interview

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interview ✦

In the landscape of contemporary pop, singer-songwriter Empara Mi stands as a singular force, an avant-garde voice that defies categorization. Her music, a cinematic-tinted body of work, is uniquely tailored to express her expansive artistry with operatic grandeur, gritty hip-hop, and ethereal soundscapes, captivating listeners with each release.

With her debut album Suitcase Full of Sins achieving underground sensation status and garnering over 30 million streams during quarantine, Empara Mi has further proven her ability to draw listeners, currently amassing over 250,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Her tracks, including "Blood in the Water" and "Ditch," have even found homes in global Netflix hits like Ginny & Georgia and Behind Her Eyes, while her sound has graced major productions such as Transformers, Fortnite, and Riviera.

More recently, Empara Mi’s recent rendition of "God's Gonna Cut You Down" for the Golden Globe-nominated Day of the Jackal has further strengthened her reputation as a transformative artist, delivering music that moves the listener on a visceral level. Now, with a new single on the horizon, we’re thrilled to delve into the captivating world of Empara Mi, exploring the depths of her artistic vision and the stories that fuel her original sound.

You’ve previously mentioned that you draw inspiration from just about every form of music imaginable. How do you blend these diverse influences into your unique sound, and what is your creative process like?

Empara Mi: I think the beauty of music is that it has no rules, I’ve always felt like a bit of a shapeshifter, so it makes sense that I hop around genres the way that I do. It's only recently that I stopped being apologetic and asking myself ‘is this me’, if it comes from me, then of course it's me. I also realise that my voice is slightly unusual so I'd like to think that's something that binds the music together and allows me a little more freedom in experimenting.

My process is chaotic in the best way. At the moment I'm starting new production ideas every day and just hopping between them all. I get bored very easily so it's a nice way to not get tired of what you're making if you have a couple of things on the go. I never want to make music because I have to, so I'm still enjoying the process of letting everything come from a place of inspiration.

In terms of creating music that feels cinematic, what are some qualities that you’re typically looking to emulate?

Empara Mi: I think the second you think ‘cinematic’ for me, I think of strings. There's something extremely beautiful about a solo cello and then something incredibly powerful about a 40 piece orchestra both can feel cinematic on their own. I was lucky enough to have the Prague philharmonic orchestra on a few songs on the album so this really gave me that feeling of grandeur that I always love.

As of now, your music has been featured in a wide range of media, from Netflix series to nature documentaries. How, if at all, do you tailor your sound to fit such different contexts?

Empara Mi: Weirdly enough, I don't tend to tailor it with these things in mind when it comes to actually writing music. The songs of mine I don't expect to end up in these amazing shows are the ones that tend to so I try not to overthink it. It's different if you’ve been asked to write specifically for a show or advert or game, as they want something that feels more bespoke to them, but I think in general I'm just very dramatic in the way I write so my music tends to find its way to all these mysterious places.

Your debut album, Suitcase Full of Sins, gained significant traction during quarantine. What do you think resonated with listeners, specifically during that time?

Empara Mi: I would like to think people listen to my music for the same reasons I write music, to escape. I found a lot of solace in music during that time and building these worlds is where I'm able to lock myself away and live in a different moment. I can never say why people would resonate with my music as it still surprises me when people do, but I'd like to think they felt something, whatever that might be.

Your rendition of “God's Gonna Cut You Down” for Day of the Jackal sparked widespread acclaim. What was your approach to reinterpreting such a classic song?

Empara Mi: This track was one of those moments where my collaborator, Dreamchild, and I were approached to create something specifically for a TV show. It was originally commissioned by an amazing music supervisor for Riviera on Sky, and when that same supervisor later worked on Day of the Jackal, the track found a second life there. Me and Dreamchild love a dramatic cover so we approached it as we always do and go as dark and moody as humanly possible.

I hear that your upcoming single even incorporates martial arts in video! What is the story behind that visual, and how does it tie into the song's meaning?

Empara Mi: I've got a small background in martial arts, but swords were a whole new world for me. For some reason I felt the need to challenge myself and do something I've never done before so I ended up watching YouTube tutorials and started practicing with a pole I made out of a clothing rack. Turns out you can't just bring a sword through customs. There were many times I just had to laugh at myself and wonder why I was doing this, but the song itself is about leaning into destruction and pain so the sword felt like the perfect extension of that. There’s something primal about it, like you’re fighting against everything you can’t control. I also wanted it to represent this idea of ‘am i the hero or the villain’ or both which i feel masochist is very much about.

In closing, how does the visual aspect of your work, such as music videos and live performances, contribute to the overall experience of your music?

Empara Mi: For me, the visuals are just as important as the music itself. They’re an extension of the world I’m trying to create. I love leaning into the drama and symbolism, using the visuals to tell the story on a deeper level, everything is intentional whether i speak on it or not. I like the idea of inviting people into my head for a few minutes to experience the music the way I felt it when i wrote it. And when it comes to performing live, this is the thing I'm looking forward to the most as I hope this will be the moment to make the music a fully immersive experience. I look forward to living that moment with people in real life.