Jaguar Sun is the work of solo musician Chris Minielly, a native of Ontario, Canada.
Dubbed a “dreamy, pop-centric soundscape and folky flair,” Minielly expresses his curiosity with music from his own home where he records, writes and produces. Inspiration comes from the world around him and the influence of other musicians he explores as a maturing musician himself.
Minielly often updates his 2.5 million Spotify listeners on Instagram where he shares information on performances, collaborations, adventure and the aesthetic of his daily life.
As recently as last year, Jaguar Sun released an 11-track album titled “All We’ve Ever Known” following his 2020 release, “This Empty Town.” Jaguar Sun is slated to release “It Gets Better” in collaboration with Husbands on March 10.
The responses below have been edited for clarity and simplicity.
Scroll: What would you say is your purpose as a musician?
Minielly: It’s certainly evolved. When I started, it was pure experimentation. I knew the skills and just wanted to see where it went. Make music, I wanted to hear, by doing my own thing. Creating something new and unique to myself.
Seeing people connect on any level, especially emotionally, is special. When people reach out to share how my music has been there for them or boosted their day or mood … it gives me a purpose to continue creating.
Scroll: What’s your earliest memory with music?
Minielly: It’s as simple as learning piano as a kid. From age 6-21 I just played different instruments. Never thought about making music at all, but after high school, I splurged on some music gear to give it a shot. Creation definitely came later in my life though.
I do these designs for my own work and album art — it’s been cool to see how I’ve used my collegiate skills for all of Jaguar Sun. I’ve loved how the art turns out.
Scroll: What does Jaguar Sun mean to you at this point in your career and life?
Minielly: It’s a way to express myself on every level. Tell stories, be visual and share emotion. It’s a gateway toward what I’ve always wanted to do in my life.
Scroll: Are there additional ways you support yourself while producing music?
Minielly: I work at a support home for five guys with various disabilities ranging from schizophrenia, cerebral palsy or different things. I go in and take them around town, enjoy the day at the store or a hockey game, hang out and eat. Just being there to help them make their way through the day. I really enjoy the time with them, it seldom feels like work.
Scroll: What’s something you want listeners and newcomers to know about Jaguar Sun?
Minielly: I’m never gonna stop — always working on the next project. If the listeners keep at it, so will I.
Scroll: What was touring last year like?
Minielly: I toured with Husbands in September last year and it was amazing. We worked on a track together and it was incredible to be on the road with those guys.
I listened to Husbands long before I started Jaguar Sun and to go from someone I listened to in college to touring a few years later — it’s dreamy, very small world stuff. With this new song coming out that I worked on again with Husbands, “It Gets Better” we’re all excited about it.
Scroll: Where do you find inspiration?
Minielly: The vast majority comes from new music. Spotify’s release radar each week for example. Listening to other music cures writer’s block and provides inspiration. You hear cool sounds, you want to then make cool sounds. Location is a unique one too, my parents have a cabin in Northern Ontario and it’s beautiful to be around nature.
Scroll: How did the name Jaguar Sun come about?
Minielly: I had the hardest time coming up with a name. Eventually, I took the idea of looking at two things in a room and stumbled into a national geographic magazine with a jaguar. … Eventually landed on a sun and thought that was cool.
Scroll: What does producing and writing look like for Jaguar Sun?
Minielly: I produce and write everything solo. It’s a gradual process and once I finish one project I work on something else. Jams, beats and endless playing on the guitar. Once moments like those add up, it sets the stage for the album and thematically plays out to wherever I’m currently at in the process.
Lyrics always come last for me. I finish everything and add them at the end. Line by line, I’ll write the first sentence and think through what comes next. I struggle with lyrics the most and when I started I never had lyrics, so it’s been a gradual learning process of how to write.
Scroll: What’s in store for Jaguar Sun?
Minielly: It’s only a matter of time until I’m back on the road. Hopefully by the summer sometime I’ll be playing in the western United States.