LOS ANGELES, CA- Before Sunday (1994) played a single note inside the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, they spent nearly an hour talking about the ideas that have shaped one of the most compelling young bands to emerge from the dream-pop landscape in recent years.
In a candid conversation with Madeline Rubicam (writer of the Lizard Review) in front of dedicated fans, the Los Angeles trio discussed everything from Sofia Coppola films and David Lynch to religious trauma, queer storytelling, songwriting frustrations, and the realities of building a career in music. By the time the performance began, listeners had been given something many artists rarely provide: context.
For longtime fans, much of the evening served as confirmation of ideas already embedded within the band’s music. For newer listeners, it offered a roadmap to understanding why Sunday (1994)’s songs resonate so deeply.
One of the first topics discussed was the band’s name. While the group initially intended to call themselves simply Sunday, concerns about discoverability and potential legal issues led them to expand it to Sunday (1994). The addition ultimately became a natural extension of the band’s identity. Their music often feels cinematic in scope, and the parenthetical date evokes the way films are catalogued and remembered. The choice became even more personal when vocalist Paige Turner revealed that she was born in 1994.
That cinematic sensibility extends far beyond the name itself.
When discussing artistic influences, the band cited Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides, David Lynch’s dreamlike storytelling, and Brian De Palma’s Carrie as important creative touchstones. Listening to the group describe those influences, it became clear that they are drawn less to plot than atmosphere. Their songs often occupy the same emotional space as those films: beautiful, nostalgic, unsettling, and deeply emotional all at once.
The discussion eventually turned toward songwriting, where some of the evening’s most revealing moments emerged.
Sunday (1994)’s music often deals with anxiety, loneliness, shame, religious conflict, and complicated relationships. Yet what has always drawn me to the band is not necessarily the darkness within those themes. It’s the contrast.
There is something surprisingly uplifting about much of their music.
Even when the lyrics are grappling with difficult emotions, the melodies often feel hopeful. The songs acknowledge pain without becoming consumed by it. A large part of that comes from Turner’s voice. There is a softness and femininity to her delivery, but there is also a firmness underneath it. Even when she is singing about vulnerability, heartbreak, or uncertainty, she rarely sounds defeated. Instead, there is a quiet sense of conviction running through many of the performances.
That balance between vulnerability and strength surfaced repeatedly throughout the conversation.
When discussing “TV Car Chase,” Turner explained that the song emerged during a period of intense anxiety when she was struggling to understand what she was experiencing emotionally. The song was written while she and guitarist Lee Newell sat together trying to work through those feelings. Hearing that explanation helped illuminate why the track has always felt so powerful. It’s not simply a song about anxiety. It’s a song about surviving it.
The audience also touched on another recurring theme throughout the band’s catalog: female rage.
While Sunday (1994)’s music is frequently described as dreamy, romantic, or nostalgic, both Turner and Newell acknowledged the darker undercurrents that exist beneath many of the songs. They joked about the “menacing undertone” that runs through their music and even their daily lives. Yet that tension often serves as the fuel that gives their songs emotional weight.
Religion proved to be another major topic of discussion.
Songs such as “Stained Glass Window” have become defining moments within the band’s catalog, and the members spoke openly about their complicated personal relationships with faith and organized religion. Christianity, in particular, has become a recurring source of imagery within their songwriting. Not necessarily because they are writing religious songs, but because the symbolism offers a powerful framework for exploring identity, guilt, shame, belonging, and liberation.
That conversation naturally led to discussions surrounding queer representation within the band’s work.
Audience members pointed out how songs like “Stained Glass Window,” “Silver Ford,” and the newer track “Shame” have resonated with LGBTQ+ listeners navigating religious environments that often required them to hide aspects of themselves. Turner embraced those interpretations, explaining that while some songs are rooted in personal experiences, others are inspired by stories she has observed or heard from people around her.
Just as revealing was the band’s description of how their songs come together.
Despite growing recognition and increasing opportunities, the writing process remains remarkably simple. Most songs are still born inside the one-bedroom apartment shared by Turner and Newell. Their dining room functions as a studio, while meals are often pushed to the couch or floor. Ideas begin with a lyric, a title, or an emotional concept before slowly evolving into finished songs.
The conversation also offered a glimpse into the realities of artistic growth.
The band’s earliest material was written before they had a label, management team, or audience expectations to consider. Those songs existed largely for themselves. Today, while they remain fiercely protective of their creative identity, the awareness that listeners are eagerly awaiting new music inevitably changes the equation. It’s a challenge many artists face as their audience expands, and the band spoke about it with refreshing honesty.
When the conversation finally concluded and the performance began, many of those ideas immediately came into sharper focus.
The set opened with “Devotion” before moving through favorites such as “Doomsday,” “TV Car Chase,” “Stained Glass Window,” “Blonde,” “Our Troubles,” “Softly,” “Silver Ford,” “Rain,” and “Still Blue.” The live debut of “Darling, I’ve Done This Dance Before” offered a glimpse into the band’s future, while newer songs such as “Shame” hinted at themes that may continue to evolve on the forthcoming album.
Throughout the set, the audience remained completely engaged, singing along to nearly every word and responding enthusiastically to the quieter moments as well as the larger crescendos.
Perhaps the biggest piece of news to emerge from the evening came when the band confirmed they are currently working on their debut album with acclaimed producer Mike Crossey, whose past work includes projects with The 1975, Wolf Alice, and Arctic Monkeys. While the band emphasized that the heart of their songwriting remains unchanged, the collaboration represents an exciting new chapter for a group that has largely built its sound on its own terms.
As the final notes of “Blossom” faded into the room, what lingered wasn’t simply the performance itself, but the conversation that preceded it.
Sunday (1994)’s music often explores difficult subjects, but spending an evening with the band reinforced something I’ve long felt about their work. Beneath the anxiety, religious conflict, heartbreak, and uncertainty is an unmistakable sense of optimism. The songs may acknowledge darkness, but they rarely surrender to it. Instead, they search for meaning within it, and more often than not, emerge with something hopeful on the other side.
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LIVE CLIPS
Sunday (1994) Discuss Film, Faith, Songwriting, and Their Debut Album at Hollywood Forever
