Stella Dunai Steps Into the Spotlight With Haunting Debut ‘Can’t Sleep’

Having made her mark as a member of acclaimed experimental/soul outfit Empress performing at Dark Mofo, Beyond The Valley, A Festival Called Panama and many more, Melbourne songwriter Stella Dunai now makes her solo debut with tender new single ‘Can’t Sleep’.

Written during a restless patch of insomnia while travelling through Italy, ‘Can’t Sleep’ is delicate and calm, despite the frustrating desperation at its core. 

Stella’s vocals shine bright over plucked guitar chords and heart wrenching lyrics, capturing a raw, hazy sense of homesickness. 

“I was in the mid-summer heat in Florence with an old wonky nylon string guitar I bought for €20 in France and carried with me on trains and buses, I went on to work at a vineyard in the Dolomites and the owner insisted I play a song for her. So the first people to hear ‘Can’t Sleep’ were Anna, the vineyard owner, and her two Italian friends who spoke very little English, under the stars up on a vineyard in the mountains.”

Recorded and mixed by Louis Burstin, ‘Can’t Sleep’ is the first step into Stella Dunai’s mesmerising solo world, one of honest, personal storytelling and intricate composition that draws influence from artists like Adrianne Lenker and Haley Heynderickx.

It captures a time and place with a vulnerability that places the listener right under those stars, trapped between sleepless nights, quiet reflections and wandering thoughts.

“I love music that can make me sob, get under my skin and describe something that I didn't know you could put words to. I hope my music does even a little bit of that.”

Stella is preparing to release her debut solo EP, 'Nothing to Be Scared Of', in November 2025.

She’s already made a striking entrance into Melbourne’s local scene with a headline show at Shotkickers, supported by Norwood.