All images courtesy of US/THEM Group/Header image credit: chadkelco


By Dylan Peggin
recordspinner97@gmail.com

Sunny Faris is a rather notable name to emerge from the Portland music scene lately, with an array of mystical sounds constantly swirling around her.

While Faris is best known for being a founder, bassist, and vocalist of the all-female “doomgaze” band Blackwater Holylight, she was also a part of the psych-pop outfit Grandparents. For the curious, their sole album, Sincerely Bagman, is a hidden gem, to say the least.

Recently, Faris joined forces with Night Heron’s Cameron Spies – who also recorded Blackwater Holylight’s debut album – on a new project called Whimz. The merger of the two forces creates an intriguing sound of self-described “sludge pop.” Their forthcoming EP PM226 is due to be released at the end of October 2022.

In support of Whimz, Sunny Faris recently joined me for a chat to discuss her musical endeavors and more.

Dylan:
Is Whimz a one-off deal, or does the project have the potential to evolve further with more releases?

Sunny: I think, realistically, this will most likely be the only one. We made this album last year in 2020, but things were still very locked down, and neither of us was touring or busy with our other projects, so we were able to fill time and creative space with Whimz. I’ve since moved to L.A., so making another album together in such a lackluster way will be a lot harder to pull together. I guess there is a chance? Who knows! 

Dylan:
Blackwater Holylight stands out for being an all-female group performing a style of metal within a male-dominated realm. What facets stand out when working with women compared to working with males?

Sunny:
I get this question a lot, and it’s a tricky one to answer because, at this point, we never even consider gender or what “facets” of either gender contribute to the way we all work together. Being women doesn’t negate us from conflict or any of the other hurdles that touring bands face. We’ve found many commonalities in our stories of interpersonal issues and breaking barriers when we are chatting with friends who tour as much as we do. Every band has its own experience, not because of the genders of the individuals that form the group but because of the personalities they encapsulate. Communication style, mental health, stages in life, and thirst for the road stand out more than gender. We’ve worked with men, women, and nonbinary folks, and we have found we either flow and it feels good and works for everyone, or it doesn’t. 

Dylan:
Blackwater Holylight’s fusion of doom metal and shoegaze is a unique hybrid. Did you guys set out to be different from your contemporaries?

Sunny:
The only thing we’ve ever set out to be in ourselves. We never had a concrete direction or idea that was paved for any type of conscious effort to have similarities or differences from our fellow musicians. We have always aimed to write music that is birthed from and reflects our human experience and the sounds follow suit.

All images courtesy of US/THEM Group

Dylan:
There were some more doomy elements on Blackwater Holylight’s latest album, Silence/Motion, especially with guttural vocals. Is that a hint of the band going in a heavier direction?

Sunny:
There is always going to be an inevitable softness to our music, and we will never be all one thing. Although, as time passes, we are certainly establishing our sound. We are currently writing our 4th album and experimenting with some more guttural vocals and doomy riffs, but at the end of the day, I think this album is just going to sound like us.  

Dylan:
There has been a strong sense of melody in all the various groups you’ve been a part of. What was your musical upbringing, and who are your influences?

Sunny:
I started singing in choir in 7th grade, which was when I really realized I enjoyed singing. I have always had a strong love for music but didn’t actually start learning how to play any instruments seriously until about 2012, so singing along to songs was my world for many, many years. In my early years, I was heavily influenced by folk music listening to a lot of local music from my hometown and Denver, CO. Folk and Psych music is really at the base of my roots when I started to become a musician, but as of late, I have been really inspired by Sarah Klang, Bog Body, Antichrist Siege Machine, Gravesend, Nothing and so many more.

Dylan:
Do you have any musical “guilty pleasures” or artists people would be shocked to know you listen to?

Sunny:
I honestly listen to everything and have zero shame about it. Mikayla got a new truck recently, and only the radio works. Her guilty, not guilty pleasure is listening to pop country, so her habit is rubbing off onto me, and since it’s always the same rotation of 50 songs, we’ve gotten pretty good at singing along. Every single song is about trucks, drinking beer, and women with blue or brown eyes. Cringe and entertainment entwined.

All images courtesy of US/THEM Group/Image credit: James Rexroad

Dylan:
Being a working musician delves into many realms, such as writing, recording, touring, etc. Which element do you enjoy most?

Sunny:
All of them! I love recording; the process of layering everything together to create big full tracks is so satisfying and fun. I always learn so much in each session, and it’s always a very cathartic and hilarious experience.

Dylan: 
What are some musical accomplishments you hope to achieve in the future?

Sunny:
I just want to continue to write music that means something to me. That helps me digest whatever it is that I’m going through in the hopes that someone out there can take a listen and feel a little less lonely in their experience. I want to keep touring and hopefully hit some countries we haven’t been to with some friends we’ve been wanting to tour with for a while.

Dylan Peggin (@Record_Spinner) is a columnist for www.vwmusicrocks.com and may be reached at recordspinner97@gmail.com

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