Originally from Minnesota, now based in Los Angeles, alt-pop singer Sonja Midtune unveils the music video for “Lonely Bones.”
Sonja explains the genesis of “Lonely Bones,” saying, “Lonely Bones was written in a moment of freedom after heartbreak. It’s about being grateful for the present moment. The melody came over me while I was driving from LA to Prescott, AZ to visit two of my aunts. I needed some time away from the city after a breakup. There was this moment as I was driving where the sunrise was coming up on my left and on my right there was a train. My car was racing the train! When I got to AZ, I started to put the song together. I wrote several verses, maybe about 10. My aunts even lent me some ideas. Driving back to LA, I went over the song in my head and picked my favorite verses.”
Growing up in Minnesota, Sonja began her music career early on. By the time she was eight-years-old, she was performing around the globe in musical theatre, followed by singing with bands in high school. She then attended St. Olaf College, obtaining a degree in Music Theory and Composition, whereupon she studied at The European Musical Alliance at La Schola Cantorum, a program associated with The Juilliard School.
Since then, Sonja’s performed at the Hotel Café, Vibrato Jazz Club, The Viper Room, The Bootleg Theatre, the Mint, and landed a nine-month residency at Bar Lubitsch, followed by making her off-Broadway debut in POCKETS. Now, in addition to performing with indie-rock band Talk Time, she is putting the final polish on her forthcoming EP, slated for release this year, and teaching Songwriting 1 and 2 at Cal Poly Pomona.
Just after she started teaching at Cal Poly Pomona, she injured her leg. Spending weeks on crutches, she almost stopped making music.
“I was in such a dark place mentally and emotionally that my thoughts were telling me I should stop making music, stop being an artist,” she shares.
She didn’t, stating, “I realized that I couldn’t teach with integrity if I was leaving my career as an artist. It wouldn’t feel right; it would be hypocritical. Teaching students has really inspired me to get back in the game.”
“Lonely Bones” opens on deliciously poignant colors, warm and gentle, yet gleaming. The marriage of SoCal soft country-rock flavors with creamy pop textures imbues the tune with alluring savors. Rippling with silky undulations, the rhythm is both tantalizing and reminiscent of the Eagles’ “Tequila Sunrise,” as lingering melancholy invests the music with intimate vulnerability.
Sonja’s voice, honeyed and rich, infuses the lyrics with delectable timbres of sadness laced with quixotic passion, as she reflects on the electrifying energy of love.
“Oh and I’m nobody but I know something / That when you’re all alone at last / You’re not just lonely bones.”
The video, directed by Allex Tarr, mirrors the trembling lonesomeness of the music, depicting Sonja with her guitar, narrating the ache of heartbreak and her enchanting discovery.
Wondrously wrought, “Lonely Bones” exudes elegantly charming sonic flavors, along with the sumptuous voice of Sonja Midtune.
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