By Emerging experimental pop artist, Emma Philine, has just released her debut EP ‘17 2 20’, a collection of four, sonically diverse tracks. Showcasing the artists unique taste, we see elements of RnB mixed with hyperpop, that oozes soul. Lyrically, the EP tells the tale of the last four years of Emma’s life. Sharing personal stories of lust, identity, and anxiety, where she creates an intimate portrait of a generation struggling with mental health in a perpetual state of self-reflection. Beautifully written, and deeply introspective, you feel an instant connection to the artist.
The EP stemmed from a close collaboration with producer Dennis Behrendt aka Zoetrop, who brought his skills in music production and artist management to help the artist execute her creative vision. There’s a free creative approach to Emma’s music that perhaps stems form the many years she spent in the German capital of Berlin, a city known for its alternative, and liberal artistic style. ‘17 2 20’ represent the artist hard path through therapy, broken hearts, and bad self-esteem, and by the end we see an artist fully embracing their journey.
Tying in with the release, we caught up with the promising talent to see what we can expect from her next, the creative process behind the EP, and her various influences.
Hey Emma! Congratulations on the release of ’17 2 20. How did your creative path lead you into the music world?
When I was 11 years old, I randomly discovered my singing voice. It somehow came quite natural to me. I just liked to sing and very soon understood, that this was something that I was truly good at- better than all my classmates for example. But I gotta say that I was very shy about sharing my passion in the beginning because I feared to be judged by others. – not even for the sounds I made, but for being vulnerable through sharing my authentic self. To this date I use my voice as a vehicle for my feelings. That’s why creative expression is so important to me.
You’ve just released your debut EP ’17 2 20′ which covers your personal journey from 2017 to now. What themes do you cover on the four tracks?
Unresolved depression and trauma. And a bit of sex in between – just because I had a lot in those years haha.
How natural does it come to write your songs in such a personal manner? Do you find liberation in doing so?
I wouldn’t say that writing songs makes me free but it keeps be busy and sane somehow. I would be totally lost if I wouldn’t have an outlet like this and I wish all my young fellows to find something similar for themselves because drugs and toxic relationships are really not the key.
At the very core of your sound is an experimental take on Hyperpop, what originally inspired this?
Sevdaliza, Sega Bodega, FKA twigs, FLUME, James Blake, SOPHIE, my producer and myself but I wanna say that I never planned to be part of this genre and I’m also not planning to stay. I want my music to be as complex as I am as a person.
For many, the hyperpop genre represents the sound of the future, what do you think is the key to its growing popularity?
I would say we live in weird times so the sounds gets weirder as well
How important has the free-spirited nature of Berlin been to your artistic development?
I was born in Berlin so I kinda just soaked in the attitude of this city. All I can say is that I spent my childhood in the vibrant and stressful metropole and then left as a teenager. So not sure how much it has affected my art so far tbh. But I might owe my toughness to Berlin.
What plans do you have for the rest of 2022?
I wanna grow my audience, build a fanbase, make a steady income, release a few new singles, start working on my album and play some festivals in the summer.
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