There’s something unmistakably John Denver about Peter Sun. Between his sound, look, and even his natural facial features, Sun’s artistry is deeply inspired by Denver’s music and his love for the countryside. “I always appreciated how he had a unique sound to his voice,” Sun said. “Growing up, I had, and still do, a kind of unique style of voice that doesn’t traditionally sound like country music.”

Sun grew up in the Pennsylvania valley and now resides in Virginia—two landscapes that have left a lasting mark on his songwriting. “Over the past couple of years, I’ve been working as a ranch hand, and that’s really deepened my western and country influences alongside the folk,” he explained. “Being involved in raising cattle, farming, and growing produce makes me think about my childhood in Pennsylvania.”

The singer-songwriter began releasing music in 2021 with his debut single, “Summer Rain.” Since then, he’s built a loyal following through his heartfelt lyrics and authentic presence on social media.

In January of 2024, Sun posted a TikTok singing his new song “Twenty Dollars,” a personal story Sun wrote during his college years that attracted audiences to his simple yet human lyricism. “I’d say about 99% of the songs I write come from direct experience,” he said. “‘Twenty Dollars’ is genuinely based on a real story. It was the sophomore or junior year of college, and I was completely out of money. I was dating somebody at the time, trying to save for dates and a haircut—little things that can stretch you thin on a bad week. Of course, there are sprinkles of romanticism in there, but it’s definitely a real story.”

To date, his biggest hit is “Halloween Song,” a story of having a significant other cheat on you at a Halloween party. “That song is very pointed,” he explained, “I sometimes call it the ‘emo song’ because it’s really sad and borderline a little bit obsessive.”

Sun continued, “I will say that one had not personally happened to me. I know there had been a lot of buzz on social media and in my personal life, where people are like, ‘Oh boy, Halloween parties, those are some dangerous places if you are in a relationship,’ so there was an element of truth, it just wasn’t one that I personally had a connection with.”

“Halloween Song” contains a 1950s sound that Sun admits attracted audiences at the time of its release. “A few years ago, Stephen Sanchez was really blowing up [with the song ‘Until I Found You’], and the craze really was that 1950s-sounding songs,” he said. 

Recently, Sun released a single on May 31, 2025. “Carolina Blue,” as Sun describes it, is a “long-distance relationship song.” Additionally, he said, “The next round of songs are going to be very lovey-dovey. There was a patch there where they were more breakup and heartbreak songs. ‘Carolina Blue’ was a true story about long distance, but now, it’s great because the long distance is over, and so listeners are going to be able to hear something that is very appreciative and very happy to be in love and very optimistic.”

“Carolina Blue,” as well as his other recent track “Some Things Never Change,” features a more slowed-down acoustic guitar and gentle vocals, all while still maintaining Sun’s Americana folk sound – one that is projected to be evident in his upcoming releases. 

“I really like to tell stories, that is my favorite thing to do. To tell a story and be honest and find relatability is something I am really passionate about,” Sun said. It’s that simple honesty that’s already reached more than 12,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, and it’s what keeps his music grounded in heart and humanity. Sun concluded, “I want anyone who listens to my music to relax and take a second and think about those small beautiful things in life.”

Photo taken from Instagram @hey.peter.sun | Interviewed on October 7, 2025