Rising soul-pop songstress Puma June shares ode to her twin on summery “Ride or Die”

Puma June, a moniker for multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Shanti Abbott, is a Canadian artist based in Toronto, Ontario. Evoking a hopeful sadness through her introspective song writing, June has a rich, ethereal chamber-pop style, with a sprinkle of R&B. With eclectic influences from Aretha Franklin to Feist to Lana Del Rey, there is no way to really place Puma June’s sound – perhaps somewhere between Amy Winehouse and Charlotte Day Wilson, unhinged.

June, a vocalist, self-taught guitarist, and Suzuki-trained violinist, spent her formative years song writing and getting involved in musical projects in her hometown of Barrie, Ontario. Most notably, June created a folk duo with her twin sister, initially known as “Shanti and Vale”, and later, “Concordia”. The two never expanded past the small-town scene and after the release of their 2019 single, decided to shift focus onto their solo projects. June was a part of various other orchestras and indie-rock/folk bands through her formative years, including backing vocalist and violinist for Barrie-based indie-rock band “House Art”, Toronto-based folk-rock group, “Hungry Lake”, and a violinist in the Huronia Symphony Orchestra. Finally, in 2020, “Puma June” was officially born – a project mixing all the genres of June’s youth and finally giving June the platform to find her own, singular, voice.

Puma June released her first single, “Lost Years” in November 2022, followed by Exclaim! naming her an “emerging Canadian artist you need to hear”. Her second single, released in January 2023 and titled “Holy”, is a powerful anthem of self-love. Puma June wants to continue to change the conversation in pop music – pushing discussions on the hard truths and painful pasts that shape us into the people we become. Her music centres around regaining power in one’s life and the duality of people. With a clear political point of view, Puma June has a particular focus on women’s rights, familial trauma, and the struggle of being an artist in a world that under-appreciates art. She writes through a lens of hopeful sadness, turning pain into power. “I have often felt the loneliness of being different and constantly putting variations of myself into the world, as if I can only be one thing at one time. I want to amplify individuality – and the duality within it – and create a community that feels authentic, strong, and empowering.”