Sincerely Yours: An interview with Emika
sincerely-yours-an-interview-with-emika
June 26, 2013
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# Sincerely Yours: An interview with Emika
**Ninja Tune's dark dubstepper shows a more human side on her new album
*DVA*, exploring the poetry of her European roots. **
By whatever definition you care to define it, [dubstep][1]{:
target="_blank"} has had a massive impact on the world of music. By
2011, the plucky little sub-bass-that-could had shed it's UK chrysalis
and become almost a household term, its influence spreading into genres,
nations and the minds of producers---including that of Czech transplant
Ema Jolly, who discovered the sound during her time growing up in
London. After some time spent attending [Tectonic Recordings][2]{:
target="_blank"} founder [Pinch][3]{: target="_blank"}'s earliest
parties and working as an intern for [Ninja Tune][4]{: target="_blank"},
she eventually found herself in another city known for its love of
electronics: Berlin, her current base of operations. Using her classical
training, experience as a sound designer for Native Instruments, and
taking equal inspiration from the haunting lows of her old haunts and
the club-friendly techno of her new home, she adopted the moniker
[Emika][5]{: target="_blank"}, under which she released her first
self-titled (and rather [well-received][6]{: target="_blank"}) album in
2011. Her second, the recently-released *DVA, *finds her exploring
similar realms less cold---with more than a touch of the rebellious.
**The first thing I noticed about your new album is the title. "Dva" is
Czech for "two". The second thing I noticed was that your vocals sounded
far more natural, less processed than your previous album. Was the title
meant to be a statement about exploring a second side of yourself, or
did you choose the name simply because it's your second album?**
Emika: The title actually came after I'd finished the
album. The first album really created the second, because there was a
lot of demand for me to perform and release more. There wasn't really a
period where I had a break in-between. I have a very strong fan base in
Eastern Europe, and traveling there so much really opened up it's
history to me, as well as helped me explore my own Czech roots. After
growing up in England, this all felt so new to me. So all these stories
of my experiences performing as well as the experiences of my audiences
helped form the narrative of *DVA*, and I felt that was the perfect
title for this learning journey I'd been on. When it came out, though,
everyone thought it meant "Diva", which hadn't even occurred to me!
**I read an interview with you recently where you stated that DVA
was a "rebel diva album."**
\[laughs\] I'm not sure I actually *did* say that, but now that
statement is everywhere. I guess it's rebellious in the sense that I
don't want to be told what to do. I manage my career myself now, I make
all my own beats, and I feel like that's rare for a woman to do all her
own production, music, and management herself.
**Many people tend to assume there's a man behind the scenes, or at
least a man*ager*.**
Exactly, and when I put out my first record it was that assumption that
made me so crazy. It's like... fuck *you*, world. I was meeting all
these young girls after my shows telling me they wanted to be producers
and asking me about the technology I used, and I'd always say just do
it, just make music. But then I thought, "Well, can I actually *do
it* all on my own?" So I made a promise to myself that I would, although
actually I'm not sure it's entirely me because I did steal quite a few
amazing ideas from my fans \[laughs\]*.*
**But would you say it defines you as an artist more than your first
record, or more as Emika the *person*?**
My first record was a very selfish one; I mean it's even named after me.
With *Emika*, I was trying to establish myself as a producer, get myself
out there and introduce myself to other artists and producers. I wanted
to be part of the club scene, to have a place within dubstep. I don't
really care so much about that now. *DVA* is more about just expressing
myself.
**It does feel more humanistic than Emika; more natural-sounding
even though the medium remains similar. The videos you and [Matt
Lambert][7]{: target="_blank"} have made work perfectly in that context,
because they feel very humanized.**
It's something we've always been able to produce as a team. I feel like
I could work with Matt for the next ten years. He's able to coax things
out of me so that the videos are *directed* rather than *staged*, and
that's such a difference. The things we make spring entirely from us;
it's not about money, fashion or other sort of cultural props. So it
will always feel sincere.
**I thought the way the videos were released was a bit brilliant,
because the first one released was "[Searching][8]{: target="_blank"}",
and it was so stark, just you lost in the snow and quite drunk. Then as
the others were released it became an evolution, showing more of
yourself in different ways and following a progression in the same way
an album would, exploring fragility and sexuality at the same time.**
****Women are usually so two-dimensional in film narratives---this one
is the Happy Girl, this one's the Bitch, and so on. And in music videos,
women are often there just to promote the idea of 'happiness', or as a
prop to ignite jealousy, or in an overly glamorized way so that you
associate buying the music with buying the woman; it turns both ideas
into objects. With Matt I never felt like that. I never felt that there
was 'A Man' watching me through the lens. He was happy to let me do what
I pleased; he never said, "Oh don't do that because it isn't sexy, or it
makes you look ugly," or whatever. That felt so liberating, to have the
freedom to just be myself.
**What has the response toward the more 'natural' shift in your sound
been like?**
They've been really varied; there's been a lot of dissing going on,
which I'm actually quite excited about! The big German paper *Die
Zeit *referred to it as "chart-worthy music" while Pitchfork [slammed
it ][9]{: target="_blank"}and said I was showing all my flaws. People
either seem to really love it or think it's total rubbish compared to
the first record.
**Extreme responses are always better than middle-of-the-road ones.**
Definitely, and I do understand some of the reactions. None of my vocals
are edited; I was using a live mic and most of the vocals were done
while I was actually performing rather than in a studio. I kept all the
imperfections in this time. What you're hearing is purely me.
**Electronic producers seem to often disdain or even fear humanizing
themselves or their voices, which is what I found so refreshing
about *DVA*. The imperfections make it truer, more vulnerable and
open.**
That's something I want to see more of. Whether they actually enjoy it
or not, people are hearing my choices. I feel like I've made myself
clear; anything beyond that is out of my control. ˜
DVA* is out now on [Ninja Tune][10]{: target="_blank"}. Emika plays the
Berlin Festival's [Foreign Affairs on July 5th][11]{: target="_blank"}.*
[1]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/2012/04/04/the-demonization-of-dubstep/
[2]: http://tectonicrecordings.com
[3]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/tag/pinch/
[4]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/tag/ninja-tune/
[5]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/artist/emika/
[6]: http://www.metacritic.com/music/emika/emika
[7]: http://cargocollective.com/dielamb
[8]: http://vimeo.com/61536930
[9]: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/18193-emika-dva/
[10]: http://ninjatune.net/
[11]: http://www.berlinerfestspiele.de/en/aktuell/festivals/foreign_affairs/fa13_programm/fa13_musikprogramm/fa13_veranstaltungsdetail_musik_64870.php
---
id: fc8cd3b5-580e-4b16-ac42-94034b91e694
blueprint: article
title: 'Sincerely Yours: An interview with Emika'
date: 2013-06-27T00:01:37+02:00
wp_id: '52094'
slug: sincerely-yours-an-interview-with-emika
teaser_image: legacy/sincerely-yours-an-interview-with-emika/Electronic-Beats-Emika-DVA_.jpg
contents:
-
type: text
text: '<p><strong>Ninja Tune’s dark dubstepper shows a more human side on her new album <em>DVA</em>, exploring the poetry of her European roots. </strong></p><p>By whatever definition you care to define it, <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/2012/04/04/the-demonization-of-dubstep/" target="_blank">dubstep</a> has had a massive impact on the world of music. By 2011, the plucky little sub-bass-that-could had shed it’s UK chrysalis and become almost a household term, its influence spreading into genres, nations and the minds of producers—including that of Czech transplant Ema Jolly, who discovered the sound during her time growing up in London. After some time spent attending <a href="http://tectonicrecordings.com" target="_blank">Tectonic Recordings</a> founder <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/tag/pinch/" target="_blank">Pinch</a>‘s earliest parties and working as an intern for <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/tag/ninja-tune/" target="_blank">Ninja Tune</a>, she eventually found herself in another city known for its love of electronics: Berlin, her current base of operations. Using her classical training, experience as a sound designer for Native Instruments, and taking equal inspiration from the haunting lows of her old haunts and the club-friendly techno of her new home, she adopted the moniker <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/artist/emika/" target="_blank">Emika</a>, under which she released her first self-titled (and rather <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/music/emika/emika" target="_blank">well-received</a>) album in 2011. Her second, the recently-released <em>DVA, </em>finds her exploring similar realms less cold—with more than a touch of the rebellious.</p><p><strong>The first thing I noticed about your new album is the title. “Dva” is Czech for “two”. The second thing I noticed was that your vocals sounded far more natural, less processed than your previous album. Was the title meant to be a statement about exploring a second side of yourself, or did you choose the name simply because it’s your second album?</strong></p><p><strong>Emika: </strong>The title actually came after I’d finished the album. The first album really created the second, because there was a lot of demand for me to perform and release more. There wasn’t really a period where I had a break in-between. I have a very strong fan base in Eastern Europe, and traveling there so much really opened up it’s history to me, as well as helped me explore my own Czech roots. After growing up in England, this all felt so new to me. So all these stories of my experiences performing as well as the experiences of my audiences helped form the narrative of <i>DVA</i>, and I felt that was the perfect title for this learning journey I’d been on. When it came out, though, everyone thought it meant “Diva”, which hadn’t even occurred to me!</p><p><strong>I read an interview with you recently where you stated that <i>DVA </i>was a “rebel diva album.”</strong></p><p>[laughs] I’m not sure I actually <i>did</i> say that, but now that statement is everywhere. I guess it’s rebellious in the sense that I don’t want to be told what to do. I manage my career myself now, I make all my own beats, and I feel like that’s rare for a woman to do all her own production, music, and management herself.</p><p><strong>Many people tend to assume there’s a man behind the scenes, or at least a man<i>ager</i>.</strong></p><p>Exactly, and when I put out my first record it was that assumption that made me so crazy. It’s like… fuck <i>you</i>, world. I was meeting all these young girls after my shows telling me they wanted to be producers and asking me about the technology I used, and I’d always say just <i>do it, </i>just make music. But then I thought, “Well, can I actually <i>do it</i> all on my own?” So I made a promise to myself that I would, although actually I’m not sure it’s entirely me because I did steal quite a few amazing ideas from my fans [laughs]<i>.</i></p><p><strong>But would you say it defines you as an artist more than your first record, or more as Emika the <em>person</em>?</strong></p><p>My first record was a very selfish one; I mean it’s even named after me. With <i>Emika</i>, I was trying to establish myself as a producer, get myself out there and introduce myself to other artists and producers. I wanted to be part of the club scene, to have a place within dubstep. I don’t really care so much about that now. <i>DVA</i> is more about just expressing myself.</p><p><strong>It does feel more humanistic than <i>Emika; </i>more natural-sounding even though the medium remains similar. The videos you and <a href="http://cargocollective.com/dielamb" target="_blank">Matt Lambert</a> have made work perfectly in that context, because they feel very humanized.</strong></p><p>It’s something we’ve always been able to produce as a team. I feel like I could work with Matt for the next ten years. He’s able to coax things out of me so that the videos are <i>directed</i> rather than <i>staged</i>, and that’s such a difference. The things we make spring entirely from us; it’s not about money, fashion or other sort of cultural props. So it will always feel sincere.</p><p><strong>I thought the way the videos were released was a bit brilliant, because the first one released was “<a href="http://vimeo.com/61536930" target="_blank">Searching</a>”, and it was so stark, just you lost in the snow and quite drunk. Then as the others were released it became an evolution, showing more of yourself in different ways and following a progression in the same way an album would, exploring fragility and sexuality at the same time.</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Women are usually so two-dimensional in film narratives—this one is the Happy Girl, this one’s the Bitch, and so on. And in music videos, women are often there just to promote the idea of ‘happiness’, or as a prop to ignite jealousy, or in an overly glamorized way so that you associate buying the music with buying the woman; it turns both ideas into objects. With Matt I never felt like that. I never felt that there was ‘A Man’ watching me through the lens. He was happy to let me do what I pleased; he never said, “Oh don’t do that because it isn’t sexy, or it makes you look ugly,” or whatever. That felt so liberating, to have the freedom to just be myself.</p><p><strong>What has the response toward the more ‘natural’ shift in your sound been like?</strong></p><p>They’ve been really varied; there’s been a lot of dissing going on, which I’m actually quite excited about! The big German paper <i>Die Zeit </i>referred to it as “chart-worthy music” while Pitchfork <a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/18193-emika-dva/" target="_blank">slammed it </a>and said I was showing all my flaws. People either seem to really love it or think it’s total rubbish compared to the first record.</p><p><strong>Extreme responses are always better than middle-of-the-road ones.</strong></p><p>Definitely, and I do understand some of the reactions. None of my vocals are edited; I was using a live mic and most of the vocals were done while I was actually performing rather than in a studio. I kept all the imperfections in this time. What you’re hearing is purely me.</p><p><strong>Electronic producers seem to often disdain or even fear humanizing themselves or their voices, which is what I found so refreshing about <i>DVA</i>. The imperfections make it truer, more vulnerable and open.</strong></p><p>That’s something I want to see more of. Whether they actually enjoy it or not, people are hearing my choices. I feel like I’ve made myself clear; anything beyond that is out of my control. ˜</p><p>DVA<em> is out now on <a href="http://ninjatune.net/" target="_blank">Ninja Tune</a>. Emika plays the Berlin Festival’s <a href="http://www.berlinerfestspiele.de/en/aktuell/festivals/foreign_affairs/fa13_programm/fa13_musikprogramm/fa13_veranstaltungsdetail_musik_64870.php" target="_blank">Foreign Affairs on July 5th</a>.</em></p>'
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# Sincerely Yours: An interview with Emika **Ninja Tune's dark dubstepper shows a more human side on her new album *DVA*, exploring the poetry of her European roots. ** By whatever definition you care to define it, [dubstep][1]{: target="_blank"} has had a massive impact on the world of mu...
Chunk #2 (Position: 1)
After some time spent attending [Tectonic Recordings][2]{: target="_blank"} founder [Pinch][3]{: target="_blank"}'s earliest parties and working as an intern for [Ninja Tune][4]{: target="_blank"}, she eventually found herself in another city known for its love of electronics: Berlin, her cu...
Chunk #3 (Position: 2)
The second thing I noticed was that your vocals sounded far more natural, less processed than your previous album. Was the title meant to be a statement about exploring a second side of yourself, or did you choose the name simply because it's your second album?** . Emika: The title actually came...
Chunk #4 (Position: 3)
I guess it's rebellious in the sense that I don't want to be told what to do. I manage my career myself now, I make all my own beats, and I feel like that's rare for a woman to do all her own production, music, and management herself. **Many people tend to assume there's a man behind the scenes, ...
Chunk #5 (Position: 4)
I don't really care so much about that now. *DVA* is more about just expressing myself. **It does feel more humanistic than Emika; more natural-sounding even though the medium remains similar. The videos you and [Matt Lambert][7]{: target="_blank"} have made work perfectly in that context, becaus...
Chunk #6 (Position: 5)
**I thought the way the videos were released was a bit brilliant, because the first one released was "[Searching][8]{: target="_blank"}", and it was so stark, just you lost in the snow and quite drunk. Then as the others were released it became an evolution, showing more of yourself in different ...
Chunk #7 (Position: 6)
That felt so liberating, to have the freedom to just be myself. **What has the response toward the more 'natural' shift in your sound been like?** . They've been really varied; there's been a lot of dissing going on, which I'm actually quite excited about! The big German paper *Die Zeit&nbs...
Chunk #8 (Position: 7)
I feel like I've made myself clear; anything beyond that is out of my control. ˜ DVA* is out now on [Ninja Tune][10]{: target="_blank"}. Emika plays the Berlin Festival's [Foreign Affairs on July 5th][11]{: target="_blank"}.* . [1]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/2012/04/04/...