - After The Storm
Sonne!
Sonne! is stepping confidently into the music scene with the release of their debut EP, After The Storm. With roots in both England and Nigeria, Sonne!’s journey has been one of navigating identities, embracing different cultures, and expressing themself through music.
The EP After The Storm carries a message that Sonne! hopes resonates deeply with their audience.
“There’s always something after chaos, that tiny beam of light cutting through everything – that’s hope. Despite the weight you carry, something beautiful is ahead, no matter how rocky the road.”
In this conversation with Communa magazine, they talk about why they love music, their journey so far, and how the EP “After the Storm” was created.
La communa: When did you first fall in love with writing and music? Were there particular artists, sounds, or moments that shaped your earliest passions?
Sonne!: I can’t pinpoint an exact moment because music and art have always been part of my life. I grew up doing both, though in year 9 I had to choose, and I picked music. I’ve been drawn to it for as long as I can remember. I started playing piano early on and have been playing classical piano since I was 14 (over 10 years now). I’ve been writing music for as long as I’ve been playing, even before I formally studied classical music.
My earliest inspirations came from my parents’ records. They played artists like Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers in the car, and their music stayed with me. I particularly admire Stevie
Wonder —his harmonies and instrumentation are always fascinating. I try to capture that richness in my own work sometimes. With a background like this, finding my own sound has been challenging, but it’s also rewarding.
La communa: This is your debut EP. Congratulations. Can you walk us through the journey of making it? When did the idea first come to you? How did it all come together? And what does it mean to you to finally be sharing it with the world?
Sonne!: The idea started in March last year. My older brother introduced me to his friend Jerry, who writes poetry. He wanted me to create music for some of his poems. He sent me a few, and one in particular, ‘When You Laid’ caught my attention. I felt really inspired by it. I made something from it, sent it back, and he loved it. At first, I thought it was just a one-off, but it grew into us working together on more songs.
Most of the EP began from Jerry’s poems, which I turned into music. It’s been a slow journey, I realized I work much slower than I thought. The bulk of the songs were made between 2024 and early 2025, but we didn’t immediately know it would become an EP. It only started to feel real much later, and that uncertainty shaped how I navigated the process.
The project took about a year and a half to complete. It wasn’t easy, I had a vision, but struggled to articulate it clearly. Sometimes it took me days just to figure out how to express what I wanted. I have learned I take a long time to finish things, but I also met incredible people along the way. One of the songs was co-written by Jerry and a producer he works with; I added melodies and vocals to it. This collaboration stretched me, especially because one track, Newer Lies, had to be rewritten several times. The first version was written during a studio session with Jerry, my brother, and a few others. At the time, I liked it, but later I really hated it [laughs]. After reworking it, I finally loved the song and it’s now my favorite on the EP.
Sharing the EP still doesn’t feel real. So far, I’ve only shown it to people close to me. There are others I haven’t shared it with yet because I feel torn between wanting feedback and wanting to keep it close until it’s officially out. But soon, it’ll be out in the world—this is the thing I did [laughs].
La communa: In your song ‘Dust to Follow’, which I really like, you talked about singing to your sorrows. Could you share the story or inspiration behind that particular song? And if you had to recommend one track on the EP to anyone, which would it be and why?
Sonne!: Dust to Follow was originally something Jerry and the producer worked on. Jerry asked me to add my voice to it. At first, I didn’t pay much attention to the lyrics, I just sang over the instrumental. But recently, while revisiting the songs, I dug deeper into the words. I realized this track carried far more emotion than I noticed at first.
It feels like heartache mixed with hope, a reminder that even in sorrow, there’s a spark urging you to hold on. It says that ruins don’t last forever, that barren land will eventually bloom. That’s the essence I’ve come to appreciate, and it makes me love the song even more.
If I had to recommend a track, I’d say Newer Lies because of the personal journey I had making it. But I also love In the Water and Father Luke. Those two feel like a pair, almost telling a shared story. They close out the EP beautifully, carrying listeners through a final wave of emotion.
La communa: You are stepping into the music industry at a young age. What has that experience been like for you—the highs, the challenges, and the lessons you’ve picked up so far?
Sonne!: I’m 24, so I guess I am young compared to the rest of my life. One of the highs has definitely been working with others. Before, I wrote, recorded, and produced music mostly alone, even for school projects. But collaborating, sharing creative ideas and building something I couldn’t have made on my own has been one of the best parts.
Take ‘When You Laid’, for example. I never would have written those lyrics on my own, but Jerry’s words unlocked something new in me. Moments like that have expanded my creative mind and reshaped how I approach music.
The challenges have been about communication. Since I’ve always worked alone, I only needed to convince myself. Now, I have to explain my vision to others, which isn’t easy. People can’t see or hear things exactly as I imagine them, and translating those ideas has been difficult. At first, I held back, not wanting to be pushy or overwhelming. But I learned that withholding actually slowed us down. My collaborators wanted me to be open and transparent so they could support the process.
The biggest lesson has been realizing people can’t understand my intentions unless I explain them clearly. That has changed the way I interact, not just in music, but in general.
La communa: When listeners press play on this EP, what do you hope they take away from it? Are there particular feelings or ideas you want to leave with your audience?
Sonne!: The EP is called After The Storm because I want people to feel that message that there’s always something on the other side of chaos. Even the cover art reflects that: it shows the moment after a storm, sunlight breaking through clouds, washing over water and rocks. That tiny, bright light cutting through everything represents hope.
I want listeners to carry that feeling that despite the weight they might be carrying, something beautiful is ahead. The journey may be long and rocky, but eventually, you will get there.
La communa: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the next phase of your journey? Are there sounds you want to experiment with, collaborations you dream of, or goals you are setting for yourself beyond this EP?
Sonne!: What excites me most is finally seeing this EP come to life. It’s been such a long process, and while I enjoyed most of it, I’m ready for new things. I’ve already started experimenting with other sounds, even while finishing this project. Music takes up such a large part of my life that even my breaks from music involve making music [laughs].
Recently, I’ve been playing guitar more, and I want to explore it deeply. Some songs on the EP feature my guitar playing, but I want to become as versatile on it as I am on the piano. I hadn’t played seriously in about eight years until last year, but now I’m rediscovering it, and it’s been really fun.
In terms of collaborations, I’d love to work as a producer more than as a singer. Originally, I thought I’d be behind the scenes producing, not fronting the project. That’s why this whole experience feels surreal. Still, I’d love to collaborate with artists like Prep, Moonchild, and
Katie—her voice is incredible, and I’d love to write something for her. I’m a big fan of Demae, she’s one of many artists that inspire me to take more creative risks with my work and play with really interesting sounds, so I’d love to work with her one day.
Honestly, I listen to music every single day, it fuels everything else I do, from writing to just thinking. So many artists seep into my artistry without me even realizing it.
“My life is completely engulfed in music, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
—Sonne!
Sonne!’s debut EP release party is happening soon, you can follow her journey on her socials for updates and release date!