In summer of 2020, we presented a spotlight series on artists working during the shutdowns. Here's the last of that series as created and written by our 2020 intern Vie !
Meet Neon June
From Vie:
Neon June is a producer and musician on the rise in Baltimore. Describing his music as Cosmic Soul, you can find his genre-bending, passionate singles like “late night surf” and “spaceships” on Sound Cloud.
Neon June is the kind of musician that thrives on collaboration and community. Speaking with him was just like a heart-to-heart about Baltimore, art, music, and doing what you love.
I first spoke to June towards the beginning of the pandemic. I was taken by talent for manipulating and working with sound. We talked about a wide variety of subjects such as how he works with the local Baltimore community and how he has been working to thrive in difficult times for musicians while helping others to thrive as well.
We also discussed his work with Love Groove Fest, the iconic festival for creatives and musicians created by close friend and musician John Tyler. Towards the end of our session, we even spoke about a bit of a touchy - but important topic - how to break up homogeneity and hierarchy in the music scene, aka the “circle jerk” of the same old lineup, and how to make room for new and upcoming musicians.
June seems to really value diversity, both interpersonally and aesthetically. Because with diversity, the sound is simply better and more interesting. I couldn’t agree more.
I am so grateful to have spoken with Neon June. This interview occurred while back when musicians were still learning how to adjust to shutdowns - how to navigate boundaries around mandates/testing/vaccination, make a living, and pursue their passion.
The video interview:
Connect with Neon June
Neon June on Instagram