sundayclub are mourning the moment with "Sad Summer"

In summer, there is plenty to look forward to, like the evenings getting longer, road trips, the possibility of a whirlwind romance, and the promise of making memories you'll carry. The arrival of warmer weather also brings its own pressures: more socializing, the fear of missing out if you don’t, and the feeling that everyone else might be having a better time than you.

Winnipeg trio sundayclub challenge that notion on "Sad Summer", a dreamy indie-pop anthem that acknowledges the uncomfortable reality that even during the brightest season of the year, it can leave you feeling disconnected from the life unfolding around you.

The project began in 2019 when vocalist Courtney Carmichael and multi-instrumentalist Nikki St. Pierre met at university and started making music together. What began as demo sessions eventually evolved into sundayclub, with the pair spending the pandemic years crafting the songs that would become their forthcoming self-titled debut set to release July 10, 2026 via Paper Bag Records. Four years in the making, the record finds the band balancing hazy dream-pop with youthful indie-rock earnestness reminiscent of The 1975 and Alvvays, though St. Pierre insists the album truly found its identity when they stopped looking outward for inspiration. "The record actually came together when we stopped listening to music," he explains. "We just shut everything else out so we didn't have influences creeping in too closely."

"Sad Summer" encapsulates many of the themes running through the record. Driven by jangling guitars and wistful melodies that recall the golden age of Tumblr-era indie discoveries, the track captures the frustration of waiting all year for summer only to find yourself unable to enjoy it once it arrives."I wanted to have fun / Bask in the goddamn sun," Carmichael sings, before admitting, "I can't seem to drag myself from my warm bed."

Despite the title, Carmichael insists the track isn't a rejection of the season itself. "I actually love summer," she laughs. "It's the best time in Manitoba because it's the only bearable time we have." Instead, the song emerged from a period during the pandemic when endless possibilities became overwhelming. Instead, the track emerged from the overwhelming pressure she placed on herself to make something meaningful, as what should have felt like endless possibility instead became paralyzing. "I was kind of just like, ah, summer. It's such a bummer," Carmichael reflects.

Throughout our conversation, the duo repeatedly returns to the idea of the sadness that comes with letting life pass by. "I really struggle to be in the moment because I'm either thinking way too much about the past or projecting way too much into the future," Carmichael explains. "There are quite a few songs that talk about missing or ruining the moment."

It's a theme that runs throughout sundayclub's self-titled debut album, as the duo explores living with anxiety and "mourning the moment as it's happening," as Carmichael describes. In many ways, "Sad Summer" serves as the album's thematic anchor point, capturing the longing or expectations of what an experience should be, instead of enjoying it for what it is.

The irony is that the song arrives during one of the band's most exciting chapters to date, with a recent successful UK run that included performances at The Great Escape. Yet even now, Carmichael says she has to consciously remind herself to stop and appreciate where she is. "We're in the UK doing music. I've got to make sure I take this in."

Rather than rushing toward the next destination, both Carmichael and St. Pierre are learning to embrace the journey and the time traveled. With new material already taking shape in Los Angeles, London, and Toronto, the band's songwriting process is evolving alongside these places. "We've done writing in various locations, and they've all turned out so different," says St. Pierre. "It'll be interesting to see how we can string all these random localities together."

As summer approaches and social feeds fill with images of seemingly perfect moments and endless golden-hour adventures, sundayclub offers a gentler reminder that sometimes the hardest place to be is in the now. Fortunately, "Sad Summer" is the perfect soundtrack for learning how to stay in the present, just for a little while.