Meet Yunè Pinku, the 21-year-old artist making lush melodies inspired by gothic fables

Hey Yunè Pinku! Your new EP ‘Scarlet Lamb’ is out. You wrote that it’s based “around misguided faith and the subjectiveness of guilt and innocence.” I also read that you spent 5 years in Catholic school. Can you tell us a little bit more about this theme?

I was just going down a rabbit hole of gothic literature, like books that I’d studied in school, and I was thinking a lot about how we paint innocence and guilt, especially in modern life. Even with things like relationships. I’m always taking some inspiration from old Catholic imagery, so the fable of the sacrificial lamb, which is probably the most morally complex symbol, came to mind and the title ‘Scarlet Lamb’ was a kind of perversion of that symbol.

‘Scarlet Lamb’ is a bit of a departure from your previous garage/electronic sound. Can you tell us a little bit about your new sonic direction?

I think a lot of the music I’ve been listening to over the last year has influenced this EP’s sound. I was really into and wanted to replicate this almost slouched-electronic style, kind of trip-hop on steroids. Definitely taking a lot of inspiration from my favourite bands of the 90’s–like Massive Attack, Everything but the Girl and a bit of Radiohead.

I [really] wanted to replicate this almost slouched-electronic style, kind of trip-hop on steroids.

Your mother is from an Irish Catholic background and your father is from a Malaysian Hindu background, how does this unique cultural upbringing influence your work?

I never really know how to answer that, because it’s all I know. But I think I was fortunate in seeing the world at a very young age, and being exposed to different variations of culture. Like in South London, there were a lot of Jamaican and African influences growing up, and then in Ireland there’s loads of trad and rock music and in Malaysia you’re getting this swirl of mixed Asian heritages so the music is always shifting. So I think just not hearing sound in a linear way.

Why do you think gothic fables like Jane Eyre, Dracula and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein were your cited inspirations for Scarlet Lamb?

I think I just loved the drama. I think they explore true human conditions that aren’t black and white, like the blending of pain and pleasure, melancholy and mania, and all kinds of perverse stuff. It’s quite an escapist world because of all the visual ideas, despite the fact they’re exploring the same things we all go through on some scale.

The crystal shop [I worked at] had a bunch of funny moments…There was an exorcism (that we didn’t offer) and the police came and told us that spirits weren’t quite their department.

Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process?

It’s very solitary most of the time. I like locking myself away and ticking away at an idea for half a day, and I don’t like circling back to ideas, so I try and smash out as much as I can production/writing wise in one sitting. But I kind of let the music lead me. So if I’m obsessed with an artist at the time, I’ll try and pinpoint ‘is it the drum sound? Or the vocals?’ And then sort of replicate some of the tone, and then by the time I’ve written lyrics the vibe is usually completely different to the song I was replicating.

I read that you grew up on a mix of Irish music, trance and Black Eyed Peas. Who are some of your musical heroes today?

I’ve been loving a lot of the stuff coming out of America right now, like Chanel Beads, Fcukers and Mkgee and stuff. But also been really into The Prodigy, Phantogram and Massive Attack. The kind of off-kilter sexy vibes.

I read that you worked as an Intern at Prada and assistant at a crystal shop. Can you tell us an interesting story from either job?

I worked at Prada for one single day so no interesting stories haha. But the crystal shop had a bunch of funny moments. I’ll elude to one. There was an exorcism (that we didn’t offer) and the police came and told us that spirits weren’t quite their department.

If money were no object, what item/s would you love to buy?

Literally everything. I love stuff so much. Every boot and leather jacket in the world.

[I’ve] been really into The Prodigy, Phantogram and Massive Attack. The kind of off-kilter sexy vibes.

What’s your idea of a perfect day?

Maybe a coffee walk to start the day, go watch some dogs run around. Then a chill deli lunch, make a bunch of tunes with a nice bunch of people, and then get some great dinner and drink copiously at a wholesome little pub crawl or something haha.

What’s your favorite genre of films and a must watch movie(s)?

I’ve been very into cult movies and weird but not necessarily artsy movies. I think my three all time movies though, are Closer (2004), Almost Famous and The Love Witch (just because the visuals are insane).

“[My perfect day]... is a coffee walk to start the day, go watch some dogs run around. Then make a bunch of tunes with a nice bunch of people, get some really great dinner and then drink copiously at a wholesome little pub crawl.”

We have Scarlet Lamb on repeat. What are three songs by other artists that you have on repeat right now?

The Girl Who Lost the World - Yullola
Flipside - Everything but the Girl
Unifying Thought - Chanel Beads

You can listen to ‘Scarlet Lamb’ here.
Follow Yunè Pinku here.
Purchase tickets to Yunè Pinku’s London show at the historic ICA on the 29th of November, here.