On the road with Luna Luna
Photo by Jinni J. / Courtesy of the artist
Whether they’re performing for an energetic crowd or two people in a room, Texas four piece Luna Luna embodies the values they stand for — the primary one being friendship. Seeing the band members play onstage feels like watching a close friend group hang out, singing the song they made to a friend. It may have been something similar; band members Danny Bonilla, Ryan “Gordo” Gordon, Kevin “Kavvi” González and Kaylin Martínez first met in 2019, around the University of North Texas. Open mics, punk bands and a touch of luck brought them together, eventually forming Luna Luna in 2019.
Earlier this year, the group stopped by Gainesville, Florida on their Flower Moon Tour. A small but interactive crowd welcomed them. People swayed and danced along to the group’s dreamy, synth-infused music, which fused indie pop and R&B. Much like dreaming of a crush, Luna Luna’s sound is nostalgic and sweet.
Luna Luna’s charm — their uncomplicated, retro androgyny and fluidity; choice of vivid color schemes; romantic and wistful sound — call to mind beloved 1980s Puerto Rican boy band Menudo. The package is one part music, and another performance. You fall in love with their music and their dynamic, but you also fall in love with the moment. It’s most obvious on Luna Luna’s TikTok, the platform where the band first found virality. They reveal a playful and charismatic side of themselves that fans enjoy interacting with. Offline, the group wears Texas on its sleeve. Influences from other Austin indie bands (White Denim, Bright Light Social Hour, 13th Floor Elevators), tropical genres, and Spanish love songs highlight the multidimensionality of their bedroom pop.
Even between the jokes and remarks the band made during their set at local Gainesville venue The Wooly, the music stood out. But for each of the band members, the show was just another night on the road. During their visit, writer Kristine Villarroel caught up with the band.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Photo by Jinni J. / Courtesy of the artist
How’s the tour going so far?
Kaylin Martínez: It's been long. It feels like we've been on tour for years, almost, but every show is awesome and we've gotten to meet a lot of cool people.
Ryan Gordon: Yeah, it's also our first time touring the East Coast. It's been quite a different world, but it's been very welcoming. The fans we meet are really nice and so awesome. Some of them are really loud too.
How has it been touring the East Coast for the first time?
Martinez: Definitely different from the West coast.
Kevin González: There’s it’s just gray and depressing all the time. But, whenever we had a good show there, there was sun the next morning.
Gordon: I feel like the East Coast acts more like a mood ring
What’s the group dynamic like on tour?
Martinez: We’ll wake up usually when we have to check out, then we’ll pack the car, go to a gas station and find breakfast.
González: Mostly it’s been Wawa.
Do you guys have Wawa in Texas?
Danny Bonilla: No, we have Buc-ee’s.
Martinez: I don’t know if Wawa is better [than Buc-ee’s].
Gordon: No, no. Buc-ee’s is like department store slash eateries slash barbecues. I’m gonna say why Buc-ee's rules: the bathrooms. You can't compare.
Bonilla: I can meditate in a Buc-ee's bathroom. I can be zen.
How did you define your sound? How would you describe and how did you get there?
González: Let’s all say a word and make a sentence, I’ll go first. Romantic.
Martinez: Pop.
Gordon: Dreamy.
Bonilla: Music.
González: Romantic pop dreamy music. But the genre I usually say indie pop or R&B.
Let’s talk about your record, Flower Moon. What were the specific inspirations for this record?
González: I think it's just where we were at the time. A lot of it was made during the pandemic when we had to be away from each other.
Martinez: And since we weren't around each other, we really valued that time and made good use of it.
Bonilla: A lot of FaceTime sessions.
Can you walk me through the recording process for the record?
González: [For] “Golden,” we started back in 2018, and it evolved through the years. It’s kind of a plant. We started playing with it, and we just watered it every now and then, but sometimes we forgot to water it. There was a year we didn’t even look at it.
Bonilla: Maybe two years, we didn’t even touch it.
Gordon: I didn’t even know what it was when you guys brought it back.
How did it resurface?
Gordon: Our friend Prettyboy Aaron, we collaborate with him a lot, but he put his own twist on it and it became something completely beautiful. I think it was just the fresh ears on it. We just heard it again.
When did the pandemic catch you guys?
Bonilla: We were expecting everything to happen. It was like, we just came out of finishing an EP, just finished touring the West Coast and everything was rolling. We had so much momentum. Right when the pandemic it just halted us. Everything that we already had planned just fell apart. It felt like we were about to finally do it, and it didn't happen. And then TikTok saved us
Gordon: That's when we started branching out. Amongst all the boredom in quarantine, we found time to come up with ideas to extend our message out to see who else listens to Luna Luna. Now here we are touring the East Coast. We're finally getting closer to normal than ever before.
What kind of content do people like to see from you on TikTok?
González: Us, our music.
Gordon: Us doing silly stuff.
Martinez: Yeah, hanging out
González: Us together is the best content.
I feel like people tend to like a lot of like group dynamics.
Gordon: Like BTS. [laughs]
Martinez: It’s a good example. You want to see everyone interact.
Luna Luna is on tour this fall. More information is available on their website.