Cami Clune, a Buffalo native, releases her debut album, Should Be Sleeping, on July 10.
Clune, whose emotionally driven music with touches of pop-rock, captivated national audiences as a finalist on NBC’s The Voice, Season 19, and through her viral NHL playoff anthem performances. Should Be Sleeping, a seven-track project, marks a defining moment in Clune’s genre-fluid journey with music.
Clune’s music fuses pop, rock, and country with influences from theatrical storytelling captures the emotional turbulence of Clune’s personal and artistic evolution. The album was primarily written during the summer of 2023, a season that shaped her into the artist she is today. Should Be Sleeping explores themes of heartbreak, limerence, hope, and complex relationships.
Clune’s rise to stardom has been nothing short of meteoric. Following her rare four-chair turn on The Voice, she became a finalist, earning widespread acclaim for her powerhouse vocals and pop-rock sound. Her recent performance of the NHL playoff anthem further solidified her place in the spotlight, drawing attention from outlets like The New York Times, NPR, Reuters, and USA Today.
Moreover, with Should Be Sleeping, Clune has strengthened her reputation as a compelling new voice in the pop-rock genre. The album features production and mixing by Keegan Ferrell, mastering by Fred Miller, and contributions from a close-knit group of collaborators, including Kyle May, Katlin Owen, Nicholas Chiari, Tucker Richmond, Hamilton Belk, Matt Kelly, and Grant Michaels. Together, they have crafted a world that illuminates Clune’s cinematic pop-rock universe.
As of right now, the album’s emotional core is reflected in its released tracks, “Screwloose,” released on May 22, and “Your Favorite Song,” released as a music video on January 30. Her stripped-back intimacy and country-infused sound have created space for listeners who like to genre-mix, while also giving a sense of understanding for hopeless romantics everywhere, with the chance to sink themselves in her unrefined lyrics and music videos.
Written by Clune and Nicholas Chiari, “Your Favorite Song” brings listeners through the complicated tension of still caring for someone while acknowledging the relationship’s end. The music video, filmed in Buffalo at the Rec Room, adopts a nostalgic 70s aesthetic and was repeatedly delayed due to severe winter weather, which became a real-life parallel to the song’s emotional arc.
“Your Favorite Song” pulls listeners into the complicated yet spiraling experience of when you know a relationship has ended, but you don’t feel fully comfortable with the idea of them moving on, even if you don’t want that relationship anymore. The song offers a realistic viewpoint on the complexities of love while adding layers of Clune’s theatrical storytelling.
The video’s narrative begins with the emotional blame and jealousy that one can feel after a heartbreak, before evolving into self-awareness, ultimately reframing the “other girl” trope into a story of closure, grief, and growth. Clune even includes a subtle easter egg, with the verse of the song referring to The 1975’s Somebody Else, which was her ex’s favorite and one she frequently performed.
“Screwloose,” which walks listeners through the emotional exhaustion and the painful unraveling of a relationship that seemed broken to begin with. This song bridges the gap of missing someone while understanding that the connection is severed. This allows listeners into Clune’s seemingly deteriorating mental state about the relationship’s overdue ending, which adds more complexity. One lyric that draws on that complex feeling is “Maybe I’m going out of my mind.”
Both “Screwloose” and “Your Favorite Song” give a sense of detachment and even defiance, as if Clune is trying to shield herself or the other person from further emotional damage by withdrawing entirely. While the songs highlight the emotional maturity that can come from a breakup, it acknowledges the toxic traits that can slip through the cracks and manifest in the dark too. The songs, both feeling counterproductive at times, open a way for listeners to externalize inner chaos and even frame the behavior as something beyond Clune’s control, almost like a plea or an admission of her own instability.
The lyrics also carry a tone of resignation and finality. Many of the lyrics suggest that acceptance is needed for the closing of the relationship and that it has run its course, and a need to be ready to move on, even if it means leaving behind a trail of hurt. Yet, beneath it all, there’s a hint of vulnerability, which feels like Clune is revealing that she is aware of her own fragility.
Clune, who was raised in the suburbs of Buffalo, has always had her artistic identity centered on emotional storytelling. Influenced by artists like Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Olivia Rodrigo, and Evanescence, she began to develop a mix of genres in her music that fuses raw honesty with catchy hooks. Clune has trained in dance, piano, and theatre, further shaping her understanding of music as narrative-driven expression.
Alongside her music, Clune has made waves as the official anthem singer for the Buffalo Sabres and has performed for the Buffalo Bills, NASCAR events, and SailGP competitions. Her ability to connect with audiences through both her live performances and her emotionally charged songwriting has set the stage for the release of Should Be Sleeping. So far, the album’s aesthetics feel equally fun, chaotic, and deeply relatable with her two released songs.
For more information about Should Be Sleeping, pre-order links are available here.
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