Emilia: fascinatingly ambitious anthems from an Argentinian pop powerhouse

A year on from releasing her debut album ‘Tú Crees en Mí?’, it’s safe to say Emilia Mernes’ dreams may have come true. Known mononymously as Emilia, the 26-year-old has had a whirlwind of a career. Since 2016, she’s been one of Argentina’s most exciting exports, racking up a slew of collaborations under her belt with the finest the reggaeton genre has to offer. What sets Emilia apart from the rest is her ability to carve out a space of her own, staying true to her singer-songwriter roots by crafting dazzling pop songs that still bring in all the distinct sonic qualities of the Latin musical landscape.

Emilia’s success story didn’t exactly happen overnight. Born in the small city of Nogoyá in Argentina, she had big dreams that outsized her humble beginnings. Yet, the road to success wasn’t always easy. “I had a lot of fear and uncertainties,” Emilia tells NME over Zoom. “I went through a lot, but it all made me stronger. I’m proud.” Her father battled cancer, and she had dropped out of university over insecurities about her future. Then, in 2016, she joined the Uruguayan cumbia pop band Rombai with Uruguayan singer Fer Vázquez, spawning hits such as ‘Cuando se Pone A Bailar,’ ‘Sentí el Sabor,’ and ‘Que Rico Baila.’

“When I first started my career, nobody held my hand,” Emilia tells us. “I went through a lot… I had nothing.” In 2018, she embarked on a solo career, marking her departure from Rombai. Emilia’s sultry debut single ‘Recalienta’ conquered Argentina in 2019, and collaborations with other Latin stars such as Ana Mena, Nio García, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Afro Bros, Sebastián Yatra, and Camilo followed suit.

With ‘Tú Crees en Mí?’, Emilia delivered a refreshingly vulnerable take on reggaeton, opening up a new side to her artistry with more pop-focused hooks and synths peppered in. Following the album’s success, she topped the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 for seven weeks with her single ‘En La Intimidad,’ featuring Callejero Fino and Big One. The song even made its way onto the much-coveted Billboard Global 200 chart, indicating North America’s growing fervour for Latin music – lead by the vanguard of Bad Bunny, Karol G, and Rauw Alejandro – is showing no sign of slowing down.

Lately, Emilia has unveiled a series of singles that recall a nostalgic 2000s-inspired sound. Notable recent releases include ‘Jagger.mp3,’ a Latin-flavoured Missy Elliott-inspired bop, ‘No_se_ve.mp3,’ a collaboration with Ludmilla featuring elements of funk carioca, and a tender tribute to her father’s battle with cancer, ‘Guerrero.mp3’. With her latest electro-infused release, ‘Guerrero.mp3′ – the ‘.mp3’ styling is a nod to her Y2K-inspired aesthetic – Emilia’s artistry continues to captivate audiences as she solidifies her place at the top of Argentina’s music scene.

NME: What has life been like since the release of ‘Tú Crees en Mí?’?

“I’m so happy I get to show my music. The album was very important for my career, and it was at the top of the charts in Argentina and stayed there for quite a long time, which was amazing for my career and my art. I’m so grateful. It’s been a dream come true… I come from a small town and I always dreamed about making music, but sometimes in my mind it felt like it was impossible because I didn’t have the resources.

“Right now, in my present life, I’m quite emotional because I get to do what I always dreamed of. Of course, it’s a lot of work and so much sacrifice, but I’m very happy. I have a team of people in my life who are very important to me, they put in a lot of work. I may be the face of everything, but I have a very good team who helps me a lot.”

How do you feel about both Latin and Reggaeton infiltrating the mainstream?

“I think people can connect so well with our culture. It makes me feel really proud, because growing up I was listening a lot to North American pop divas like Beyonce, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, Pink. All those women inspire me a lot, and continue to do so with my music right now. I didn’t think I could do it like them, you know? I try to do my best with creating songs that always give positive messages, and express how I feel and keep it real.”

What music would you say did that for you?

“When I was young, the artists who inspired me were always women. It was the only music I listened to. The lyrics made me feel very, very powerful. I thought to myself, ‘I want to do something like that with my music.’ Bandana were a very popular girl group in Argentina when I was growing up [in the early 2000s]. I really love that era of music, I think it’s the golden era of music and very important for me today.”

When fans tell you that you inspire them in that same way, do you feel any pressure?

“I feel so proud, and I think it’s a huge responsibility. I really love how people can connect with my music and with my lyrics. With my songs, I really try to find my identity and when I can be so real about myself, people connect with it much better.”

Your latest single, ‘Guerrero.mp3’, was about your father surviving his battle with cancer. It’s a beautiful tribute to him. What has the feedback towards the track been like?

“It’s my most vulnerable song and it’s a very difficult story, but with hope. So many people can identify with it because it’s real. There are people going through that battle right now, and it’s important for me to give them a message.”

What kind of genres are you playing with for your next release?

“Right now I’m doing music inspired by the 2000s, but different genres from that period. I try to weave my identity into the songs, but keep them familiar to that 2000s sound. I’m so excited because it’s something new for me. [The new single] is an electronic song, heavily inspired by Kylie Minogue. I just love her.”

“if someone wants to make music, I want to inspire them with my story”

Have you met any artists yet that have made you feel starstruck?

“I admire Nathy Peluso so much and when I met her, I felt so nervous that my cheeks went red. I also met Shakira at the Billboard Latin Women in Music 2023 event, and I was so anxious because I literally grew up listening to her music. She was super nice, though. I’m grateful for my career and for these kinds of opportunities.”

Has it been more difficult venturing out as a solo artist than in a group?

“When I decided to be a solo artist I had a lot of fear. However, it made me grow up quite fast, and right now I feel so comfortable. I think I worked a lot to find my identity, and I went through many band things which made me stronger. I’m very proud. I always talk about my team because it’s very important having real people on your side.

“When I was younger and started my solo career, nobody told me anything or held my hand. So now, if someone wants to make new music, I want to inspire them with my story. I had nothing, just my guitar in my room and nobody else. Right now, that’s all different.”

Emilia’s new single ‘Guerrero.mp3’ is out now

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