In the cluttered, noisy and unruly world of art and music, space is often hard to find. When any amount of room opens up, artists sometimes clutch onto a niche, a genre, fiendishly trying not to fall from the clouds. Through her music career thus far, Gayun Cannon is fearlessly carving out space with a diverse array of heartfelt and captivating sounds.

Since 2020, the chicago multi-instrumentalist and singer has continually honed her creation skills. She has embraced and tackled a variety of genres from rnb, to soul, to indie-rock and more, often times all at once such as her most recent EP, “Fallen Angels.” The 2025 project flaunts her skills as a singer and producer, hauntingly reigning in or simply witnessing the chaos, while expanding the room she has going forward to continue to grow.

Make no mistake though, with two EP’s under her belt – 2021’s, “Brown Sugar Baby,” and now 2025’s, “ Fallen Angels,” and a musical history that combines heritage, self discovery, community and the perseverance to take chances, there isn’t much Gayun Cannon can’t do. In this Q+A between me and Gayun Cannon, we discuss growth, a range of emotions, music production and process and much much more.

To start off how did you get started making music and what are some of the influences that lead you to making music?

I started making music during Covid late 2020. I was a senior in high school and took a music production class which piqued my interest a lot. I was performing a lot in high school because of my music classes and it honestly never really occurred to me that I could actually write and produce my own music until I took that class and got to meet people who already knew or started to produce. From there, I got my start with Garage Band but it wasn’t until Covid hit and I had to stay home was when I first downloaded Logic and actually kept trying to teach myself how to produce. Throughout the next few years, my production was influenced by artists who produce their own music like Steve Lacy, PinkPantheress, Solange, and Clairo.

What has 2025 meant for you from a musical standpoint?

2025 has definitely been a year of real evolution for me. I’ve been laser focused on sharpening my sound and figuring out exactly what I want my music to convey. I’m usually always in single drop mode, but releasing a full mixtape this year was a big milestone since I haven’t dropped an EP since 2021. I produced every track myself, and each song lives in its own vibe and genre. Honestly, embracing that range helped me shake off the fear of putting out a project that isn’t one note. It feels like I finally gave myself permission to explore and people have really connected with that.

As someone who produces their own music and is also a multi-instrumentalist, what does your music making process look like?

I love love LOVE making music when it’s quiet and I’m alone at night. I grew up as a classical pianist, and from there I picked up flute, bass, guitar, drums, and the traditional Chinese instrument, the guzheng. Having that range, plus a bachelor of music degree, means music theory is always in the back of my mind. But honestly, I start everything from pure feeling. I follow whatever emotion hits me first, and then the theory slips in naturally when I’m building my vocal harmonies, shaping melodies, and tightening the structure. It’s this mix of instinct and discipline that really drives my sound.

With your most recent EP release “Fallen Angels”, what were the themes or feelings you really wanted to be received by listeners or that you felt should shine through the most?

“Fallen Angels” was inspired by Wong Kar Wai’s 1995 film with the same name. The movie carries this very moody, neon light filled tension of loneliness, longing, intimacy, chaos that’s all existing at the same time. I wanted the mixtape to feel like that, a world where everything is a little blurry, a little dreamlike, where you can be surrounded by a lot of people but still feel like you’re drifting through your own universe and in your own head.

Each track taps into a different shade of emotion: desire, detachment, obsession, and release but they all orbit that feeling of being beautifully lost and being okay with the fact that you are lost. It is the same way how every song is a different genre and a different feeling. I wanted my listeners to feel like they’re wandering through their own late-night movie kind of like Wong Kar Wai’s film, but in audio form. I hope that makes sense haha

I've noticed a lot of wonderful fusion and variety in the sounds and styles within your music! Is there an intention when you go to write songs to blend different genres or is that just a product of the process?

Thank you for noticing that!! Honestly, I never intended to write songs with different genres and styles. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve always feared releasing music with all different vibes and sounds because I felt very inconsistent but I realized it doesn’t matter! I don’t know whether to call my music genre-less or genre-full. I am inspired by so many sounds, feelings, and cultures to the point where I want to make all different kinds of songs. Each genre from each song goes hand in hand with how I’m feeling at the moment and what has made me feel that way. I think that drives my songwriting the most. I also always get so excited when I write a song in a new genre! Getting to work with new instruments and cultural sounds is the best thing ever. I’m currently working on a song with huge reggae influences and themes and I’m so excited to finish and release it!

Gayun Cannon Combines Heritage, Self Discovery & Community

To start off how did you get started making music and what are some of the influences that lead you to making music?

What has 2025 meant for you from a musical standpoint?

As someone who produces their own music and is also a multi-instrumentalist, what does your music making process look like?

With your most recent EP release “Fallen Angels”, what were the themes or feelings you really wanted to be received by listeners or that you felt should shine through the most?

I've noticed a lot of wonderful fusion and variety in the sounds and styles within your music! Is there an intention when you go to write songs to blend different genres or is that just a product of the process?