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Empress Of

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Empress Of
Birth nameLorely Rodriguez
OriginLos Angeles
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician, producer
Years active2011–present
LabelsTerrible, XL, Double Denim, No Recordings, Big Love
Websiteempressof.com

Empress Of is the solo musical project of Los Angeles-based, Latin American singer-songwriter, Lorely Rodriguez. She gained attention in 2012 for anonymously releasing a series of 1 minute-long demos (via YouTube) prefaced only by a solid color entitled "Colorminutes".[1] Her first 7" single, "Champagne" was released soon after on November 5, 2012 through a limited run via No Recordings.[2][3]

Lorely's stage name was inspired by a tarot card reading she did with a friend: “The first card he pulled out was an Empress card and I was like, 'It's me, I am Empress.' [...] the Empress card is connected to fertility and mothering and strength. It's kind of nice to have those feelings.”[4]

On April 2, 2013, her bilingual 4-track EP, "Systems" was released via Double Denim/Terrible Records in the UK & North America respectively.[5] Since the release of her EP, she's showcased at SXSW, Iceland Airwaves and Pitchfork's Summer Music Festival[6] and toured as a support act with the likes of Jamie Liddell, Jungle, Kimbra and Florence and The Machine.

"Water Water", the first single off her debut full-length Me was released on April 14, 2015.[7] She has also released a Spanish-language version of the track, 'Agua Agua' "so that [her] mother listens [to her] music. Rodriguez's debut album Me, which she self-produced and recorded in Mexico was released on September 11, 2015 via XL Recordings/Terrible.

During 2017, Rodriguez released a standalone single, Go to Hell on July 12. 2017 via Terrible. She also featured on two singles for LA producers, DJDS with the billboard-charting "Why Don't You Come On" additionally featuring El Paso R&B singer, Khalid and a cover of Lana Del Rey's Lust for Life single, Love released August 29, 2017 and December 1, 2017 respectively through Loma Vista for their third studio album "Big Wave More Fire". On April 11, 2018, double single "Trust Me Baby / In Dreams" premiered on Zane Lowe's Apple Music "Beats 1" radio show and released via Terrible. The former was co-produced by Cole M.G.N.

Rodriguez's sophomore album, Us is set to be released October 19, 2018.

Personal life

Lorely was raised by her mother in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Lorely's first experiences with music were listening to her father's cassette tapes of The Beatles and Pet Shop Boys.[8] She now resides in Brooklyn, NY. Much of her album Me addresses the hardships she faces living in Brooklyn: "I hate the rats, I hate the rent, I hate all these shitty guys, I hate capitalism. [...] I am getting cat-called in the street, just being a woman walking and I should just be able to walk down the street, you know."

Lorely has a degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston.[9] She cites Julee Cruise, Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins, The Zombies, and The Beach Boys as some of her musical inspirations.[10]

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

  • Systems (2013)
  • Tristeza (2014)
  • Google Play: Live at the Milk JamRoom (2016)

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Album
"Champagne" 2012 Non-album singles
"Realize You" 2013
"Water Water" 2015 Me
"Kitty Kat"
"How Do You Do It"
"Standard"
"Icon"
"Woman Is a Word" 2016 Non-album singles
"Go to Hell" 2017
"Trust Me Baby" 2018 Us
"When I'm with Him"
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US Dance/Elec.
[11]
"The Way That You Like"
Pional 		2016 — When Love Hurts
"Reformer"
Darkstar 		— Made to Measure
"Best to You"
Blood Orange 		— Freetown Sound
"Stonefist" (Remix)
Health and Boys Noize 		2017 — DISCO3+
"Why Don't You Come On"
DJDS and Khalid 		30 Big Wave More Fire
"Love" (Lana Del Rey cover)
DJDS 		—

References

  1. ^ "Empress Of's 11 "Colorminutes" « PMA - Pretty Much Amazing". prettymuchamazing.com.
  2. ^ "Empress Of – "Champagne" Video". Stereogum.
  3. ^ "Empress Of // "Champagne"". SoundCloud.
  4. ^ "Empress Of Takes the Cards She Was Dealt | NOISEY". Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  5. ^ "Empress Of". Pitchfork.
  6. ^ "5 Minutes with Empress Of at Pitchfork Music Festival 2013". SIdewalk Hustle.
  7. ^ "Empress Of debuts new song "Water Water"". terriblerecords.com.
  8. ^ "Empress Of Takes the Cards She Was Dealt | NOISEY". Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  9. ^ "Empress Of Releases Her Debut Record 'Me' With A Newfound Confidence - Galore". 2015-09-10. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  10. ^ "INTERVIEW: GETTING REAL WITH EMPRESS OF - Allston Pudding". 2013-04-10. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  11. ^ https://www.billboard.com/music/empress-of/chart-history/dance-electronic-songs/song/1044223
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