A ‘DINNER DATE’ WITH SUNRISE ACADEMY
Photo by Mindy Byrd @mindybyrdlegs
The dynamic duo behind the indie pop band Sunrise Academy is made up of 22-year-old Julian Sol Jordan and 23-year-old Yakob Dye. Their story began around 10 years ago at a summer camp, where they instantly clicked. “We became best friends within a week,” Julian recalls. “Leaving Yakob felt like a sense of grief because we lived hours apart." Despite the distance, their bond grew stronger as they played campfire songs and created originals, performing them for the camp.
Julian was born in Missouri but raised in Dallas, TX, while Yakob was born in Ethiopia, adopted at a young age, and grew up in College Station, TX. Recording on a “janky” setup in Julian's closet, they sent ideas back and forth via email, eventually releasing official songs and gaining listeners. Initially, they went by Sol & Dye, combining Julian's middle name, Sol, and Yakob's last name, Dye, but changed it about a year later. The songwriting process has always felt organic to them, and their shared love for music has driven their journey ever since.
Reflecting on their evolution since releasing music in 2021, Julian notes their growth both as artists and friends. "We’ve matured physically and mentally, and we've grown closer together," he says. Julian, also a filmmaker, has worked on numerous projects, including feature films and music videos, some for Sunrise Academy. Yakob has just started releasing solo R&B music, which has excitingly already gained significant traction.
Their influences are diverse. Julian's parents raised him on artists like The Flaming Lips, Bon Iver, and The Beatles, while Yakob draws inspiration from Dayglow and Wallows. "Every song we’ve made comes from a unique place driven by our experiences together," Yakob explains. Describing their sound, Julian says, "Our songs have a hopeful feeling, like a sunrise in the morning. It's always a new day."
Discussing their newest single, "Dinner Date," Julian explains, "It came from a desire to make a simple song. You can’t overcomplicate a dinner date, so the structure and lyrics work in its favor. It was probably the fastest we’ve finished a song, but that doesn’t always determine the quality. We really love it and it’s attracted new listeners.”
Their current rotation includes artists like Clairo, Mk.gee, Slimdan, Wolfgang Hunter, and Tripping Daisy. Julian shares, "I've been on a Tripping Daisy bender lately. They're an amazing rock band from the 90s led by a family friend, Tim DeLaughter."
Looking ahead, Sunrise Academy has exciting plans. "We have new songs we're super excited about, hopefully an EP, and some shows in the future!" Julian says enthusiastically. While Yakob pursues his solo career, Julian is dedicated to filmmaking, directing, writing, and editing their music videos. Go stream, “Dinner Date,” out now on all platforms!