Sunshine & Golden Irises

On her bold new single, “Sunman,” CLOVER has created an anthem for love, joy, sexuality. With delicate, rhythmic drums and soothing guitars as accompaniments to her warm voice, she makes us feel the intimacy of love while also dancing along. She wrote this for her partner, who “was born on the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year. He also just emanates light and beauty. Writing “Sunman” was a gift, a love song, and also trying to embody his essence in the form of a song,” she tells me over FaceTime.

Clover told me that during the quarantine, her and Dani bought a harmonium and she brought it to a recording session. “Evan, who played guitar and is also the producer of this track, just sat down on the floor and was so zoned in playing all of these really incredible and beautiful sounds and then we started recording. He ended up playing the entire song - I didn’t know it was going to be on the track and it makes for the perfect intro.” The song then transitions to a gorgeous dreamy verse “I always thought that I’d fall in love with the man in the moon. But my man, he lights up the sun.” 

I have always felt light and beauty emanate from Clover, through her voice, energy, and adventurous spirit. She’s either belting out with confidence to the likes of Lake Street Dive and Alice Phoebe Lou, or she is sitting with the magic of a quiet moment and letting it embrace her. Up until recently, she was living in New York City, trying to perform as much as she could while recording songs with her bandmates. When the pandemic hit, Clover and Dani decided to embark on a road trip across the US, eventually settling in Ojai, California where they are currently living.

Instead of seeing the negative side of the pandemic and waiting for the live performances to return, she’s taking advantage of this moment in time. Clover and Dani have been busking in the streets almost every week. She reflects on what being a musician used to mean and what it can be transformed into. “We’re so tied into getting the gig, getting the venue, aspiring to play for however many people at this place. That’s kind of a way that many musicians are wired. I think that most people haven’t taken their instruments to the park on a nice Saturday. I think right now with the pandemic, so many people are hungry for music and for art. I feel lucky that I am able to provide that for them in a safe way. It’s also really magical when you don’t know that’s gonna be a part of your day - from the perspective of those in the town - walking through the park and there’s someone playing music.”

She reminisces on the freeing experience of playing outside and doing it on her own terms. Most of the time, they go to Ojai’s city center, where they can get an audience on Saturdays. But sometimes, the performing is just for their own enjoyment. When there is no one walking around on a Wednesday afternoon, for example, they can play the music for themselves, for the mountains, to practice but also to have fun. This magnetic moment is felt in her chorus “I can’t close my eyes / When I’m sleeping with a sunman / wanna drink the light / til my irises are golden.”

Clover’s music and life lives in this beautiful spontaneity - magical recording moments, busking in the street for strangers, road tripping. And if you open your arms to it, she will take you on her journey. 

You can follow her adventures on her Instagram, sign up for songwriting lessons or support her Patreon.

Her song, Sunman, comes out on April 7, and you can pre-save the single here.

Words by Mána Taylor Hjörleifsdóttir.

Photography by Thais Aquino.
Artistic direction by Amrit Matteo Guillin.
Hair and make up by Quentin Bruno.