Every successful band has a story about humble beginnings, but few are as unusual as that of American pop trio Muna.

Long before selling out major arenas, the band accepted a last-minute invitation from their record label to perform at Pet-A-Palooza, a dog adoption festival in Las Vegas. The label believed the appearance would help secure local radio support for the band’s latest single.

The performance, however, did not go as planned.

Guitarist Josette Maskin recalled that the group had just arrived from an overnight flight from London and were already feeling unwell before taking the stage.

To make matters worse, the acoustic performance had no dedicated sound engineer, causing technical problems throughout the set.

Lead singer Katie Gavin said the guitar produced an unbearable screeching feedback that disrupted the performance, making the experience memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Despite the difficult start, Muna continued to build its fan base through perseverance, strong songwriting, and energetic live performances.

Today, the trio has become one of pop music’s most successful acts, filling large venues and proving that even the most challenging early performances can become part of an inspiring success story.