runo plum

patching, the intimate debut LP from Minneapolis-based singer and songwriter runo plum, gracefully captures the contraction, expansion and release of an intense period of emotional repair, in soft-edged, radiating indie rock. A lush debut statement born from heartbreak, patching is filled with rich sonic moments that balance out emotional vacancies, creating expansion from an ending. The record’s unbridled sincerity isn’t anything new for runo plum, who’s been writing and quietly sharing bedroom dispatches of her intricate folk for a half-decade. During the pandemic years, she steadily caught the ears of a widening circle of listeners and began independently releasing a series of singles and EPs, all while cutting her teeth on the live side supporting Searows, Angel Olsen and Hovvdy.

Cataloging the double edged sword of love and loss in an aching freefall of indie rock with the same unabashed candor of early Julia Jacklin and Big Thief records, patching was recorded in a cabin in rural Vermont over the course of two weeks. Together with Lutalo, the Minnesota-born, Vermont-based musician and producer and runo’s collaborator, instrumentalist and girlfriend Noa Francis, the trio centered the honeyed, time-worn timbre of a centenarian acoustic guitar and the easeful warmth of runo’s voice. Across patching’s twelve tracks, runo paints melodic arcs that swirl and tumble, crafting songs that capture both the hazy highs and the dark blue lows of all the natural cycles that make the world turn.

Growing up in a blue-collar steel-mill town in Illinois, Bugg once thought she might become a lawyer — but always knew her path would ultimately lead to music. In a household shaped by hard work and creativity, her father played drums in local bands and at family gatherings. She learned early that dreaming big only matters if you’re willing to put in the work to back it up. Whether it was her parents picking up extra jobs or bartering home repairs in exchange for piano lessons from a relative, this foundation instilled a lasting belief in Bugg: anything is possible, but no one’s going to do it for you.

By 13, Bugg was already performing in local coffee houses, channeling her experiences into songs that felt both deeply personal and universally resonant. Growing up in a conservative, tight-knit town made that sense of belonging complicated — a tension that would later become central to her songwriting.

Reflecting on that experience, Bugg shares: “Growing up queer in a town like that, you feel different before you even understand why. I wanted to fit in so badly, but at the same time I knew I wasn’t meant to stay — and I think that tension really shaped the way I write and how I see the world. My parents always told me anything you want is within reach, as long as you’re willing to work for it — and that stuck with me. Nobody’s going to do it for you. I think everything I make comes from that place of wanting to be as honest as possible about where I’m at, even when it’s uncomfortable.”

In January 2024, she began posting a cover a day on TikTok, and her version of “Tummy Hurts” by Reneé Rapp quickly went viral (watch here), bringing in more than 110,000 new followers. Rather than stay in the cover lane, Bugg made a decisive shift to original music, steadily building a fanbase with a prolific output of songs that reflect her lived experience with striking clarity and intention.

Now with more than 200K TikTok followers, a tour opening for Hey Nothing,, and her debut album in the works, Aubory is living her best life in Nashville, surrounded by a thriving community of artists and collaborators. The album captures a pivotal chapter for this exciting new artist — navigating identity, independence, and the emotional weight of leaving home.