01Profile
A Emika Photo
Emika
Musician — Milton Keynes
03Interview
Photo by Adam Krena
Name, where are you from?
Emika, Milton Keynes, England.
What do you do?
I am an independent artist, I make music, run my own record label, have my own studio in the forest outside Berlin and I am a mum to one lovely beautiful girl.
Describe your style in three words?
Honest, deep, sustainable.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Muse at Brixton Academy 2001.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Trip Hop and Bass Music from Bristol and Berlin Techno. The music in these scenes is all about depth, strong senses of self, exploration, freedom and gravity.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Beethoven. Because he suffered so much and made what I consider to be some of the best music we have still today. In my heart, we are far away friends and I talk to him regularly.
Of all the independent venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
100 Club in London, because it just felt so right. All the photos of artists on the walls and stories from people working there about the challenges artists face if they are true to their independence, it made me realise, I’m not the only one.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
All the female composers that existed since Bach, that don’t exist anywhere in our history books. The wives, sisters, lovers of all the composers and painters and artists. Female composers existed and we forgot them.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'China Girl' by David Bowie.
A song that defines the teenage you?
'Cold Water Music' by Aim.
One record you would keep forever?
'Dummy' by Portishead.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
'No Regrets' by Aesop Rock. The whole song is amazing storytelling about doing what you always wanted to do.. Until it was done!
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
'Bakerman' by Laid Back.
A song you wished you had written?
'To Zion' by Ms. Lauryn Hill (ft. Carlos Santana).
Best song to turn up loud?
'No One Knows' by Queens Of The Stone Age.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'Tempting Time' by Animals As Leaders.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
One of mine. My music fits all moments of vibes-healing. Or Kid Koala if you are still tripping.
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Fifi Rong, GEISTE, Schlindwein, KATTA. They are all developing new music for my label 'Improvisations X Inspirations' and I love their music very much.
03Interview
Photo by Adam Krena
Name, where are you from?
Emika, Milton Keynes, England.
What do you do?
I am an independent artist, I make music, run my own record label, have my own studio in the forest outside Berlin and I am a mum to one lovely beautiful girl.
Describe your style in three words?
Honest, deep, sustainable.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Muse at Brixton Academy 2001.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Trip Hop and Bass Music from Bristol and Berlin Techno. The music in these scenes is all about depth, strong senses of self, exploration, freedom and gravity.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Beethoven. Because he suffered so much and made what I consider to be some of the best music we have still today. In my heart, we are far away friends and I talk to him regularly.
Of all the independent venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
100 Club in London, because it just felt so right. All the photos of artists on the walls and stories from people working there about the challenges artists face if they are true to their independence, it made me realise, I’m not the only one.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
All the female composers that existed since Bach, that don’t exist anywhere in our history books. The wives, sisters, lovers of all the composers and painters and artists. Female composers existed and we forgot them.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'China Girl' by David Bowie.
A song that defines the teenage you?
'Cold Water Music' by Aim.
One record you would keep forever?
'Dummy' by Portishead.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
'No Regrets' by Aesop Rock. The whole song is amazing storytelling about doing what you always wanted to do.. Until it was done!
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
'Bakerman' by Laid Back.
A song you wished you had written?
'To Zion' by Ms. Lauryn Hill (ft. Carlos Santana).
Best song to turn up loud?
'No One Knows' by Queens Of The Stone Age.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'Tempting Time' by Animals As Leaders.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
One of mine. My music fits all moments of vibes-healing. Or Kid Koala if you are still tripping.
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Fifi Rong, GEISTE, Schlindwein, KATTA. They are all developing new music for my label 'Improvisations X Inspirations' and I love their music very much.