A Chat with SunSkip (19.01.26)
SunSkip is back with ‘Sincerely’, a new folk-rock single that pairs honky-tonk energy with a quietly devastating emotional core. Built around the exchange of letters between two ageing characters, the song explores the weight of unspoken truths, mental health, and the tenderness that lingers beneath polite words. We caught up with SunSkip’s Sean Maljanian to talk about ageing, storytelling, and how a desire to shake off the quiet led to his most electrifying release yet.
OSR: Can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to pursue music professionally?
SunSkip: I was surrounded by music from the start, whether it was my grandpa’s folk instruments around the house or my uncle’s Rush and Police records. I spent hours watching live shows on YouTube, studying stage presence and gear. When I was nine, I barely knew my times tables, but I could play ‘Stairway to Heaven’ note for note. It was never really about deciding to do this professionally, more about knowing this is what I wanted to spend most of my time doing. If I can make money doing it, great.
OSR: SunSkip has a very intimate, narrative-driven sound. How much of your own life informs the stories you tell?
SunSkip: A lot of it comes from everyday interactions and learning about other people’s lives, especially older generations. We’re all shaped by our experiences and the time we live in. Music captures that really well; it tells people what the world felt like when the song was written.
OSR: How did your approach to songwriting evolve between ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ and your new single ‘Sincerely’?
SunSkip: Songwriting was always a struggle for me until I stopped forcing it. With ‘Smoke and Mirrors’, my approach became to stop trying to write and just play. If something came out naturally, I followed it. If not, I let it go. In college, I compared myself to a lot of local, well-known artists in NYC and felt pressure to constantly produce. Learning patience changed everything, not just creatively but in life. With ‘Sincerely’, I had the chords for months before the lyrics came. The original lyrics were completely different, and it took me months to figure out what I actually wanted to write about. One morning before work, it all clicked, and most of the song was written within an hour.
OSR: How do you balance vulnerability and honesty while keeping your music accessible?
SunSkip: I’m not naturally comfortable being vulnerable, but music makes it hard to hide how I feel. I don’t overthink it; the words just come out. I really admire simple songwriting that deals with heavy topics. I want my lyrics to be straightforward. What you hear is what it is. Life is already complicated enough.
OSR: Can you walk us through your recording process?
SunSkip: My first real recording experience as a lead artist was with Kory Burrell, who produced and mixed ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ and ‘Sincerely’. I came in with just guitar parts and lyrics, nothing else planned. Everything was built organically in the studio. I wanted the songs to feel like a live band with a raw folk-rock sound. Sincerely was meant to feel like walking into a country bar on a Saturday night, glass bottles clinking, backup vocals sounding like the whole room singing along. Letting the songs take shape naturally made the recordings feel more honest.
OSR: Your music often explores ageing, memory, and unspoken emotions. What draws you to these themes?
SunSkip: I’ve worked closely with the geriatric age group, which taught me a lot about how older generations view mental health. In ‘Sincerely’, the characters John and Sue grew up in a time when mental health wasn’t openly discussed. There’s this sense that they shouldn’t complain, even while carrying so much beneath the surface. I wanted to highlight the emotional and physical realities of ageing that often get overlooked.
OSR: How do live performances influence your arrangements?
SunSkip: I’ve recently started playing with a full band, which has changed how I approach dynamics. When I played solo, I tried to bring intensity to make up for the lack of instruments. With a band, I’ve learned to pull back and let moments breathe. It’s made the songs feel more balanced and alive.
OSR: How has collaboration shaped your sound?
SunSkip: Collaboration is my favorite part of making music. Working with other musicians and producers like Kory has introduced me to sounds and tones I never would have found on my own, especially within a raw genre like folk.
OSR: Outside of music, what inspires your creativity?
SunSkip: I work in the mental health field, which has deeply influenced my perspective as a songwriter. Connecting with people during vulnerable moments gives me a better understanding of life and humanity. That’s why I love folk music. It tells timeless stories about people, struggle, and the world as it is.
Many thanks to SunSkip for speaking with us. Find out more about SunSkip on his Instagram, TikTok, Bandcamp, and Spotify.
