This year has been a whirlwind of creativity and artistic exploration for Skylet Gunner. As a self-proclaimed nomad, Skylet embraced a life of constant movement, with her belongings in storage and embarking on an adventure that has shaped her music and vision.
Based in Los Angeles, this indie dark-pop artist and songwriter infuses her work with themes of female empowerment, self-reflection, and modern romance. Her sultry vocals, provocative lyrics, and moody guitar riffs create an evocative and sensual soundscape.
One of her latest releases, “Sugar Daddy Decay,” was crafted to ignite conversations around female empowerment and mental health in the post-#MeToo era. Inspired by a personal experience during the pandemic—when a man she had helped unexpectedly propositioned her—Skylet channeled her feelings of disrespect into a bold and empowering anthem.
Writing “Sugar Daddy Decay” became a cathartic way to process the incident, allowing her to assert her independence and confront societal perceptions of women as commodities. Through this track, she channels her empowered perspective, tackling personal and collective struggles with honesty and resilience.
We would love to have a first-hand summary of what this year has been like for you in musical and artistic terms.
Being a nomad definitely helps with inspiration, ha! In January, I put all of my things in storage, so I’ve had lots of adventures living out of a suitcase.
Here’s a recap: I’ve released a bunch of singles, including a flipped cover—“Honey Don’t,” produced by Sam Barsh (Doja Cat, The Weeknd)—and an EP, Blame It On Chemicals. I shot three music videos and so far released two of them. The video for “Bang Bang Baby,” directed by Regina Pigsley, and a song produced by Erik Alcock (Eminem, Pink), was accepted into the Cordillera International Film Festival (CIFF) in Reno, NV. It was my first time showing in a film festival and was such an incredible experience (low-key: can’t wait to submit to more fests). I played a bunch of live shows in LA, collaborated with some folks in Nashville, and then spent about three months in Berlin, where I started writing my next EP with music producer/writer Owen Ross and worked on some other projects. Then I wrote for a couple of writing camps and have two features with The1FS on his new album ‘City Of Death’ (“City Of Death,” “Owls & Origami”). He’s awesome and actually produced my first single, “Confessions Of A Murdered Heart.” Finally, I collaborated on my very first merch designs that I’m stoked about! I’ll be selling my brand-spanking-new merch on tour, but it is also available via my website (skyletgunner.com).
So I’d say, even through the uncertainty and hard times, this year has been a creative adventure of artistic expression and connection. You just gotta find a way to make it work and keep rolling with the punches. It’s all writing fuel and part of the journey.
Let’s talk about your single “Sugar Daddy Decay.” Transactional sex is something that has been around for a long time and that, for many authors, violates the integrity of women and dehumanizes them by symbolizing them as merchandise. What inspired you to write a song with such a bold feminist stance?
I wrote this song in hopes of continuing the conversation about female empowerment and mental health issues post #metoo movement. But the song pretty much wrote itself after an experience I had. During the pandemic, I helped an elderly man in his late 80s with his groceries. He was blind in one eye, so I also drove him to visit his grandkids occasionally and to his physical therapist when he broke his hip. We became pretty close over time, chatting in the car. I viewed him as the grandfather I never had. One day he propositioned me to be his “sugar baby,” and I had the most visceral reaction; never have I ever felt so disrespected, nor did I see that coming. I thought he knew and respected me, then he crossed a boundary. To process what had happened, I journaled about my experience and simultaneously birthed a song: “Sugar Daddy Decay.”
Writing is so cathartic. And so is screaming this song into a megaphone when performing it live. Ha! But seriously, I write a lot of my music from an empowered female perspective, even when that means taking ownership of the bad and ugly shit, too. In this case, I wanted to make my stance clear that I can’t be bought. But that wasn’t the first time I was disrespected by men older and younger than me who, for some reason, thought they could buy me. I ain’t that bitch, but hey, no judgment if that’s your thing. We all got our own demons/circumstances/paths.
In your opinion, what are the negative consequences of this “sugar daddy culture” for women nowadays?
I feel like “sugar daddy culture” is glorified in a lot of music and in the media. And by making the “sugar baby” lifestyle appear to be glamorous, it normalizes it to some degree, which perpetuates the idea that women can be bought, and therefore, they are “objects” or “less than,” and as a result, aren’t treated with respect. Like, come on, girl, you’re capable of achieving your own success (even if it’s difficult and takes longer in a misogynistic world). Know your worth. Understand your value. But now there’s even more ways for transactional relationships, like via OnlyFans (where not just women are exploited).
Perhaps the question is: Why do people seek or succumb to a sugar daddy in the first place? Is it because they are victims of abuse, or because maybe they are a single parent in a dire situation trying to provide for their child? People deal with trauma and challenges in different ways. Or maybe there’s a man in power, like Harvey Weinstein, who abuses their power to manipulate women. “Sugar Daddy Culture” is a global thing that both women and men encounter/partake in for various reasons. So I think the biggest takeaway is: What’s at the root of people’s motives? How can we address our mental health to make better decisions that won’t perpetuate superficiality or potentially dangerous situations? Let’s continue to move the conversation forward and make positive changes in this post-metoo era.
In verse 2 of my song, I say: “And yeah she love that cash, but now she in too deep.” So, at what point does temporary “fun” turn into your actual lifestyle, and are the potential long-term emotional/mental effects really worth the short-term gratification? I just know that I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I were to engage in “SDC”. That shit would eat away at my soul, fr.
You worked along with remarkable names for “Sugar Daddy Decay,” including Eric Potapenko. How do you think your collaboration with him influenced the direction the track took sonically?
Eric is a good friend and a great producer/guitarist. I love collaborating with him because he has a great ear and always brings a fresh poppy element to the vibe. I came to him with the concept and topline, but he definitely took it to another level. He just gets it. The song is a bit more pop/rock than most of my catalogue, but that’s because it had to have a specific cadence and energy to drive home the feel and message. As artists, it’s our job to express ourselves and reflect the times; it’s fun to paint the canvas with different colors to express different sides of ourselves and our perspectives on varied subjects. I’ve also never heard anyone do an anti-sugar daddy anthem before, so I’m happy I got to create something with Eric that we’re proud of, and that moves the conversation forward.
The music video for “Sugar Daddy Decay” is a powerful visual representation of the song, directed by Regina Pigsley and choreographed by Galit Friedlander, both incredibly talented women. How did having an all-female creative team impact the project?
I wanted to make sure the visual was just as visceral as the song and portrayed from the female perspective. “SDD” is the anti-sugar daddy anthem that amplifies the voices of those who value their worth and independence, so having strong women involved, like Regina and Galit, in shaping the visual—a surreal twist through the ‘female gaze’ in today’s post #metoo era—was imperative.
As women in the entertainment industry, we’ve faced both overt and subtle challenges, often accompanied by long-term mental effects. A while back, I did a video with a male director for his project, who seriously asked me to stuff my already DD bra with socks so that I would have “more cleavage.” It’s one thing if that came from me, but it’s different when you’re being objectified on a set full of men treating you like a doll. That said, I absolutely loved working with Regina and Galit, who are strong, independent, and talented women I adore—such powerhouses!
The stunning visual production for “Sugar Daddy Decay” feels like a Mulholland Drive-style dream. How did you come up with the concept for the music video, and how does it complement the song’s message?
Fueled by personal transformation and a peyote-induced revelation, I kinda crafted my own genre, which I like to call ‘Spaghetti Surrealism’. I’m inspired by Spaghetti Western films and works of Salvador Dalí and the surrealist movement. So for the video, Regina and I imagined if Alice in Wonderland were a gothic Dali painting brought to life in modern times with a western-Americana twist. We wanted to portray the twisted reality of exploitation and how it can sometimes feel so surreal at the moment that you can’t fathom it’s actually happening. But also how tempting the glamour of sugar daddy culture can be. We portray a retro vanity scene to reflect the times of old Hollywood and the price you pay for fame; the hallway scene where everyone wants a piece of you; a silenced woman in shadows who becomes empowered and eventually speaks up; and puppetry-style movement of the sugar daddy in the cinema when the female lead regains control.
In addition to the incredible women who worked on the production and Regina’s stylized direction, a lot of the magic happens on set and in post. So a special shout out to Sargasso Media, Jedi Jukebox, and Phil Coates for editing this baby. It takes a special team to put something like this together, and I’m beyond grateful.
In an industry that can be harsh on women, particularly in terms of expectations and pressures, how do you see your music contributing to ongoing conversations about women’s rights and equality, especially in today’s political climate?
This project is a bold support for women post the #metoo feminist movement, shedding light on the aftermath of victimization as well as creating a platform for these voices to be heard. The video stands for much more than just what the title suggests: The macro mission for this collaboration is to help keep the pro-feminist movement in the public domain, in hopes of re-balance female power and influence, and to creatively keep this conversation going by continuously pushing the boundaries for women’s rights and equality. This is especially critical in today’s political climate, where the clock could be turned backwards on women’s rights.
You’ve recently released a wonderful EP, Blame It On Chemicals. Could you elaborate a little on this? How has the public received it?
Thank you! Seems that people are feeling my new stuff, so that’s awesome. I wrote the title track, “Blame It On Chemicals,” inspired by some unsavory romantic encounters. I believe unhealthy relationships happen because of the choices we make due to unresolved trauma and manipulation. Sometimes, we don’t always realize why we feel the way we do, nor do we understand why we make the choices we do. And sometimes, it’s the chemicals in our brains that drive us to do and feel things, whether we are conscious of it or not. My other songs “Scorpion” and “Love Bomb” are also on this EP and inspired by the aftermath of disposable relationships, lust, and deceit. It’s tough out there! I hope these songs help people who are struggling with those dating/relationship challenges we’ve all faced at one point or another. And I’m fortunate that I was able to collaborate with Eric Potapenko and Cian Walsh on bringing these tracks to the finish line. Excited to play them on tour! First stop, Nashville.
As you prepare for the Nine Lives Tour and celebrate the release of your EP Blame It On Chemicals, what do you hope people will take away from not just “Sugar Daddy Decay” but your overall body of work? How do you want your music to inspire and empower women?
A lot of my songwriting is geared toward female empowerment, self-reflection, and modern romance. In my music, I’m just having a conversation about my experiences, observations, and daily life. So I hope to not just empower women but inspire anyone open to hearing these stories. It’s ok to be messy and real. Just own your shit. Own your sexy, own your individuality, and take responsibility. I hope my music gives insight into another world that either resonates with people or at least shows them a new perspective. But most importantly, they feel something.
Finally, what are the next steps for Skylet Gunner? Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
I’m already working on my next EP called ‘Living Out of a Suitcase,’ which I wrote with producer Owen Ross in Berlin this summer. It’s being mixed by Nashville legend, Mills Logan. I feel so lucky that I get to work with amazing people who I get to call my friends and create soundscapes that are meaningful to me. Other than that…follow me on IG for updates! @skyletgunner.