The queer indie-pop band MUNA headlined two sold-out shows at the Greek Theatre on Thursday and Friday night, finishing off their “Life’s So Fun” tour for their debut self-titled album.
The members of the self-proclaimed “greatest band in the world” —Katie Gavin ‘15 (lead vocalist), Josette Maskin ‘16 (lead guitarist) and Naomi McPherson ‘15 (producer, guitar and keys) — met in USC’s Thornton School of Music’s popular music program in 2013.
MUNA opened the show with “What I Want,” and the crowd matched their explosive energy until the encore started with the band’s 2017 single “I Know A Place.” The show ended Muna’s inaugural album cycle, leaving a bittersweet feeling in the hearts of fans and the band alike.
“When we started as a band, playing the Greek was our imagined finale… I feel like I’m at my funeral,” Gavin said at the Friday concert.
Professor Chris Sampson, founder of the popular music major, taught and mentored the trio throughout their four years at USC. He followed Gavin’s musical journey during high school when he worked as her instructor at GRAMMY Camp.
“Katie spent considerable time trying different chord progressions [and] different production approaches. I gained so much respect for her,” Sampson said. “Experimentation was important in discovering her own voice, which she brought to the band, and they collectively shaped it into something unique.”
Experimentation brought the band together, and they fuzed their passions of pop and social justice. In songwriting classes, MUNA bonded over intellectual concepts and discussions, which Sampson recalls as the “difference maker” in their career path.
Sophomore popular music major Meghan Chen attended the Oct. 11 show. Chen took MUSC 255: Songwriting I with Sampson last year and noticed his influence on MUNA in the coursework.
“The song ‘Anything But Me’ uses lots of idioms, like the lyric ‘I’m on a high horse, but I think my horse is regular sized.’ We had a lesson in songwriting, where we’d transform idioms. I can see the overlap and thought that was pretty neat,” Chen said.
Sampson notes that the band became comfortable performing together during Thornton’s popular music showcase and discovered their sound at the 2015 Tommy’s Place PopFest.
“We talked about how the absence of the other live musicians didn’t enhance their sound, that they could use a drummer and bass player,” Sampson said. “They took that analysis and recognized they had the ingredients for breaking through, for doing something new, for making an impact and for longevity.”
This suggestion followed suit as drummer Sarab Singh and bassist Geo Bothelo joined MUNA onstage at the Greek Theatre. To prepare for the show, Gavin had a voice lesson with Professor Jeffrey Allen, showcasing the ongoing role of the USC community in the band’s success.
Sampson’s impact can also be seen in the band’s production style as he organized private lessons for McPherson with Young Guru, Jay-Z’s producer and engineer.
From then on, the band started to find their voice, platform and audience. Sampson mentored lead guitar player Maskin for her senior project — planning and executing MUNA’s trip to the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.
“The demands of radio promos, interviews, and performances showed them what they were in for. It was a bit overwhelming,” Sampson said. “Then they steadily started releasing music, and they survived the ups and downs of the industry. They were signed to a major record label. They were dropped by a major record label. All of this is part of the journey of a band that usually wipes bands out, but they persevered because they had such a strong foundation.”
MUNA released two LPs – 2017′s debut ‘About U’ and 2019′s ‘Saves The World’ – under the major record label RCA. In 2020, the label dropped them, citing cost-cutting measures.
In May 2021, MUNA signed with Phoebe Bridgers’ record label Saddest Factory. MUNA then released their first-ever viral hit, “Silk Chiffon,” featuring Bridgers, allowing them to bring their “queer joy” anthems to a larger audience. To close out the two shows, MUNA brought out the members of Boygenius — Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker — as a surprise to sing “Silk Chiffon.”
“That was the partnership they needed because Phoebe understood what they were going for, understood them as a band,” Sampson said. “Opening for Taylor Swift up on that stage was a growth moment, and another landmark is the Greek Theater. We’re seeing these touch points along the way of them coming into themselves, and we were remarking recently that it’s a ten-year journey.”
Supporting the band since 2017, MUNA fan Becca Cox, 25, waited at the gates at 9 a.m. to claim her front-row spot in the pit.
“I flew into L.A. from New York to see my 11th and 12th show, which was a bittersweet time since it’s the end of their self-titled album cycle,” Cox said. “I love their commitment to the power of music, but also empowerment, self and living authentic queer lives. They’ve all been big role models for me.”
The band was initially wary of labeling themselves as a “queer band” but said that it “makes sense” for the type of music they create. Fans consider the concerts a safe space and much of that is because of how the band shows up for the LGBTQ+ community. In both shows, MUNA invited the Trans Choir of L.A. to sing “Kind of Girl.”
MUNA’s artistry influences the next generation of pop musicians. Their legacy permeates the walls of USC and beyond.
“Future musicians who see MUNA up on stage and go, ‘Wow, where did they come from? What’s their story?’ They do a little research and find out their story originated here,” Sampson said. " That feeds back into prospective students who want a part of that. It’s gratifying for me as an instructor and keeps me going because every year, we get to admit incredibly talented students who have very bright futures, who all start by saying, ‘Yeah, I’m auditioning because I saw the MUNA open for Taylor Swift and they were amazing.’”
