Based on the made-for-summer energy of “sunshine” from Jiwon Lee Simpkins, known mononymously as Jiwon, classical piano, and The Clash do not immediately come to mind. Learning how to play the piano, cello, bass guitar, and drums during his upbringing in NYC, Simpkins primarily makes music on his own, by his own accord, opting to keep it as personal a process as possible, except for a few collaborations here and there.
Although his career began in 2019, not wasting any time with dropping single after single, it wasn’t until the pandemic that Simpkins honed in on music as a career. From there, he went on to drop 2023’s album 1, a very literal title for his full-length debut, which boosted his popularity on the strengths of bouncy trap lament “so sad” and wavy electronic bop “nice to meet you.”
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“sunshine,” his newest single, was written two years ago at the halfway point of his time at Harvard. Having recently graduated there with a second bachelor’s in music, “sunshine” comes at the tail end of his academic journey, with the lyrics detailing an intimate encounter that turns into a vulnerable confession. Utilizing traditional pop melodies and a prominent acoustic guitar for much of the song, an instrument he rarely features in his music is one example of how he tries to keep himself on his toes creatively.
Compared to the 80s glitz of previous single “so in love with u,” “sunshine” stands in stark contrast on almost every sonic front. Given the consistent output of songs released in the past five years, there’s nothing to indicate he’s stopping anytime soon. Music may not have been part of Simpkins’ initial plan in life, but the steadily increasing quality of each passing track and willingness to try new styles out head-on is a surefire recipe for longevity.
“I wrote this track my junior year of college. I was pretty miserable lol so I wanted to make something that I could bump on the way to class and not feel super depressed,” said Simpkins. “I love how I made it one night (pre-mixing) so it felt very spontaneous and fun. It’s a reminder to not take things too seriously so I hope people can enjoy it for that.”
Words: David Sosa
“sunshine” by Jiwon is out now on all streaming services. For more on new music and potential shows, follow him on Instagram.
