Empire of the Sun

Theatrical electropop spectacle, anthemic synth hooks and costume-driven live sets

Empire of the Sun is an Australian electronic pop duo formed in 2007 by Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore. The pair broke through with the 2008 debut Walking on a Dream, whose title track and We Are the People became enduring festival anthems, followed by Ice on the Dune in 2013 and Ask That God in 2024. Their sound pairs shimmering synth hooks and falsetto vocals with an elaborate, costume-driven stage show built around emperors, headdresses and dancers. They have played major festivals including Coachella, Lollapalooza and Corona Capital, and staged a widely shared audiovisual performance for Cercle at Cercle Odyssey in Los Angeles. The duo remains one of electronic pop's most theatrical live draws.