Empire of the Sun

Empire of the Sun
Name	Empire of the Sun
Origin	Sydney, Australia
Years active	2007–present
Genre	electropop, synth-pop, dance-pop
Members	Luke Steele; Nick Littlemore
Labels	Capitol Records, Virgin Records, EMI

Empire of the Sun is an Australian electropop duo formed in Sydney by Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore in 2007. The project fused theatrical visuals, elaborate stagecraft and synth-driven arrangements to achieve international success with the debut album Walking on a Dream and singles such as "Walking on a Dream" and "We Are the People". The duo collaborated across scenes connected to PNAU, The Sleepy Jackson, M83, MGMT and performed at festivals including Coachella, Glastonbury Festival and Lollapalooza.

History

Formed after collaborations between Luke Steele of The Sleepy Jackson and Nick Littlemore of PNAU, the project recorded material with producers linked to Stuart Price, Van She, Ewan Pearson and studios in Los Angeles, London and Sydney. The 2008 release of Walking on a Dream brought chart entries in Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany, and generated placements on lists by Rolling Stone, NME, Pitchfork and Billboard. Touring lineups included musicians from Cut Copy, Empire of the Sun collaborator networks, and appearances alongside Daft Punk, Kraftwerk, Hot Chip and Radiohead-adjacent festivals. Subsequent albums, notably Ice on the Dune (2013) and later releases, were produced with contributors such as Rex the Dog, Mark Ronson-adjacent engineers and mixers associated with Alan Moulder and Tony Maserati. The duo navigated label changes involving Capitol Records, Virgin Records and EMI while engaging in multimedia campaigns tied to Samsung and Sony partnerships at global events like SXSW.

Geography and Environment

Originating from Sydney, the ensemble’s visual aesthetic referenced landscapes from Australia including motifs resembling the Outback, Great Barrier Reef imagery and urban skylines such as Sydney Harbour. Music videos and stage design incorporated imagery evocative of locations like Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris, London and New York City to evoke cosmopolitan travel narratives seen in contemporary pop tours. Festival circuits took the group to venues in California, United Kingdom, Germany and Japan, and environmental themes occasionally appeared in artwork reminiscent of Salvador Dalí-inspired surrealism and Hayao Miyazaki-style mythic landscapes.

Government and Society

As an artistic entity, the duo operated within corporate and cultural institutions such as record labels Capitol Records and EMI, and engaged with performing-rights organizations like APRA AMCOS and ASCAP. Management and booking involved agencies including WME, CAA-affiliated bookers and festival programmers at Live Nation. Publicity campaigns were coordinated with media outlets such as BBC Radio 1, Triple J, MTV and Rolling Stone; award nominations involved institutions like the ARIA Music Awards and the BRIT Awards.

Economy and Trade

Revenue streams combined record sales tracked by ARIA Charts, Billboard 200 placements and digital streaming on platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. Touring income derived from festivals like Coachella and promoters including Live Nation and AEG Presents. Sync licensing deals placed tracks in advertisements and films linked to corporations such as Samsung and Sony, while merchandising engaged manufacturers and retailers across H&M-style collaborations and boutique outlets. The group’s commercial strategy reflected industry trends driven by streaming royalties, licensing audits overseen by IFPI and royalty collection via PRS for Music.

Culture and Religion

Stylistically, the duo blended pop traditions from David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Gary Numan and ELO with theatrical influences from Cirque du Soleil, Peter Gabriel-era stagecraft and visual artists like Tim Burton and Yves Saint Laurent in costume design. Imagery invoked mythic and spiritual archetypes drawn from sources such as Sun Wukong-style trickster motifs and iconography channeling Ancient Egypt, Hindu visual references and pan-continental mysticism seen in world-music collaborations. Fashion and cosplay communities referenced their stage costumes alongside designers from Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood in fan-driven events and conventions.

Military and Foreign Relations

International touring required logistics coordinated with national agencies including customs authorities in Australia, United States, United Kingdom and European Union member states, and compliance with visas such as those managed through Electronic Travel Authority and USCIS-issued performance visas. Strategic partnerships with promoters like Live Nation and booking agencies such as WME facilitated cross-border engagements and festival slots at Glastonbury Festival, Lollapalooza and Sziget Festival. Collaborations with global artists and producers fostered cultural diplomacy comparable to programs supported by national bodies like Australia Council for the Arts.

Legacy and Impact

The duo influenced a generation of electropop and synth-pop acts and was cited by artists in interviews with Pitchfork, NME and Billboard as inspiration for blending visual spectacle with pop production. Tracks from Walking on a Dream remain in rotation on curated playlists by BBC Radio 1 and streaming services and have been used in film and advertising campaigns screened during events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup broadcasts. The project’s aesthetic contributed to contemporary pop staging trends alongside contemporaries such as Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue and Bjork; scholars and critics in outlets like The Guardian and The New York Times have analyzed their role in 21st-century pop performance.

Category:Australian musical duos