Emileo
Born in Berlin in 2000, Emileo moved to Spain at 16 before heading south to the romantic, mystical terrain of Morocco before winning the inaugural Sinead O'Connor BA Commercial Modern Music Scholarship of BIMM Dublin in 2020, the city where she currently lives and writes.
This fearless sense of pioneering, nomadic adventure mirrors Emileo’s extraordinary musical talents and communicative skills; lyrically proficient in four languages, she delivers a remarkable kaleidoscope of sounds and imagery that soars with individuality and heart. Her music is firmly rooted in those sun-kissed, travelled cultures but is also informed by the glacial textures of her Germanic origins.
Emileo has been personally invited by artists such as Mundy and Tolü Makay to support them around Ireland and has performed in Dublin’s landmark Olympia Theatre and Cork’s Opera House as special guest to Tori Amos.
Emileo’s quest for knowledge and cultural appreciation is a cornerstone of her aesthetic. After completing a short course in Classical Indian Vocal Singing in Jaipur, India, she immersed herself last summer in traditional Gnawa music in Morocco. Her upcoming second EP 'A Thief of Mother's Milk' takes her back to her Berlin roots and merges melodic techno with the exotic colours of tribal sounds. It will be released on the 7th of May 2024.
The EP conceptually illuminates the process of the modern human being deprived of affection and love. It claims that there is no such thing as a bad heart, just one that is shivering in the freezing cold of withdrawal and loss. The EP takes the listener through seven chapters of a world of loneliness where love turns into a disease
The EP is written and produced by Emileo herself, mixed by James Eager (The Scratch) and mastered by Peter Montgomery (Tame Impala, Bicep). The songs ‘Mother’s milk’ and ‘No One’s daughter’ feature Emileo’s mother recalling the experience of giving birth to her daughter, and Dara Abdurahman (Bricknasty) plays bass on the song ‘Marrakesh’.
The EP's last song Fata Morgana (पार्थ) features a music video which is shot in Southern Spain and Morocco and will be released on Friday the 10th of May.
On the 14th of May, Emileo will celebrate 'A Thief of Mother's Milk' in her EP Launch Experience in the bunker of the Pawnshop where she will perform the whole EP live.
Schwanenkönig – Karat
I want to start off with this song because it kind of describes where I am from. I was born in the East of Berlin and both my parents grew up in Socialist East Berlin when there was still a wall separating the city. I am deeply shaped by this East German culture; very simple and straight-forward, not ashamed of being naked everywhere, etc. :) ‘Schwanenkönig’ (king of swans) is one of my favourite East German songs that would have been played on every single party my family and their friends would throw. It tells the story of how the king of the swans ‘sings his last notes before dying in love’. East German artists were politically very restricted in what they were allowed to say, so most of their lyrics are very poetic and abstract. That has definitely influenced the abstractness of my own lyrics. My favourite part of the song is the guitar solo in 2:50, I always feel like my soul leaves me when I scream along with it.
Territory – The Blaze
The Blaze is one of my favourite artists ever. I love to lose myself in the sensations of nostalgia and yearning in music, and The Blaze wonderfully embody that weird craving of comforting pain for me. The music video for ‘Territory’ illustrates that feeling in the most beautiful and touching way, it seems to be coming from a very pure and authentic place in their hearts.
NANA – Rosalía
Rosalía seems to be to be some kind of transcendent angel, light years too talented for this world. Her voice is like honey and orange blossom and the vision she has of music as a meta-cultural synthesis of arts is driven by so much love for even the tiniest detail that I could flip in inspiration. She is such a brave and strong woman, so intelligent and culturally empathetic; I admire and adore her in a way that I have never felt for any other artist before. Madre mía, if I could get married to her, I would.
Der letzte Tag – Peter Fox
Absolute Berlin classic this one, every proper Berliner knows Peter Fox’s lyrics by heart. The rhythm is so sparkly and colourful that it’s impossible for me not to move as soon as the first notes bless my ears. The song describes the last day before the end of the world; champagne parties with orgies by the pool and celebrating being alive at its fullest. It’s so freeing and reminds me so much of home. This is also the song I want to have played at my funeral, which I hope will be a celebration of life with orgies at the afterparty yess!
No Man’s Woman – Sinéad O’Connor
Sinéad O’Connor is a must-have for me on this list. My Mama 24/7 listened to the album Faith and Courage when she was pregnant with me, so Sinéad was practically the first one to bless me with her music even before I was born. When I hear her songs, I can hear my Mama singing along to it; Sinéad’s music smells like my mother to me. I was very lucky to meet her before she left us, smoking and chatting with her at the emergency exit on Vicar Street. She will always be one of the most powerful, brave, and beautiful voices that this world had the privilege and honour to listen to.
Unmarried Old Man – Introversion
Techno means home to me; techno is what I grew up with. It’s freedom and respect, where all colours merge into the most welcoming and accepting darkness. Nowhere else can I let myself go and dream myself away as much as to the dark and hypnotic heartbeat of techno. As if my sweet Berlin was cradling me into peace in its arms. I’ve tried to capture this feeling in my EP ‘A Thief of Mother’s Milk’ and I hope it will make people feel that, too.
En lo alto del cerro – Estrella Morente
Flamenco is music that comes straight from the heart, from within inherited wounds and the deepest, most devastating pain. It’s a feeling, a cultural identity, it’s like crying and laughing your innermost colours inside out. It’s movement and elegance, lemon, saffron and salt. When I was 16, I went to Spain for a year on my own and ever since flamenco has magically attracted and enchanted me. Estrella’s voice makes me disappear into somewhere deep into the shadows of the narrow alleyways where the gitanos gather in the Spanish August noon heat to raise their voices to the sun.
Sandia – Asmaa Hamzaoui
Gnawa is the music of the Berber people who were brought as slaves from West Africa to Morocco. I was introduced to Gnawa during my first trip to Marrakesh and since then I have it deep in my heart. Sung in ancient sub-Saharan dialects, the songs are about devotion to God, deliverance, and freedom and, although I am probably the most atheist person in this world, even I get overwhelmed by something very magical in the meditative-spiritual space that Gnawa creates. I especially love the free timing and vocal microtones that (my) Western ears do not seem to understand.
Smother – Daughter
This was the first song that made me feel like dying from the inside, but in the warmest and most comfortable way. I couldn’t say how many times I happily cried myself into sleep to this little heart treasure. It’s so honest and pure and hits you straight into your leftover child-soul. I want my music to hit in the same way.
Clair de Lune – Debussy
If peace had a sonic embodiment, it would be this song for me. Time- and spaceless beauty that I wish for everyone in this world. The biggest value in music is to give peace to people, I think. To create empathy between different languages and cultures, and to let people forget their traumas and pain. With this song I send one million kisses to you all!
