tunesday – sudan archives

Snap by Jack McKain

There’s more than a few reasons why you should be adding Sudan Archives to your playlists. For one, the violinist, songwriter and beat-maker’s tunes can't be summed up neatly. Tune in and you'll hear folksy violin, ethereal harmonies, experimental electronic sounds and hip hop beats, all held together by her tender-hearted, warrior princesses attitude. (She called herself Sudan Moon when she first started making music – an ode to interplanetary heroine Sailor Moon.)

Sudan’s life story is rather curious, too.  Having moved around a lot as a kid in Cincinnati, Ohio, it was church (where she learned to play violin by ear) and music that became the most stable forces in life. Her stepdad was a one-time music exec and tried to turn Sudan and her twin sister into a pop duo. Of course, teenage Sudan skipped out on rehearsals; the project ultimately fell apart. She moved to LA at 19, working odd jobs, making music in her spare time and diving into ethnomusicology. The rest, as they say, is history. If you're in the mood to hear something new, we highly recommend giving Sudan's latest album Athena a spin below.