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Empire of the Sun  

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Empire of the Sun (formed in 2007) is an Australian electronic music duo, comprised of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore from Sydney, Australia.

The dynamic duo of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore met in the year 2000 having both been signed to EMI and being introduced by A&R representative Simon Moor. The pair collaborated on their solo projects with Littlemore providing songwriting assistance on Steele’s band The Sleepy Jackson’s debut album, and Steele assisted on Littlemore’s art-rock project Teenager.

Littlemore is also of the electronic dance outfit Pnau alongside guitarist and producer Peter Mayes. Pnau’s self-titled album reunited Steele and Littlemore and the three crafted a luscious vocal-centred album, which led to the creation of Empire of the Sun.

The band’s name which has long been attributed to the J.G. Ballard novel “Empire of the Sun” or the Spielberg film of the same name, actually refers to empires of civilisations where the sun is the theme of worship, that the band feels connected to.

Despite living in different parts of Australia the two entered the recording studio with Peter Mayes and produced their debut album “Walking on a Dream” in October 2008. The album debuted at No. 8 and peaked at No. 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart, led by the singles “Walking on a Dream” and “We Are the People”. Empire of the Sun earned mainly positive reviews for the album, drawing comparisons with MGMT.

The band’s follow-up, 2013’s “Ice on the Dune” was led by the single “Alive”, which featured a music video produced by Kelvin Optical, Inc., of Bad Robot. The album received slightly poorer reviews than its predecessor however along with the release the band announced they would be scoring the soundtrack for the Jim Carey sequel “Dumb and Dumber To”.

Live reviews

I've seen Empire of the Sun twice now, once at Virgin Mobile Freefest 2011 in MD and once at EDC Chicago 2013. During my first encounter, I was just waiting for them to finish their performance so the artist that I really wanted to see could come on stage. Long story short, I fell in love with these artists, and it was my fate to be at that stage early so I could be moved by such beautiful music. These artists are definitely unique, with beautiful costumes and sets that made me wish I discovered Empire of the Sun much sooner. My second encounter was much more magical, because I actually knew who these people were, yet I was still swept off my feet by a most enchanting spectacle. It's hard to describe what it means when something is magical, but all I can say is that these performances are so worth any sacrifices one might have to endure. What I enjoyed most about the show was when the lead singer, Luke Steele, jumped off stage and stood over the railing that held back the crowd. Hearing his voice so close would be enough to drive even the shiest person wild, in a good way! I still remember his metallic silver costume, and I will never forget how amazing the show was. I won't be any more specific for fear of spoiling the show for true fans who have yet to watch Empire of the Sun perform. I will just give one more insider, and it is that Empire of the Sun shows these days are PACKED. So one might not have as much room to dance as he or she hoped. My advice is to arrive early if you want to be close to the stage, otherwise be ready to watch them from far away.

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Seeing Luke Steele of Empire of the Sun at Marymoor Park was the second time I got to see the group. The first time I saw EofS at the Paramount in Seattle last year, Nick Littlemore did not show up. I don't know why the other band member doesn't show up for live shows. I guess it doesn't matter since Luke Steele has more than enough great stage presence. He came down into the crowd during "Celebrate", where I luckily got to see into the microphone!!! Mr. Steele had a special "Surround Sound in Seattle" guitar to smash on the stage after Walking on a Dream. The dancers at one point at t-shirts cannons, I was not lucky enough to catch one since I was at the front.

The background visuals are A-1. Not boring and not the just the music video playing. One of the visuals was a tunnel which Steele was pretending to run down. :P Another visual was a digital overlord Steele would back-talk to.

I must say the costume designer is top notch! I love the back-up dancers costumes. I think there were about 6 different changes.

I did have one problem with the Marymoor experience which was the vocals were too soft. I had to scream during lulls "TURN UP THE VOCALS! I WANT TO HEAR YOUR BEAUTIFUL VOICE!" :( At a couple of points during the show he was singing with two microphones at the same time.

10/10 would see again.

The Australian duo Empire of the Sun, consisting of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore are as known as well for their music as their bizarre outfit choices and boisterous live show. Performing shimmering indie pop in equally shimmering costumes, you cannot help yourself getting involved in the boys' flamboyant world.

As Luke emerges from underneath the stage in his huge head piece and glittered face decorations the audience erupt in cheers and nearly drown out the opening bars of 'Old Flavours'. Although the performers are flamboyant, they are well tuned musicians and their tight backing band bring these synth-heavy pop gems to life brilliantly.

They run through material from both albums at a rapid pace keeping the audience engaged with trippy visuals and extended instrumentals throughout the show. Big cheers for 'We Are The People' cause the band to thrash out the single even harder. The hedonistic party that is 'Walking on a Dream' receives rapturous applause for the eccentric pair. An extended version of 'Tiger By My Side' leaves the audience impressed and more importantly realising that Empire of the Sun are a band of integrity as opposed to a duo covered in glitter.

Empire of the Sun, formed by Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore, is one of my favourite bands of all time, and seeing them perform live was an incredible experience. The band is undeniably wacky, famed for their eccentric style, and they did not disappoint on stage. The sun god attire with the crazy spiked crown and the jutting shoulder pads were all in place. The duo brought an insane amount of energy on to stage, and were absolute geniuses on the electric guitars. The backing musicians and the flashing neon lights that lit up the entire concert hall in various shades of blue and green were spectacular, and really added to the show. However, Steele and Littlemore retained the crowd’s attention the whole time, as the foremen of the show. At one point Steele even jumped off the stage to be nearer the audience and the crowd went wild. Empire of the Sun’s biggest hits, including ‘Walking on a Dream’, ‘Alive’ and ‘We Are the People’ were, of course, performed and garnered the biggest crowd reactions of the night.

The Empire of the Sun concert was certainly an experience. If you haven't seen seem live, I highly recommend it! The whole show was a grand performance. I think what made it really good for me was their back up dancers. There were four women all the same height dressed in these really elaborate costumes and they danced all night long. It made me want to be one of them, it looked like so much fun! It almost felt like a mix of electronic music and cirque du soleil, just no acrobatics. I really enjoyed the two openers too, Holy Ghost! and St. Lucia. I have seen Holy Ghost! before a few years ago when they opened for Chromeo. I really like their music. St. Lucia's music is equally as good. It makes you feel like you've been transported back to the 80s. It was spectacular!

AWESOME! I can't express it more! Awe inspiring! I don't want to spoil it for the other Empirians. But one thing that had me almost on the floor laughing soooo hard... Luke is whaling on his Fender guitar, all of a sudden I see this Gold Guitar fly like in slow motion from his hands sailing in the air up and all the way to the other side of the stage! Awesome! Simply Awesome!

The Dancers, their outfits, the backdrop graphics, the show itself... Luke!!! It was just AWESOME!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS! EMPIRE OF THE SUN IS A BAND NOT TO MISS!!!!

Oh my gosh, if you want a performance, a CONCERT - this is it. Just about my favorite concert ever, and I don't say that easily: I have been to a lot of concerts I've loved! Empire of the Sun is beautiful, and ridiculous, and absurd, and theatrical, and energetic. The whole show feels RIGHT. Highly recommend. I judge how good a concert is by how much I miss it when it's over, and this concert, I'm nostalgic for even though it was just last night.

My amazing boyfriend gave me the most terrifically,magnificent birthday gift ever, in which case was the empire of the sun concert! This was my dream concert and I can't begin to say enough wonderfully good things about this concert. I recommend anyone and every one to go see them in concert. Very high energy and the costumes were amazing. Empire of the sun aimed to please and 100% delivered!!!! p.s. they kick ass live!!

It was my first time watching their live performance. I must say that the band overcome my expectations regarding the presentation quality and pace.

We had a lot of fun singing and dancing those amazing songs together. The use of BG visuals does help to create the environment.

Indeed, it was of one the best concerts we experienced this year!

I never more will lose their presentations here.

Regency was a cool setting for a more intimate show. Dancers, lighting, sound was all awesome.

I thought they could've played more of their upbeat songs, got a bit draggy in the middle. I bought this ticket because of their performance I saw at OSL two years ago. Was hoping for more of their bangers and more use of his cool hat :)

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Empire of the Sun

Latest setlist, empire of the sun on may 13, 2023.

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Empire Of The Sun Celebrate 'Walking On A Dream' With Decade Anniversary Tour

The Aussie electro alt-rock duo recently released a 10th anniversary edition vinyl of their debut album, along with a previously-unreleased track, "Crysalis"

Australia's Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore, aka Empire Of The Sun , have been creating futuristic dreamscapes for over a decade now. The release of their debut album, Walking On A Dream , teleported their unique blend of electro-pop and glam-rock—and overall otherworldly aesthetic—to the states in 2009.

Now, a decade later, the duo is celebrating their golden year with a 16-date Decade Anniversary Tour, following the release of a special-edition Walking On A Dream vinyl reissue , which includes a previously-unreleased song, "Crysalis."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Extremely excited to announce our Decade Anniversary Tour - celebrating Walking On A Dream. Hear some of the favorites from the album re-imagined with the Emperor. Tickets on sale Friday. Complete dates: <a href="https://t.co/xxgG5p69ee">https://t.co/xxgG5p69ee</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WalkingOnADream10?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WalkingOnADream10</a> <a href="https://t.co/YL2CoyUr3p">pic.twitter.com/YL2CoyUr3p</a></p>&mdash; Empire of the Sun (@EmpireOfTheSun) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmpireOfTheSun/status/1097875591087321088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2019</a></blockquote>

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As a press release highlights, the tour will bring the duo to "intimate venues across the country, with two-night stands in numerous cities, including Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles." Following a headline spot at the M3F music fest in Phoenix, Ariz. on March 2, the tour will kick off on May 30 with two nights at the Metro Chicago, a 1,100-capacity indie-favorite concert spot.

The duo will also bring their opulent costumes and theater-worthy stage design to Boston and Dallas, as well as Seattle, Wash., and Denver which will have two shows each. The U.S. portion of the tour will close out at the historic 1,200-capacity Fonda Theatre in L.A. on June 30. Two Europe dates have also been announced, in London on July 9 and Paris on July 10.

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The Aussie's debut single, also titled "Walking On A Dream," was released in their home market in Aug. 2008, with the album following in Oct. 2008. The single and album made its way to the North American market in March and April of 2009. The upbeat, anthem song and cinematic music video were a perfect introduction to Empire Of The Sun.

The reissue of the album features "Crysalis," a previously-unreleased track recorded during the time of the first-album, with a synth-pop beat and empowering lyrics that take you back to the group's beginnings; "And we all rise/From the shadows, from the slumber, sun rise./Each and everyone/It's gonna be alright if we stick together for all time." A special-edition 10th anniversary vinyl of the album is available on the group's merch site , and includes the track.

Tickets for the Decade Anniversary Tour go on sale this Friday, Feb. 22, at 10:00 a.m. local time, find more info on the duo's website .

'Pronounced Jah-Nay' At 25: Zhané's Renée Neufville & Jean Norris Look Back On Their Classic R&B Debut

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly . Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly .

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube . This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg , Doggystyle . This is for Illmatic , this is for Nas . We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal , Anna Wise and Thundercat ). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift 's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN ., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers .

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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A Guide To Modern Funk For The Dance Floor: L'Imperatrice, Shiro Schwarz, Franc Moody, Say She She & Moniquea

James Brown changed the sound of popular music when he found the power of the one and unleashed the funk with "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." Today, funk lives on in many forms, including these exciting bands from across the world.

It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown . The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton , who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic , psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic . Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis , Silk Sonic , and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar , Flying Lotus , and Thundercat , respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels , while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa , Doja Cat , and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic . There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin ’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music , Amazon Music and Pandora .

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism . Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and " Norma " is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers , from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea 's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’ s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight ’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat .

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo , is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody 's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether .

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Photo: Steven Sebring

Living Legends: Billy Idol On Survival, Revival & Breaking Out Of The Cage

"One foot in the past and one foot into the future," Billy Idol says, describing his decade-spanning career in rock. "We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol."

Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Billy Idol about his latest EP,   Cage , and continuing to rock through decades of changing tastes.

Billy Idol is a true rock 'n' roll survivor who has persevered through cultural shifts and personal struggles. While some may think of Idol solely for "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding," the singer's musical influences span genres and many of his tunes are less turbo-charged than his '80s hits would belie.  

Idol first made a splash in the latter half of the '70s with the British punk band Generation X. In the '80s, he went on to a solo career combining rock, pop, and punk into a distinct sound that transformed him and his musical partner, guitarist Steve Stevens, into icons. They have racked up multiple GRAMMY nominations, in addition to one gold, one double platinum, and four platinum albums thanks to hits like "Cradle Of Love," "Flesh For Fantasy," and "Eyes Without A Face." 

But, unlike many legacy artists, Idol is anything but a relic. Billy continues to produce vital Idol music by collaborating with producers and songwriters — including Miley Cyrus — who share his forward-thinking vision. He will play a five-show Vegas residency in November, and filmmaker Jonas Akerlund is working on a documentary about Idol’s life. 

His latest release is Cage , the second in a trilogy of annual four-song EPs. The title track is a classic Billy Idol banger expressing the desire to free himself from personal constraints and live a better life. Other tracks on Cage incorporate metallic riffing and funky R&B grooves. 

Idol continues to reckon with his demons — they both grappled with addiction during the '80s — and the singer is open about those struggles on the record and the page. (Idol's 2014 memoir Dancing With Myself , details a 1990 motorcycle accident that nearly claimed a leg, and how becoming a father steered him to reject hard drugs. "Bitter Taste," from his last EP, The Roadside , reflects on surviving the accident.)

Although Idol and Stevens split in the late '80s — the skilled guitarist fronted Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys, and collaborated with Michael Jackson, Rick Ocasek, Vince Neil, and Harold Faltermeyer (on the GRAMMY-winning "Top Gun Anthem") —  their common history and shared musical bond has been undeniable. The duo reunited in 2001 for an episode of " VH1 Storytellers " and have been back in the saddle for two decades. Their union remains one of the strongest collaborations in rock 'n roll history.

While there is recognizable personnel and a distinguishable sound throughout a lot of his work, Billy Idol has always pushed himself to try different things. Idol discusses his musical journey, his desire to constantly move forward, and the strong connection that he shares with Stevens. 

Steve has said that you like to mix up a variety of styles, yet everyone assumes you're the "Rebel Yell"/"White Wedding" guy. But if they really listen to your catalog, it's vastly different.

Yeah, that's right. With someone like Steve Stevens, and then back in the day Keith Forsey producing... [Before that] Generation X actually did move around inside punk rock. We didn't stay doing just the Ramones two-minute music. We actually did a seven-minute song. [ Laughs ]. We did always mix things up. 

Then when I got into my solo career, that was the fun of it. With someone like Steve, I knew what he could do. I could see whatever we needed to do, we could nail it. The world was my oyster musically. 

"Cage" is a classic-sounding Billy Idol rocker, then "Running From The Ghost" is almost metal, like what the Devil's Playground album was like back in the mid-2000s. "Miss Nobody" comes out of nowhere with this pop/R&B flavor. What inspired that?

We really hadn't done anything like that since something like "Flesh For Fantasy" [which] had a bit of an R&B thing about it. Back in the early days of Billy Idol, "Hot In The City" and "Mony Mony" had girls [singing] on the backgrounds. 

We always had a bit of R&B really, so it was actually fun to revisit that. We just hadn't done anything really quite like that for a long time. That was one of the reasons to work with someone like Sam Hollander [for the song "Rita Hayworth"] on The Roadside . We knew we could go [with him] into an R&B world, and he's a great songwriter and producer. That's the fun of music really, trying out these things and seeing if you can make them stick. 

I listen to new music by veteran artists and debate that with some people. I'm sure you have those fans that want their nostalgia, and then there are some people who will embrace the newer stuff. Do you find it’s a challenge to reach people with new songs?

Obviously, what we're looking for is, how do we somehow have one foot in the past and one foot into the future? We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol. 

You want to do things that are true to you, and you don't just want to try and do things that you're seeing there in the charts today. I think that we're achieving it with things like "Running From The Ghost" and "Cage" on this new EP. I think we’re managing to do both in a way. 

** Obviously, "Running From The Ghost" is about addiction, all the stuff that you went through, and in "Cage" you’re talking about  freeing yourself from a lot of personal shackles. Was there any one moment in your life that made you really thought I have to not let this weigh me down anymore ? **

I mean, things like the motorcycle accident I had, that was a bit of a wake up call way back. It was 32 years ago. But there were things like that, years ago, that gradually made me think about what I was doing with my life. I didn't want to ruin it, really. I didn't want to throw it away, and it made [me] be less cavalier. 

I had to say to myself, about the drugs and stuff, that I've been there and I've done it. There’s no point in carrying on doing it. You couldn't get any higher. You didn't want to throw your life away casually, and I was close to doing that. It took me a bit of time, but then gradually I was able to get control of myself to a certain extent [with] drugs and everything. And I think Steve's done the same thing. We're on a similar path really, which has been great because we're in the same boat in terms of lyrics and stuff. 

So a lot of things like that were wake up calls. Even having grandchildren and just watching my daughter enlarging her family and everything; it just makes you really positive about things and want to show a positive side to how you're feeling, about where you're going. We've lived with the demons so long, we've found a way to live with them. We found a way to be at peace with our demons, in a way. Maybe not completely, but certainly to where we’re enjoying what we do and excited about it.

[When writing] "Running From The Ghost" it was easy to go, what was the ghost for us? At one point, we were very drug addicted in the '80s. And Steve in particular is super sober [now]. I mean, I still vape pot and stuff. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but it’s incredible. All I want to be able to do is have a couple of glasses of wine at a restaurant or something. I can do that now.

I think working with people that are super talented, you just feel confident. That is a big reason why you open up and express yourself more because you feel comfortable with what's around you.

Did you watch Danny Boyle's recent Sex Pistols mini-series?

I did, yes.

You had a couple of cameos; well, an actor who portrayed you did. How did you react to it? How accurate do you think it was in portraying that particular time period?

I love Jonesy’s book, I thought his book was incredible. It's probably one of the best bio books really. It was incredible and so open. I was looking forward to that a lot.

It was as if [the show] kind of stayed with Steve [Jones’ memoir] about halfway through, and then departed from it. [John] Lydon, for instance, was never someone I ever saw acting out; he's more like that today. I never saw him do something like jump up in the room and run around going crazy. The only time I saw him ever do that was when they signed the recording deal with Virgin in front of Buckingham Palace. Whereas Sid Vicious was always acting out; he was always doing something in a horrible way or shouting at someone. I don't remember John being like that. I remember him being much more introverted.

But then I watched interviews with some of the actors about coming to grips with the parts they were playing. And they were saying, we knew punk rock happened but just didn't know any of the details. So I thought well, there you go . If ["Pistol" is]  informing a lot of people who wouldn't know anything about punk rock, maybe that's what's good about it.

Maybe down the road John Lydon will get the chance to do John's version of the Pistols story. Maybe someone will go a lot deeper into it and it won't be so surface. But maybe you needed this just to get people back in the flow.

We had punk and metal over here in the States, but it feels like England it was legitimately more dangerous. British society was much more rigid.

It never went [as] mega in America. It went big in England. It exploded when the Pistols did that interview with [TV host Bill] Grundy, that lorry truck driver put his boot through his own TV, and all the national papers had "the filth and the fury" [headlines].

We went from being unknown to being known overnight. We waited a year, Generation X. We even told them [record labels] no for nine months to a year. Every record company wanted their own punk rock group. So it went really mega in England, and it affected the whole country – the style, the fashions, everything. I mean, the Ramones were massive in England. Devo had a No. 1 song [in England] with "Satisfaction" in '77. Actually, Devo was as big as or bigger than the Pistols.

You were ahead of the pop-punk thing that happened in the late '90s, and a lot of it became tongue-in-cheek by then. It didn't have the same sense of rebelliousness as the original movement. It was more pop.

It had become a style. There was a famous book in England called Revolt Into Style — and that's what had happened, a revolt that turned into style which then they were able to duplicate in their own way. Even recently, Billie Joe [Armstrong] did his own version of "Gimme Some Truth," the Lennon song we covered way back in 1977.

When we initially were making [punk] music, it hadn't become accepted yet. It was still dangerous and turned into a style that people were used to. We were still breaking barriers.

You have a band called Generation Sex with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. I assume you all have an easier time playing Pistols and Gen X songs together now and not worrying about getting spit on like back in the '70s?

Yeah, definitely. When I got to America I told the group I was putting it together, "No one spits at the audience."

We had five years of being spat on [in the UK], and it was revolting. And they spat at you if they liked you. If they didn't like it they smashed your gear up. One night, I remember I saw blood on my T-shirt, and I think Joe Strummer got meningitis when spit went in his mouth.

You had to go through a lot to become successful, it wasn't like you just kind of got up there and did a couple of gigs. I don't think some young rock bands really get that today.

With punk going so mega in England, we definitely got a leg up. We still had a lot of work to get where we got to, and rightly so because you find out that you need to do that. A lot of groups in the old days would be together three to five years before they ever made a record, and that time is really important. In a way, what was great about punk rock for me was it was very much a learning period. I really learned a lot [about] recording music and being in a group and even writing songs.

Then when I came to America, it was a flow, really. I also really started to know what I wanted Billy Idol to be. It took me a little bit, but I kind of knew what I wanted Billy Idol to be. And even that took a while to let it marinate.

You and Miley Cyrus have developed a good working relationship in the last several years. How do you think her fans have responded to you, and your fans have responded to her?

I think they're into it. It's more the record company that she had didn't really get "Night Crawling"— it was one of the best songs on Plastic Hearts , and I don't think they understood that. They wanted to go with Dua Lipa, they wanted to go with the modern, young acts, and I don't think they realized that that song was resonating with her fans. Which is a shame really because, with Andrew Watt producing, it's a hit song.

But at the same time, I enjoyed doing it. It came out really good and it's very Billy Idol. In fact, I think it’s more Billy Idol than Miley Cyrus. I think it shows you where Andrew Watt was. He was excited about doing a Billy Idol track. She's fun to work with. She’s a really great person and she works at her singing — I watched her rehearsing for the Super Bowl performance she gave. She rehearsed all Saturday morning, all Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning and it was that afternoon. I have to admire her fortitude. She really cares.

I remember when you went on " Viva La Bam "  back in 2005 and decided to give Bam Margera’s Lamborghini a new sunroof by taking a power saw to it. Did he own that car? Was that a rental?

I think it was his car.

Did he get over it later on?

He loved it. [ Laughs ] He’s got a wacky sense of humor. He’s fantastic, actually. I’m really sorry to see what he's been going through just lately. He's going through a lot, and I wish him the best. He's a fantastic person, and it's a shame that he's struggling so much with his addictions. I know what it's like. It's not easy.

Musically, what is the synergy like with you guys during the past 10 years, doing Kings and Queens of the Underground and this new stuff? What is your working relationship like now in this more sober, older, mature version of you two as opposed to what it was like back in the '80s?

In lots of ways it’s not so different because we always wrote the songs together, we always talked about what we're going to do together. It was just that we were getting high at the same time.We're just not getting [that way now] but we're doing all the same things.

We're still talking about things, still [planning] things:What are we going to do next? How are we going to find new people to work with? We want to find new producers. Let's be a little bit more timely about putting stuff out.That part of our relationship is the same, you know what I mean? That never got affected. We just happened to be overloading in the '80s.

The relationship’s… matured and it's carrying on being fruitful, and I think that's pretty amazing. Really, most people don't get to this place. Usually, they hate each other by now. [ Laughs ] We also give each other space. We're not stopping each other doing things outside of what we’re working on together. All of that enables us to carry on working together. I love and admire him. I respect him. He's been fantastic. I mean, just standing there on stage with him is always a treat. And he’s got an immensely great sense of humor. I think that's another reason why we can hang together after all this time because we've got the sense of humor to enable us to go forward.

There's a lot of fan reaction videos online, and I noticed a lot of younger women like "Rebel Yell" because, unlike a lot of other '80s alpha male rock tunes, you're talking about satisfying your lover.

It was about my girlfriend at the time, Perri Lister. It was about how great I thought she was, how much I was in love with her, and how great women are, how powerful they are.

It was a bit of a feminist anthem in a weird way. It was all about how relationships can free you and add a lot to your life. It was a cry of love, nothing to do with the Civil War or anything like that. Perri was a big part of my life, a big part of being Billy Idol. I wanted to write about it. I'm glad that's the effect.

Is there something you hope people get out of the songs you've been doing over the last 10 years? Do you find yourself putting out a message that keeps repeating?

Well, I suppose, if anything, is that you can come to terms with your life, you can keep a hold of it. You can work your dreams into reality in a way and, look, a million years later, still be enjoying it.

The only reason I'm singing about getting out of the cage is because I kicked out of the cage years ago. I joined Generation X when I said to my parents, "I'm leaving university, and I'm joining a punk rock group." And they didn't even know what a punk rock group was. Years ago, I’d write things for myself that put me on this path, so that maybe in 2022 I could sing something like "Cage" and be owning this territory and really having a good time. This is the life I wanted.

The original UK punk movement challenged societal norms. Despite all the craziness going on throughout the world, it seems like a lot of modern rock bands are afraid to do what you guys were doing. Do you think we'll see a shift in that?

Yeah.  Art usually reacts to things, so I would think eventually there will be a massive reaction to the pop music that’s taken over — the middle of the road music, and then this kind of right wing politics. There will be a massive reaction if there's not already one. I don’t know where it will come from exactly. You never know who's gonna do [it].

Living Legends: Nancy Sinatra Reflects On Creating "Power And Magic" In Studio, Developing A Legacy Beyond "Boots" & The Pop Stars She Wants To Work With

Graphic: The Recording Academy

Hear All Of The Best Country Solo Performance Nominees For The 2023 GRAMMY Awards

The 2023 GRAMMY Award nominees for Best Country Solo Performance highlight country music's newcomers and veterans, featuring hits from Kelsea Ballerini, Zach Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris and Willie Nelson.

Country music's evolution is well represented in the 2023 GRAMMY nominees for Best Country Solo Performance. From crossover pop hooks to red-dirt outlaw roots, the genre's most celebrated elements are on full display — thanks to rising stars, leading ladies and country icons.

Longtime hitmaker Miranda Lambert delivered a soulful performance on the rootsy ballad "In His Arms," an arrangement as sparing as the windswept west Texas highlands where she co-wrote the song. Viral newcomer Zach Bryan dug into similar organic territory on the Oklahoma side of the Red River for "Something in the Orange," his voice accompanied with little more than an acoustic guitar.

Two of country's 2010s breakout stars are clearly still shining, too, as Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini both received Best Country Solo Performance GRAMMY nods. Morris channeled the determination that drove her leap-of-faith move from Texas to Nashville for the playful clap-along "Circles Around This Town," while Ballerini brought poppy hooks with a country edge on the infectiously upbeat "HEARTFIRST."

Rounding out the category is the one and only Willie Nelson, who paid tribute to his late friend Billy Joe Shaver with a cover of "Live Forever" — a fitting sentiment for the 89-year-old legend, who is approaching his eighth decade in the business. 

As the excitement builds for the 2023 GRAMMYs on Feb. 5, 2023, let's take a closer look at this year's nominees for Best Country Solo Performance.

Kelsea Ballerini — "HEARTFIRST"

In the tradition of Shania Twain , Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood , Kelsea Ballerini represents Nashville's sunnier side — and her single "HEARTFIRST" is a slice of bright, uptempo, confectionary country-pop for the ages.

Ballerini sings about leaning into a carefree crush with her heart on her sleeve, pushing aside her reservations and taking a risk on love at first sight. The scene plays out in a bar room and a back seat, as she sweeps nimbly through the verses and into a shimmering chorus, when the narrator decides she's ready to "wake up in your T-shirt." 

There are enough steel guitar licks to let you know you're listening to a country song, but the story and melody are universal. "HEARTFIRST" is Ballerini's third GRAMMY nod, but first in the Best Country Solo Performance category.

Zach Bryan — "Something In The Orange"

Zach Bryan blew into Music City seemingly from nowhere in 2017, when his original song "Heading South" — recorded on an iPhone — went viral. Then an active officer in the U.S. Navy, the Oklahoma native chased his muse through music during his downtime, striking a chord with country music fans on stark songs led by his acoustic guitar and affecting vocals.

After his honorable discharge in 2021, Bryan began his music career in earnest, and in 2022 released "Something in the Orange," a haunting ballad that stakes a convincing claim to the territory between Tyler Childers and Jason Isbell in both sonics and songwriting. Slashing slide guitar drives home the song's heartbreak, as Bryan pines for a lover whose tail lights have long since vanished over the horizon. 

"Something In The Orange" marks Bryan's first-ever GRAMMY nomination.

Miranda Lambert — "In His Arms"

Miranda Lambert is the rare, chart-topping contemporary country artist who does more than pay lip service to the genre's rural American roots. "In His Arms" originally surfaced on 2021's The Marfa Tapes , a casual recording Lambert made with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall in Marfa, Texas — a tiny arts enclave in the middle of the west Texas high desert.

In this proper studio version — recorded for her 2022 album, Palomino — Lambert retains the structure and organic feel of the mostly acoustic song; light percussion and soothing atmospherics keep her emotive vocals front and center. A native Texan herself, Lambert sounds fully at home on "In His Arms."

Lambert is the only Best Country Solo Performance nominee who is nominated in all four Country Field categories in 2023. To date, Miranda Lambert has won 3 GRAMMYs and received 27 nominations overall. 

Maren Morris — "Circles Around This Town"

When Maren Morris found herself uninspired and dealing with writer's block, she went back to what inspired her to move to Nashville nearly a decade ago — and out came "Circles Around This Town," the lead single from her 2022 album Humble Quest .

Written in one of her first in-person songwriting sessions since the pandemic, Morris has called "Circles Around This Town" her "most autobiographical song" to date; she even recreated her own teenage bedroom for the song's video. As she looks back to her Texas beginnings and the life she left for Nashville, Morris' voice soars over anthemic, yet easygoing production. 

Morris last won a GRAMMY for Best Country Solo Performance in 2017, when her song "My Church" earned the singer her first GRAMMY. To date, Maren Morris has won one GRAMMY and received 17 nominations overall.

Willie Nelson — "Live Forever"

Country music icon Willie Nelson is no stranger to the GRAMMYs, and this year he aims to add to his collection of 10 gramophones. He earned another three nominations for 2023 — bringing his career total to 56 — including a Best Country Solo Performance nod for "Live Forever."

Nelson's performance of "Live Forever," the lead track of the 2022 tribute album Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver , is a faithful rendition of Shaver's signature song. Still, Nelson puts his own twist on the tune, recruiting Lucinda Williams for backing vocals and echoing the melody with the inimitable tone of his nylon-string Martin guitar. 

Shaver, an outlaw country pioneer who passed in 2020 at 81 years old, never had any hits of his own during his lifetime. But plenty of his songs were still heard, thanks to stars like Elvis Presley , Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings . Nelson was a longtime friend and frequent collaborator of Shaver's — and now has a GRAMMY nom to show for it.

2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List

• 1 Empire Of The Sun Celebrate 'Walking On A Dream' With Decade Anniversary Tour
• 2 GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
• 3 A Guide To Modern Funk For The Dance Floor: L'Imperatrice, Shiro Schwarz, Franc Moody, Say She She & Moniquea
• 4 Living Legends: Billy Idol On Survival, Revival & Breaking Out Of The Cage
• 5 Hear All Of The Best Country Solo Performance Nominees For The 2023 GRAMMY Awards

Empire Of The Sun: 'This Is The Perfect Time To Come Back'

"I had so many calls, emails, messages and requests from people yearning for the songs and the music. This is the new era of Empire Of The Sun."

It’s been 23 years since singer and multi-instrumentalist, Luke Steele , and musician and record producer, Nick Littlemore , first met at an A&R meeting.

Both artists were already signed to EMI, albeit as part of separate projects before the two would collaborate on The Sleepy Jackson’s debut album, Lovers , released in 2003 – Steele’s alternative rock band, and in 2006 with Littlemore’s art-punk band, Teenager. A year later, the two worked together again on the self-titled Pnau record, the third album by Littlemore, Peter Mayes and Nick’s little brother, Sam.

In August 2008, Nick Littlemore and Luke Steele united as Empire Of The Sun and released Walking On A Dream , the lead single from the album of the same name. The song – which is now iconic in Australia – peaked at #10 on the ARIA Singles Chart, reached #4 on the 2008 triple j Hottest 100, and is certified double platinum. In 2009, Walking On A Dream won that year’s ARIA award for Single Of The Year and the APRA for Dance Work Of The Year in 2010.

Funnily enough, in 2016, almost eight years after its original release, the song was featured in a Honda Civic commercial in the US, leading to Empire Of The Sun experiencing their first Alternative Songs hit and eventually topping Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart.

In 2013, Empire Of The Sun released their second album, Ice On The Dune . “Self-assurance and conviction guided the knife when the duo were removing the fat from Ice On The Dune . As a result, the album continues to throb forwards and holds a consistency cover-to-cover that – for all the acclaim and sales – their debut somewhat lacked,” The Music writer Benny Doyle wrote in an interview with Nick Littlemore.

Late 2016 saw the release of Two Vines , Empire Of The Sun’s most recent album which featured the hit, High And Low . The single also featured on the EA Sports game, FIFA 17 . The band struggled to write music during 2020 and 2021, not getting much out of Zoom collaborations.

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Last year, Luke Steele released his debut solo album, Listen To The Water , and this weekend, Empire Of The Sun will headline Now & Again festival in Werribee, Victoria, before playing a handful of shows in Sydney and Brisbane . It’s their first show in Victoria in almost a decade.

“I think there’s always been tremendous love for this band,” Steele continues, recalling the moments during lockdowns, “I had so many calls, emails, messages and requests from people yearning for the songs and the music. There were a lot of testimonies about what they’d been through, you know, from people getting over cancer to getting married to giving them hope during moments of deep depression. It became quite evident that we had become conduits or ambassadors and we have to honour that. This is the new era of Empire Of The Sun.”

Steele doesn’t seem at all nervous about headlining Now & Again festival alongside Gang Of Youths, and featuring Michael Bibi, Tones And I, Crooked Colours, German DJ Sven Väth, Peach PRC, Becca Hatch, and more excellent acts. “It’s gonna be so great. Festivals are one of the greatest experiences of music,” he proclaims. Performing at Werribee Racecourse, or “Being in a field or a dock or wherever with this huge amount of people all there for the same reason, the pulse and energy is undeniable.

“Everyone in the world of music felt that pull and those emotions in the two years when it was all taken away from us.” Empire Of The Sun couldn’t take the stage, and they struggled to write music while apart. Life really did shut down for Steele. “We work extremely well in the same room on a really fast, stream-of-consciousness kind of way of writing.

“It's quite strange how we write. I remember working with Lindsey Buckingham in Henson Studios in Hollywood, and we were writing and he was jamming along and he's just sort of stopped and said, God, this is so enjoyable,” he says with a bit of shock in his voice. “We’re like painters, throwing down 300 different melodies and lyrics. I love how Empire songs are formed because they become unique ways of talking about big issues, like hope and love and freedom and imagination.”

Those issues do indeed soundtrack Empire Of The Sun’s music. Visuals are also essential for the group and have always been intertwined with the music itself. “A lot of people take in art with their eyes, you know?” Steele asks – “It’s so, so important to make your videos and other art look beautiful. We’ve been given these precious eyes to see the magical things in this world. We want to make use of every sense a person has.”

“We caught up last summer in LA – I really love the relationship,” he says. “Nick says, ‘How's your wife?’ I say, ‘Good, how's your wife?’ He goes, ‘Good. All right, should we get into it?’ It’s hilarious like that. We know the job at hand and we know what's at stake here and what our position is, so we work pretty hard and we work so well together.” There’s no small talk for Empire Of The Sun, Steele confirms, “Our small talk is literally four words: ‘Studio? Yes. Sounds good.’” It might sound weird, but it’s perfect for one of Australia’s most loved bands.

While Steele has collaborated with Littlemore, members of his musical family, and other artists, he went about his solo album, Listen To The Water , as a self-proclaimed Lone Ranger. “I mixed it myself and produced it all myself,” he shares. “When you're so entrenched in that path, you only really have yourself to blame or answer to when things go wrong.”

Steele admits that it wasn’t easy making the album, “I went through a couple of deep depressions,” he states, recalling the points when he’d listen to the mixes 600 times at different sound frequencies. He laughs at his inner perfectionist, “I had some real Brian Wilson moments.

“It was quite incredible, the way the songs were delivered to me. I would have a melody for a song, put down a guitar pattern, write the lyric, and cut the vocal immediately. And I'd finish the song the next day. So, every song was two days each, which was quite a beautiful process as I was laying these breadcrumbs along the path. I just had to keep journeying down that path to get to the next song.”

Steele is lucky because songwriting doesn’t always work like that. “Songwriters will tell you that,” he continues, even if you’re with the best songwriters or in the most beautiful place in the world. “Even then, your spirit might not be moving. You just have to be ready, and it just happened to be the perfect time.”

Perfect timing and overall, good for Steele as an artist. “[Making the album] did something for my soul. I proved that I was capable of writing, recording, mixing and producing a record.” Which will hopefully come in handy for the new era of Empire Of The Sun Steele has talked about.

“At the point of writing that record, I was at the crossroads,” Steele begins. He wasn’t sure if continuing in music could be a possibility. “I think I had like, $35 to my name. I was living in a caravan in front of my parents’ house. I borrowed money from a lot of people [to make music]. It was at that point where maybe I would have had to get a real job.

“It's funny talking to my parents now, and my father-in-law and stuff, they all said the same thing,” he explains. “They were ready to have that talk and go, ‘You can't be serious about pursuing this music thing much longer.’ That song was a real blessing from God; the record came out the week my daughter was born.

“So we had this child, and then, literally a week after it came out, it had tremendous influence around the world and started moving at this rapid pace and the rest is history. It was an amazing blessing, but then for it to have been such an influential part of people's lives, that's the mission, for your songs to have an influence and to inspire people.”

Empire Of The Sun are headlining Now & Again festival this weekend. Buy tickets here . Tickets for the Sydney show are available through Frontier Touring – Brisbane has sold out.

EMPIRE OF THE SUN

Saturday, 18 February – Now & Again Festival, Werribee, VIC

Tuesday, 21 February – Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW

Wednesday 22 February – Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW

Saturday 25 February – The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD

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Empire Of The Sun add second Sydney date to Australian headline tour

The duo will now perform two shows at Enmore Theatre, expanding their first run of headline Australian shows since 2017 to four dates

Empire Of The Sun have added a second Sydney date to their upcoming run of headline shows, coinciding with their appearance at Melbourne’s Now & Again festival in February.

• READ MORE: Soundtrack Of My Life: Empire Of The Sun’s Luke Steele

Following their appearance at Now & Again on February 18 – where they will share a bill with the likes of Gang Of Youths , Tones And I , Crooked Colours , Running Touch and Peach PRC – Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore will play a headline gig at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on February 22.

The duo will also perform at the Enmore the day before (February 21), with that show having already been announced. They’ll wrap up the now-expanded four-date run with a show at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall on February 25.

The upcoming shows will mark Empire Of The Sun’s first time performing in their home country since 2017. The duo’s last performances altogether took place in 2019, with their most recent gig taking place as part of that year’s Mad Cool Festival in Madrid.

Tickets for the upcoming shows go on sale next today (January 10). Find them for Brisbane here , Sydney here and Melbourne here .

Empire of the Sun’s debut album ‘Walking on a Dream’ arrived in 2018, spawning hits like its title track, ‘We Are the People’ and ‘Half Mast’. Follow-up ‘Ice on the Dune’ arrived in 2013, with third album ‘Two Vines’ released in 2016.

Since then, both Steele and Littlemore have released music with other projects. In 2021, Steele teamed up with producer Jarrad Rogers as H3000 , releasing their eponymous debut album . Last year, Steele released his debut solo album, a folktronica record titled ‘Listen to the Water’ .

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Littlemore, meanwhile, has remained a member of dance music trio PNAU . Though their last album together was 2017’s ‘Changa’, they’ve continued to be active. In 2021, they released the hit remix to Elton John and Dua Lipa ‘s ‘Cold Heart’, which was one of Australia’s top-performing singles of 2022 . Last year, they remixed Lizzo ‘s ‘Special’ cut ‘2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)’ and teamed up with Troye Sivan for the collaborative single ‘You Know What I Need’ .

Littlemore also produced Holiday Sidewinder ‘s 2021 album ‘Face of God’, which NME named one of the best Australian albums of the year. Littlemore has worked with Cloud Control’s Alister Wright with the project Vlossom .

In recent years, both Steele and Littlemore have hinted at a return for the band they formed together in Sydney back in 2007. In late 2021, Littlemore teased the duo’s comeback during an appearance on podcast The Plug with Neil Griffiths.

At the time, Littlemore said he hadn’t seen Steele “since COVID or a fair while prior to COVID”, noting that although Steele has “been doing other stuff” for the time being, there was “some really exciting music” in the pipeline for Empire of the Sun.

“I actually just found one of the lyrics the other day which we wrote in Japan,” Littlemore said continued. “It’s such an exciting record – it’s super sad but in that way that Luke makes you feel good about feeling sad; makes you feel good about feeling anything. He’s such an extraordinary artist.”

Empire of the Sun’s 2023 Australian tour dates are:

FEBRUARY Saturday 18 – Melbourne, Now & Again Festival Tuesday 21 — Sydney, Enmore Theatre — NEW SHOW Wednesday 22 – Sydney, Enmore Theatre Saturday 25 – Brisbane, Fortitude Music Hall

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Empire of the Sun Blazes U.S. Headline Tour

Compatriots The Avalanches will support on two days in Nevada, and New Zealand sibling act Broods will open in Phoenix and Los Angeles.

By Lars Brandle

Lars Brandle

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Get out your fancy headpiece: Empire of the Sun will blaze a U.S. tour this April and May. 

The Aussie psychedelic-electro act will hit the road for a slew of headline concerts starting April 15 in Las Vegas — a day after their show at Coachella — and winding up May 15 for Day 1 of Radio 104.5’s 10th anniversary shows in Camden, NJ.

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Luke Steele

Nick littlemore, empire of the sun on 'two vines' album: 'we're just going deeper into paradise'.

Tickets for all shows go on sale from Friday (Feb. 10) except L.A., which will be available a week later (Feb. 17).

Empire of the Sun (a duo of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore) scored its first leader on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart last November with Two Vines , their third and most recent album release.

Empire Of The Sun’s United States Tour April 14 — Coachella, Indio, CA  April 15 — The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, NV * April 16 — Grand Sierra Resort & Casino, Reno, NV * April 18 — Comerica Theatre, Phoenix, AZ + April 19 — Shrine Exposition Hall, Los Angeles, CA + April 21 — Coachella, Indio, CA  May 10 — Terminal 5, New York, NY  May 11 — Echostage, Washington, DC  May 12 — Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Boston, MA  May 13 — WRFF Radio Show, BB&T Pavilion, Camden, NJ  * The Avalanches supporting + Broods supporting

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Empire Of The Sun Are Touring Aus Next Month For The Biggest Fitzroy Garage Sesh Of Them All

Sweeney Preston

The duo comprised of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore  will be busting out its unique brand of live performance in Brisbane, Sydney and as part of the Now And Again Festival in Melbourne in 2023.

Empire be hitting the Enmore Theatre in Sydney on Feb 22, Brisbane’s The Fortitude Music Hall Brisbane on Feb 25 and Werribee Racecourse for the Melbourne slot.

It honestly feels like an eternity since Empire of the Sun crushers graced our local stages and turns out it most definitely has.

The last time the musos performed in their homeland was 2017 and since then, they’ve been lucky enough to smash out killer gigs at Coachella and Ultra Festival in Korea.

Before the duo went globetrotting, its debut album Walking On A Dream picked up eight ARIA Awards (including Best Album, Best Single and Best Group), two APRA Awards, surpassed double platinum ARIA sales and produced multiple successful singles. Not bad. Not bad at all.

We’d also be remiss not to acknowledge that this tour announcement aligns almost perfectly with the viral AF Fitzroy Garage Party TikTok saga .

For those who need a reminder, Empire of the Sun’s banger “We Are The People” became the soundtrack for many of the parodies (and of course, the original vid).

The viral phenomenon caused everyone to remember that the track was undoubtedly what a Triple J presenter might refer to as an absolute “tuna sandwich”.

Perhaps the entire garage sesh was just a guerrilla marketing campaign for Empire’s return?

If this is the case, mad respect. If not, ’tis the happiest of accidents.

Tickets for Brisbane and Sydney 2023 tour dates will be available to book via the band’s website .

Frontier pre-sale begins Jan 9 at midday local time. General tickies will be available the following day on Jan 10 at 1pm local time.

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Empire Of The Sun

Australian alt-electro pioneers Empire Of The Sun (Luke Steele & Nick Littlemore) have been making waves across the world with phenomenal live shows more...

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The accompanying music video was directed by acclaimed filmmaker Michael Maxxis.

Published on

Empire of the Sun , the alt-electro duo consisting of Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore, have returned with a new single, “Changes.” The eagerly awaited track is a triumphant rebirth after nearly eight years since their last LP. The song and its accompanying music video are out now via Capitol Records.

“Changes” ushers in a new chapter for Empire of the Sun, embodying their unwavering commitment to crafting ethereal soundscapes that resonate on levels both serious and playful.

As Lord Littlemore explained, “‘Changes’ represents the shifting sands of time, empires rise and fall but the sun shall shine on. Come once more into the world we’ve created, delve deeper within and be rewarded with its ever-expanding story, each and every one is invited to explore the new era.”

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The duo also shared their insights on the genesis of “Changes”: “‘Changes’ was a breakthrough track for us. It felt like the moment of clarity when it became evident we were in the new era, our time of rebirth, the next chapter of Empire.”

The accompanying video, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Michael Maxxis, is an immersive journey into surreal realms. Maxxis, known for his evocative storytelling and striking visual aesthetic, collaborated closely with the band to craft a narrative that explores the power of imagination and the quest for self- discovery.

Filmed amidst the breath-taking landscapes of Thailand, Empire of the Sun and Michael Maxxis invite audiences to embark on a visually stunning, cinematic odyssey, one that will captivate and enthrall viewers with its otherworldly allure.

Empire of the Sun have left an indelible mark on the global music scene, boasting a remarkable career that has seen them sell over 5.5 million albums worldwide and accumulate a monumental 7.6 billion streams. The band’s illustrious three albums have seen multi-generational and far-reaching global success for iconic anthems including “Walking On A Dream,” “We Are The People,” “Alive,” and “High And Low.”

Buy or stream “Changes.”

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Walking On A Dream 10th Anniversary Limited Edition Vinyl

Walking On A Dream Decade Anniversary Coaster Set

Black Crown Tee

X Long Sleeve

Women's Foil Crown Tee

Dream Black on Black Hat

2019 Tour Poster

Silver Crown Necklace

Golden Crown Necklace

Empire Collectors Book

Crown Logo T-Shirt (Black)

Crown Logo T-Shirt (White)

Walking On a Dream Vintage Bundle

Ice On the Dune Bundle

Two Vines Bundle