On the Rise
Joel Sunny

With his new EP, Star-Bound Lovers, and three sold-out nights at London’s Bush Hall coming up in March, Sunny's rise to fame really is a sign of the times.

In the age of disposable content, where algorithms dictate the stars of tomorrow, Joel Sunny spotted a specific niche that labels would never have predicted. Now they’re fighting to work with him.

You’ve probably already heard one of his dramatic renditions of popular songs while flicking through your phone. Sunny’s dynamic and passionate playing has become the perfect soundtrack to TikTok’s devoted reading community. It’s epic, powerful, and inspirational, but it’s not your typical violin sonata. Sunny isn’t the product of conservatoire training and connected parents, he’s built a sound that’s entirely his own.

“Literally nobody I know does music,” he smiles. “I’m not trying to be the world’s fastest violinist. I want the violin to be the melody—to be the voice. It’s my way of writing pop music for movies that don’t exist yet.” That ethos fuels his latest project, a triptych of lush soundscapes titled Star-Bound Lovers, each track unfurling like a scene from a romantic drama—rich in texture, alive with drama, and brimming with emotional weight.

Joel Sunny may play the violin, but he has more in common with Lana Del Rey than Vanessa-Mae. Raised on church music in Manchester and then Sydney, Sunny devoured the glossy pop hits of the 2010s like a secret obsession. “When I got my first iPhone, the Top Forty exploded into my life,” he says. “I was obsessed—but later, I became obsessed with why it hooked me. I’d analyze everything, figuring out how pop made people feel something.”

Sunny’s approach to songwriting stems from that obsession: he builds his music visually. “As long as I get a picture in my head, I can write,” he explains. “I mood board and pull together scenes. Right before recording on the violin, I’ll pull up a picture to imagine myself inside that world.” The results are spellbinding. Each note carries the weight of a story, like dialogue in a film.

His EP Star-Bound Lovers feels less like a few songs and more like a fragmented movie. First Sight introduces listeners to a whimsical waltz of romance—where Tarot cards and destiny merge, and Joel appears as opposing characters, Sun and Moon. Parisian Lovers strikes with stormy string arrangements and unsettling undercurrents—“Cinderella meets Eyes Wide Shut,” as Sunny puts it. Meanwhile, Last Dance closes the cinematic chapter with bittersweet finality, set in an overgrown rose garden.

Sunny treats his violin like a pop star treats their voice—but without all the lemon, honey, and cayenne pepper. His playing, high on tender vibrato and rich with gypsy flair, blurs the line between classical and folk. But for Sunny, his violin isn’t a nostalgic throwback; it’s a tool for reinvention. “The violin doesn’t decorate my music—it is the music,” he emphasizes. “I want to create soundtracks to people’s lives, songs that fill their imaginations.”

That belief has drawn comparisons to artists who transcend traditional labels. Creative director Cal McIntyre, known for his work with The Last Dinner Party, expanded Sunny’s sonic world into visual landscapes through music videos that feel like fever dreams.

Now you’d be justified to question how in the age of hyper-relatable lyricism and industrial production, how is something so clean and instrumental taking off with young people? One of the most fascinating parts of Sunny’s creative process is how seamlessly his fans understand his work without needing explanations. “Fans spell out the exact emotions I had in mind when creating the music,” he says. “They write stories inspired by songs that have no lyrics.” His track Luminary is a perfect example—fans have described it as a story of overcoming obstacles, matching exactly what Sunny envisioned while composing it. “I wasn’t sure it would translate, but it did. I don’t know how it happens—it’s kind of magical.”

Many of Sunny’s fans are writers and imaginative thinkers, a community he describes as being on the same creative wavelength. “We’re a bit delusional in the best way,” he jokes. “We have strong imaginations, so I never have to explain it to them—they just get it.”

Sunny's journey began in the quiet confines of his bedroom during the pandemic. Stuck at home while studying for a medical sciences degree, he picked up the violin he’d learned as a child. He started creating high-energy, violin-driven covers of pop songs, such as Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black, and uploading them to YouTube. As his videos gained traction, he shifted focus to original compositions. The result? A thriving online fanbase who hang on his every note.

There’s a lot to be said for how artists not only explode but keep exploding in the attention economy. Humble, open and very appreciative of time with a journalist, Sunny’s self-starting attitude is a stiff reminder that every musician has the power to write, produce, and distribute their music to the masses. You just need to find what’s going to make people click on your name instead of someone else’s. For Sunny, his focus was always to make a recipe for music that evokes feeling, not just a quick hit of happiness.

Despite his social media fame, Joel’s ambition extends beyond the digital realm. His first live performance last October, fittingly held in Sydney's Pitt Street Uniting Church, felt like a full-circle moment. Now, with a sold-out run at London’s Bush Hall and a global headlining tour, he’s proving that online success can translate into something real and tangible. “Seeing fans connect with my music live was surreal,” he says. “It’s not just bots—it’s people who feel what I feel.”

Unlike most violinists, Joel Sunny didn’t grow up with rigorous conservatory training. His lack of formal classical education—and his early exposure to pop—shaped his creative freedom. “I know enough theory to make what I need, but I don’t overthink it,” he says. “A lot of people judge music by feeling, and I’m obsessed with capturing that.”

Sunny dreams of scoring films one day, but for now, he’s content building mini-movies through his EPs. “Pop is made to be played with,” he says. “I’m not boxed into any genre. I can jump from folk to cinematic pop and beyond.” His ambition is as boundless as his creativity. “I see myself releasing bodies of work because that’s how I write. I don’t think in singles. I think in worlds.”

With Star-Bound Lovers, Joel Sunny is inviting listeners into a world away from everything. One filled with love, destiny, and just enough mystery to keep you waiting for what he’s going to do next.