Empress Of

»One of the biggest key things for me making music is being out of my comfort zone,« says Empress Of, explaining that this is how she finds inspiration and innovation. Indeed, the Honduran-American singer-songwriter Lorely Rodriguez, who hides behind the imperial artist name, is always coming up with something new. Back in 2012, she released beautiful, ethereal pop miniatures on her YouTube channel, each accompanied by a single colour. More than ten years and three albums later, Empress Of is a celebrated musician who doesn’t fit into any pigeonhole. A little bit of dream-pop, a little bit of synth-pop, a little bit of R&B and electronica and, besides that, a voice that’s free from any urge to commit to a register. In her songs, Empress Of – who has toured with Lizzo and Blood Orange – demonstrates how you can rule the dance floors of big clubs with street credibility, finding that delicate balance between underground and mass appeal.