Foundation FM’s first signing, MILYMA, on her new single and finding inspiration from her inner self
This is A HOT MINUTE WITH, a quick-fire interview series championing all the rising talent catapulting into fashion, art and music’s fickle stratosphere. From pinch-me moments to bad dates and even worse chat-up lines, think of it as an overindulgent conversation – like the ones you have in sticky club toilets at 4.A.M. Except these guests don’t regret the overshare…
Milena Mayordomo, otherwise known as MILYMA, is the Swiss-based ethereal electronic pop singer and first signing for all-female record label, Foundation FM.
Credit: Drew Dominguez
NAME Milena Mayordomo / MILYMA
AGE 26
LOCATION Basel, Switzerland
STAR SIGN Pisces
Ry Gavin: How does it feel to be FOUNDATION FM'S first signing?
MILYMA: I feel honoured to be the first artist, it’s very exciting. A lot of this is new to me! Joining the label is a lot different than trying to reach people by yourself. The range of attention is bigger and I’m adapting myself to this situation as I’m more of a private person.
RG: What were your inspirations behind We Could Have?
MILYMA: I have no clear inspirations - so most of what I write, or produce, is just kind of emotions and thoughts, and for me that is unexplainable and I want to stay away from definition. The song changed a lot while writing it. First, I wrote some lyrics in Spanish but then I rewrote the synths and changed to English. Afterwards, I did a synth-only version of the song which is online too. I wanted to do a softer version, so I did a more piano orientated one – with a lot of difference.
RG: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
MILYMA: I guess, New York.
RG: How does your town of Basel, Switzerland come into your music?
MILYMA: It doesn’t come too much into my music. It gives me a lot of space and time to work on my stuff. Basel is not too busy and obtrusive - it kind of leaves me alone. I mostly like that it isn’t too busy but sometimes I feel I am ready to move to a place where more is happening also just to push my music in different environments.
RG: What influences your ethereal electronic pop sound?
MILYMA: I would say a lot is a feeling or my feelings. I think we can take much from our inner self – probably more than we think, if you know how to listen to yourself. Other influences are also my surroundings, family and friends who inspire me. When humans move, what kind of energies do they send out and in which spaces are they doing what. Everyday sounds, conversations etc. All those things. And of course, other artists and music even though if I’m writing or producing music, I can’t listen to anything else.
RG: Do you believe in life after love?
MILYMA: Yes, I think and hope there is always love. Love would probably end when death starts - so there would only be death after love.
RG: Why 'MILYMA'?
MILYMA: So MILYMA is made out of my forename (Milena) and my surname (Mayordomo) which is written with ‘Y’ - I always need to explain “written with Y” because it is a strange surname here in Switzerland.
RG: If you could live in any decade right now, which would it be?
MILYMA: If I need to decide I would probably say 1965-1975 or 20,000 years ago to see how it would be to live without those already built social western systems/structures that we live in today.
RG: What's your earliest memory of making music?
MILYMA: I guess playing the piano. I started to go to piano classes when I was nine.
RG: What can you tell us about your upcoming EP?
MILYMA: I have a bit of difficulty trying to put words together to describe my work as I think it should work for itself. So, let me try. I think the songs are quite different from each other, but they also fit so well together. I would say they have all a quiet yet strong character - as well as a very sensitive and honest side. I like to combine different layers of synths with my rather soft and high voice and also being able to be more tough with my autotune vocals – it gives me different possibilities to express myself.
RG: How do you want people to feel when they hear your music?
MILYMA: I don’t expect anything. I hope that my music inspires them to do or move anything they need in that moment in a positive way.
RG: Where is one place you feel most inspired?
MILYMA: I would say in my studio. Or when I travel.
RG: If you could revive one fashion trend, which would it be?
MILYMA: I love the fashion trends from 1990-2000 even though it’s not gone 100%, so to have more of the feeling of revival I would probably choose the 1970’s style.
RG: Your video for Twice resembles an old art house film, was this the goal?
MILYMA: Actually, no. Most of my ideas change during the process of what can be good, but it can also be sometimes a bit too undefined – so the result is even a surprise for me sometimes.
RG: Where is the best club in the world?
MILYMA: Clubbing feels so far away that it feels unreal. I like more small alternative parties/clubs.
RG: What's the most exciting thing about music these days?
MILYMA: Probably too many things – and most things I’m going to say sound like a cliché... Music is exciting today because it brings people together in different kinds of spaces, virtual but also physical, that it works without words, that for consumers you have access to so much different music very easily and almost free (that it’s so cheap also sadly means that we musicians are often not paid properly, but that is a different story). Music has a lot of different ways to show up. I’m coming from dance, so this was my first time where I analysed music and dealt very, very intensely with or through music. Doing music now in comparison, it's a very different way to interact with or through music – what I think is so amazing – music adapts and can be so much.
RG: Any last words?
MILYMA: Just thank you for showing interest in me as MILYMA.
Courtesy of @milyma