Cloudy June : The Bold Voice of Musical Transformation
Photo credit : @aminesabeur
At just nine years old, Cloudy June was already writing her first songs in a blue notebook. She remembers sitting down one day and deciding, “I’m gonna write a song now,” and putting pen to paper. That notebook still exists today, a testament to the early spark that would guide her through a lifetime of music. Music came naturally to her, offering a way to channel her feelings from an early age. Over time, however, the attention and judgment of others introduced doubt. “I started trying to please other people, began doubting myself. That’s something I still have to work against today. But songwriting will always be my first love,” she reflects.
Her stage name, Cloudy June, has its own story. She initially wanted simply Cloudy, the pronunciation of her real name, but it was already taken. Turning to friends for suggestions, someone proposed June. She liked the sound of it, and Cloudy June was born. A name that captures both her artistic identity and her ongoing evolution.
Growing up in Berlin with German and Cuban roots, Cloudy June developed a sound shaped by multiple cultures, even if she hasn’t fully explored her Cuban heritage in her music yet. “I think about it all the time, maybe once I reach C1 in Spanish,” she says. She notes how her music has sometimes been mislabeled as R&B simply because she is a woman of color. Yet Berlin itself offered her freedom : a place where creativity and diversity were rewarded, allowing her to move fearlessly from singer-songwriter folk to death metal to pop, and beyond.
Photo credit : @aminesabeur
Before her solo career, Cloudy June fronted a death metal band. That experience, combined with her love of early 2000s pop and the life-changing impact of albums like AC/DC’s Back in Black, shaped her genre-fluid approach. She experimented with rap on GarageBand and explored whatever captured her interest. “When I got bored with one genre, I went and explored the next. Today I just love every song that moves me, no matter what style it is. But I surely wanna bring back some metal vocals into my music in the future,” she explains.
Her breakout track, FU In My Head, showcases her ability to blend bold, unapologetic lyrics with infectious melodies. The inspiration? “I had a crush and I was horny,” she says. Behind that playful honesty, however, lies a deeper engagement with empowerment and self-expression. Cloudy June often sang about confidence and queerness before fully feeling it herself. Her songs became mirrors, showing her the person she aspired to be on stage.
Tracks like High Waist to Hell and Pretty Pills for Broken Hearts demonstrate her evolving approach to vulnerability and strength. While she sees her older work as somewhat polished and safe, she now embraces vulnerability as a form of power: “I don’t think I’m being too vulnerable in them. If I was offering any insight into my mind and feelings in some of my old music, I was still heavily trying to look good while doing it at the time. I’ll probably say that again in 5 years about the music I’m making now, who knows. But to me now vulnerability is strength and I’m ready to show much more of that in the music that I’m making.”
Photo credit : @aminesabeur
Her willingness to confront mental struggles is evident in songs like Monsters in My Mind. The track captures the paradox of being depressed while trying to appear “too cool.” Therapy and self-reflection helped her reconnect with her authentic voice: “Going to therapy and working on myself plays a big part in that, because it taught me to trust in my own voice again.”
From early EPs to her album Crazy Woman, her discography charts a journey of resilience and transformation. She cherishes her earliest songbooks, which document her growth from child to teen to artist. Collaboration has also been important, even though she has recently become more of a solitary creator. “It’s funny you mention this because I’ve become such a loner and homebody recently when it comes to music, making many demos alone in my bedroom. But I wouldn’t be the songwriter I am today if I hadn’t learned from other people. And I learned a lot about music production from looking over the producer’s shoulder and I’m forever grateful for that. And I still have a big list of people I wanna collaborate with.”
Cloudy June’s message to young artists, especially those from marginalized communities, is clear: “Your ideas matter. Your creativity matters. If people make you feel like your mind is ‘too crazy,’ go somewhere where it’s appreciated. We need unique perspectives way more than clean-cut top-lines. Say what you really want to say, the people will be grateful, trust me.”
Reflecting on her evolution, she acknowledges the challenges she faced entering an industry where women were often told they needed male guidance. “It took a lot of unlearning to figure out my own worth as an artist and as a person. The funny thing is, deep down in my gut, I always knew what was right. But I played it safe and I think playing it safe is where a lot of great art is lost. That’s what I learned. Also, teach yourself how to produce music, it will be one of the most rewarding experiences ever.”
Through reinvention, fearless genre exploration, and unapologetic self-expression, Cloudy June continues to carve out a space that is wholly her own, a space where vulnerability is strength, creativity is celebrated, and music becomes both mirror and manifesto.
Photo credit : @aminesabeur