Leonie Sherif’s SUNBURN is a study in aftermath. Rather than dramatizing the moment of heartbreak, Sherif focuses on what lingers once the damage is done—the slow, internal processing that follows emotional collapse. It’s a restrained, conceptually sharp single that favours endurance over explosion.
Written and produced in her home studio shortly after NGMB (Never Get Me Back), the track feels like its emotional comedown. Where that earlier release pulsed with confrontation, SUNBURN moves through fatigue, clarity and quiet defiance. Sherif captures the sensation of still carrying heat long after the fire has burned out. the single sits between electronic R&B and stripped rhythmic minimalism. A Jersey club–influenced pulse drives the track, but it never fully settles. The beat shifts subtly, tightening and releasing like a nervous system recalibrating after shock. Percussion lands with a slightly clanky punch before pulling back, while synth textures blur at the edges. The production feels alive, never looped or static.
Sherif’s decision to keep her original demo vocals adds to the song’s intimacy. Her voice remains close and unvarnished, steady rather than theatrical. She underplays the pain, which makes it more believable. There’s strength in the control. The sunburn metaphor—focused on delayed sting, tenderness and fragile new skin—grounds the song in physical sensation. It reflects Sherif’s broader engagement with endurance and resilience, themes that run through her multidisciplinary work. In a landscape crowded with instant catharsis, SUNBURN stands out for its patience. It doesn’t scream for release. It simmers, steady and self-possessed, proving that survival can be just as powerful as the breaking point.
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