Juna N Joey are a pop-country, sibling duo ages 16 and 18. They recently released their new single “Something Good To Miss” which is the lead single off the duo’s upcoming self-titled EP. “Something Good to Miss” showcases the duo’s unique brand of pop-country. YEM was able to speak with Juna N Joey about creating music together, their process of making their music, and balancing their home/work life while living together.
Young Entertainment Mag: When did you first get into music?
Juna: I saw the show Little Rascals when I was four years old, and I heard the little girl sing L.O.V.E. (made famous by Frank Sinatra). I sang it for my parents, and they signed me up for singing lessons.
Joey: Juna influenced me! She took lessons first and then I wanted to join her.
YEM: Did you always know you would create music together?
Juna: Joey and I started singing very young, so you could kind of say yes, but we didn’t know for sure!
Joey: I would say no. I was into baseball, and, like other little boys, I thought I would be in the big leagues. But then I just watched Juna and fell in love with music, so I had to choose what I wanted to do. Now, I am glad I made that choice to pursue music.
YEM: How would you describe your new single “Something Good to Miss”?
Juna: “Something Good To Miss” is a song with a feel-good, positive energy. It describes the butterflies you feel when anticipating the next time you’re going to see that special someone – that’s what we thought when we wrote this song. That’s why we included the line, “24/7 365 you’re sneaking up hanging out in my mind,” in the chorus.
Joey: I think the guitar solo is very catchy. It’s a great, upbeat summer song. We chose this song because we thought people were missing a lot of their lives these days while staying home and probably miss hugging their loved ones.
YEM: Is there a certain way you want your listeners to feel after listening to your single?
Juna: Absolutely, now more than ever, we want to let them know that it is okay to miss something or someone. It’s not always a bad thing; absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Joey: We want folks at home to know that this is temporary and that it’s okay to miss your loved ones.
YEM: What is the dynamic like working together as siblings?
Juna: I think that we are so lucky to have the dynamic that we do. We bounce ideas off of one another in the moment. Joey has no ego and lets me take the lead any time. He just wants me to shine and supports me in every way. He is very easy to get along with 90 percent of the time – the other 10 percent can make life a little more stressful! I can be pretty bossy but, sometimes, Joey asserts himself when I interrupt in an interview, or he’ll tell me I went out of key. I give him side-eye for that!
Joey: Overall, it is great and convenient to be together all the time. We write and collaborate, practice, and do interviews together. Juna is a deep writer, and I love her ideas. I look after her – she is my little sister. But having said that, she is so mature and focused on our work that she is more like my business partner and best friend.
YEM: What is the process of making music like for you?
Juna: We absolutely love to write, almost as much as performing. Joey and I are so lucky that we are able to write with some of the top writers in Nashville, LA, NYC, and, hopefully, London soon. We wrote the songs on our upcoming EP several years ago, when we were just 14 and 16. The process was exciting – we drove to Nashville to meet with writers and then had more writes via Zoom. We also wrote in LA when we went to the America’s Most Musical Family taping. While we were there, we wrote with our manager’s friend, Midian, a writer with Sony. She has written on so many cool projects; one that I remember is on Beyonce’s Lemonade album. She is amazing. We loved that experience, and we cannot wait to write with her again.
Joey: There are so many writers we want to work with, and I am not shy about asking any artist I meet. I am looking to write that smash hit as soon as possible, and practice makes perfect! Juna is an amazing writer – we write together a lot. I usually come up with the melody and sometimes the hook. Juna is skilled all the way around with the hooks, themes, and lyrics. Recently, we have both written songs by ourselves, and I like both of them.
YEM: What can you say about your upcoming self-titled EP?
Juna: The experience of creating this EP was so amazing, and we couldn’t wait to get into the studio. We are so excited to put these songs out – we waited so long. We have three more singles to put out, and we are proud of each one. We co-wrote four songs with amazing hit songwriters – yet they are still ours, so that is what makes it so special to us. I cannot wait for the ballad to come out because we’ve been told it’s the strongest song on the EP.
Joey: To do this EP with Ken Royster, who produced Luke Combs, one of our favorite artists, is just a dream come true. We never thought we could be at this level so fast. I love “Something Good To Miss,” and my favorite is “More Than A Maybe” because they are more upbeat and rocking. But overall, we are proud of our debut, and we hope that the fans like it too.
YEM: Who are some of your dream collaborators?
Juna: Dan + Shay and Kelsea Ballerini
Joey: Dan + Shay and Luke Combs
YEM: What are some of your favorite songs?
Juna: Anything by Dan + Shay, anything on Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, “Half Of My Hometown” by Kelsea Ballerini and featuring Kenny Chesney, and “Overnight Sensation” by Lily Rose
Joey: “In Case You Didn’t Know” by Brett Young, “Blue Tacoma” by Russell Dickerson, and right now I am loving “Pretty Heart” by Parker McCollum
YEM: Do you find it easier or more difficult creating music as siblings?
Juna: 100 percent easier – just the fact that we are together all the time and have similar experiences makes it so much better. Joey is very easy to work with compared to most big brothers. He is a gentleman and treats me very well, so that makes our dynamic more powerful.
Joey: Juna is pretty easy to get along with also, and I try to be as well! But I am the big brother, and sometimes she gets a little bossy! Having said that, Juna is a great writer, and I love writing melodies when we write songs, so I don’t think our music would be as strong if we did this separately. We’re much better together.
YEM: How do you balance home life/ work life since you live together?
Juna: That’s easy! We always work ”24/7 365” – just like our “Something Good To Miss” lyrics!
Joey: We do love to work! But when we have free time, we are together with our mutual friends and family. As siblings, we are used to being together, so it’s natural for us. But I am 18 now, and I am getting a car. It will be interesting to see how much time I can steal away to be a little more independent!
YEM: What is some advice you would give someone who wants to get into music?
Juna: Like Lily Rose’s new song “Overnight Sensation” describes, it does take time. We have a song about the same subject. My advice is to practice a lot, form your own unique style, and enjoy the journey, not just the destination. To me, that is success!
Joey: Our manager is constantly saying this won’t happen overnight. It takes time to build a substantial career, and Nashville is considered a ten-year town. My advice is to practice, practice, practice – don’t quit or give up. It will be your turn eventually!
