Were you ever bullied? Or perhaps were you the bully (I hope not, but someone had to be)? One thing is likely - you were once one of these, if not both. For the victim, the effects may last a lifetime. And the worst of it is what our own minds do to process it. It’s a dirty trick our minds play, and not an easy thing to talk about - much less to write about.  

This week’s Artist Pick features my friend, Luna Keller - with her new release, “Shadows On My Wall”. For those of you who follow her, you are familiar with her upbeat demeanor, as she sings and talks with you on Twitch, or in one of her home concerts or live shows which she loves doing so much, and her audiences eagerly show for, again and again. With over a million total streams on Spotify, she may not be a household name, but she’s on her way.  

The name Luna - quite literally - “moon”, conjures images of light. But there are many phases of the moon - and this one ventures to the darker side. “Shadows On My Wall” is a reflection from her youth - and her experiences dealing with what so many others have, and do, every day. I spoke with Luna about the genesis of her song. “To be honest, I wasn’t really aware of what the song is about when I wrote it. The lyrics were written at 3AM as a poem. I had just woken up from a nightmare and fell asleep again afterwards. It truly came from my subconscious and even while adding music to it I didn’t fully understand, but I felt a deep connection to it. We are very much capable of feeling sadness and anxiety without knowing where it comes from, and it took me a while to realize that I needed to revisit and heal from my experiences being bullied as a child. It was around the time I did that and started working on myself that I finally understood where that song really came from. My music has a way of holding me and knowing me better than I do myself, I’m really grateful to be able to write from my heart like that.”

Musically, “Shadows On My Wall” has all the wonderful melodies and stylizations that we’ve come to expect from a Luna Keller song. The plucked guitar and counter melodies add tension and flow, and her vocals are pure and uniquely Luna. But to me, it’s the language that truly captivated me. Luna’s words pull you in from the start - “They told me it wasn’t over, so I kept looking over my shoulder”. Luna’s true creativity is capturing raw emotion in a way that is both honest and powerful. “Shadows on my wall “- “strangers in my home”; she paints a very invasive image. But the irony lies is in what our minds make of it. The “ghosts” we create haunt us long after the actual act. I asked Luna about the lyrics - and what phrase was most impactful for her. “I think the bridge struck me the hardest when I truly understood its meaning for me: ‘I stare at the closed door, I swear I’ve never seen it before’. My experience being bullied in school made me build walls and changed the way I saw the world without me really being aware of it.” Keller weaves a tapestry that is familiar, and yet deeply personal. “I think we tend to avoid the things that hurt us sometimes to the point where we get so used to its weight we forget it’s there, wearing us out… It took me a while to accept that I had been allowing myself to be shaped and hurt by this so long, and even longer to fully love myself regardless. I do now though, and if anyone reading this needs to hear this: you will too, give yourself time.”

Recently relocated from Tenerife, Spain to Germany, Luna spoke of being back in front of live audiences and her new challenges. “It has been really intense in a mostly good way. I’m playing live again, which fills my heart with joy! It’s my first big move, thousands of kilometers away from home - so there are lots to feel and learn. I’m getting to know myself better and to create new connections. I could tell so many stories already! But I’ll keep them for another song, ehm, I mean time.”

As for the future, Luna is not planning on slowing down any time soon. I asked her what she has in store for us, and what the world can expect to see from her in year to come. “Well, for one to find a flat in Cologne (dang the house market here is TOUGH). But artistically I think you can expect a lot of music coming! “Shadows on My Wall” is the 6th single off my debut album “Prophecies and Silver Linings” which I plan to release in early 2022. I’m already working on my next album as well, I don’t want to spoil too much, but it’s gonna be really personal, different, and more melancholic than this one. I am excited to explore that side of my music and artistry more. I’m also working on some cool collabs, organizing more shows, streaming on Twitch, and songwriting a bunch… definitely keeping busy and excited to share more songs with you soon.”

Luna is a featured writer right here at Indie Music Center, and supports countless Indie artists along their own musical journey through her Podcast “Why Doesn’t Everyone Know These Songs”, her past work with “Songwriting Circle”, and her most recent artist group on discord called S(r)ROUNDTABLE. Her support of others is to me one of her most redeeming qualities, and it is my sincere pleasure to feature her this week. So take a listen to Luna’s newest single “Shadows On My Wall”, and if you haven’t already done so, please follow her by clicking the green button above and be sure to listen to her other great songs on Spotify. 

Also, check out her newest YouTube video, “High Low High Low” and follow “Fresh Indie" and "Artist Pick" Spotify playlists below to discover incredible new music every day.

Written by Joe.

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