Sunstroke Rain is already on the path to building a sound that’s emotional and progressive, and her newest single “ Hey You” takes the song in a new direction. The song’s futuristic electronic new wave textures combine with alternative pop energy to evoke a dreamy atmosphere, probing deeper emotions beneath the surface. Catchy, reflective and chock full of the details to make listeners want to hear more and more.
“Hey You” is about meeting a former romantic interest in an art show and how the pressure of celebrity is juxtaposed with the emptiness of self. The lyrics have elements of admiration, disappointment, emotional distance and so on, but Sunstorm Rain manages to hold a balance with an uplifting tone that sounds like energy and life, not load. She’s collaborating with producer Mera Bhai again, continuing on a path she took in the past to create a music that feels unique, personal, and not so predictable.
In this interview, Sunstroke Rain talks about how she created “ Hey You”, the need for a unique sound in this saturated music market and why it has become such an important part of her life as an artist to be in the spotlight with personal songwriting. She is definitely moving into a new phase of her career with a number of more releases and performances on the horizon in 2026.
Listen to Hey You
Follow SUNSTROKE RAIN on
”Hey You” has this futuristic electronic new wave energy that feels both dreamy and emotional at the same time. What kind of mood or experience were you hoping listeners would step into when the song begins?
I’d love for the audience to feel energized and intrigued. I hope the songs invite them to listen closely to the details, feel inspired, become curious to hear more and see me live.
You mentioned the lyrics were inspired by meeting someone again at an art exhibition years after a short love story. At what moment did you realize that encounter needed to become a song?
This person appears quite often on social media and in newspapers because he’s quite successful in his work. So I’m reminded of him and his personality again and again. When I saw him at that art exhibition quite recently, I told myself: now I’ll write a text about his personality. He’s not the only one like that, and I think it’s worth writing about that type of person.
There’s a strong emotional contrast in “Hey You” between admiration and disappointment. How did you balance those personal feelings while still keeping the track uplifting and addictive sonically?
I think you’re right — there’s definitely a tension between the uplifting energy and the lyrics. But this happened a long time ago, so those emotions aren’t painful anymore. That gave me enough distance to focus on creating something catchy and emotionally engaging rather than just writing from raw emotion:)
You’ve worked once again with producer Mera Bhai on this release. What makes your creative partnership work so well, and how did the two of you shape the sound of “Hey You” together?
I think we both bring a lot of different musical references that we can draw from when creating new songs. We also come from very different backgrounds—we’re from different generations and countries—and all of that combined shapes a unique sound. We worked together on several songs and on this one I made everything except the drums and the basslines, and we worked together on the structure.
Following the response to “Another World,” did that momentum give you more confidence going into this new single, or did it create extra pressure to push yourself creatively?
I started working on “Hey You” after we had already made three songs together, and then it was sent back to Mera Bhai to finish. I think our collaboration really motivated me to keep going and gave me a lot of inspiration. Making music is a lot of work, and I’m quite tough on myself — I throw away a lot of ideas that I don’t think are good enough. That can be draining, so you need moments that recharge you and bring back your motivation and inspiration. Working with Mera Bhai definitely gave me that.
Your music often blends alternative pop, electronic textures, and emotional storytelling in a really natural way. Do you approach songwriting more from the feeling of the lyrics first, or from building the atmosphere and soundscape?
It depends, with Hey you the soundscape came first, and then the lyrics.
You’ve shared stages with artists like Nina Persson and Robyn over the years. Looking back now, how have those experiences influenced the artist you are becoming with these recent releases?
My personality back then wasn’t really aligned with being at the front or “headlining” — I preferred being in the background. But I was always making music, and when I started writing lyrics, they became so personal that I realized only I could sing them. Having previous experience on stage definitely helped, even though stepping into the front was a big leap for me.
Critics have described your music as infectious, transformative, and emotionally powerful. When you hear reactions like that, what do you hope people are truly connecting with in your work?
If people connect emotionally with the music, I’m very satisfied 🙂 It’s hard to make good music, so if I can transmit feelings through the music, or write lyrics that people can relate to, then I feel like I’ve done something right.
Artists like Björk, Prince, Daft Punk, and Bowie are all known for pushing creative boundaries. In what ways do those influences inspire you to take risks with your own sound and identity?
I think it starts with listening to their music and getting really inspired, while at the same time doing your own thing. Through that, you begin to understand the creative process, which feels almost magical. It might sound a bit abstract, but I truly believe it is. You work hard on your music, and then suddenly something happens—and afterwards you don’t really know how it became what it is.
With so many thousands of songs being released on Spotify every day, I think you really have to work to make your sound stand out and have something unique—otherwise there’s no point. I’ve listened to so much music in my life that I tend to lose interest if something feels too mainstream. Instead, I want to give my audience something unique, something that inspires them and makes them want to keep listening.
With more singles and live performances already planned throughout 2026, how does “Hey You” fit into the bigger story of where Sunstroke Rain is heading creatively this year?
I think it fits in really well. The songs are all a bit different from each other, but they’re connected through the production style. They were also all created during the same period of time, which gives them a natural sense of unity.
