Interview with Ismena

Ismena is a melancholic indie artist located in the Netherlands. With dreamy, melancholic songs treating death, society and the point of our existence, she tries to hold a mirror to the audience and make them think.

She writes and performs a lot on her own but also has a band with whom she has released her debut album ‘Until We Part’. She’s currently working on a solo album which she will release in September 2023. Some of her inspirations are Emma Ruth Rundle, Chelsea Wolfe and Big Thief.

How would you describe the music that you typically create?

I would describe the genre as melancholic dark indie. The themes are usually heavy but I feel like the sound is quite light. My music is influenced by a lot of different genres but I think the most prominent and reoccurring aspect in my songs is melancholy.

If you could go open a show for any artist, who would it be?

Emma Ruth Rundle. She is one of my favorite artists and it would be an honor and I think even a dream come true if I could open a show for her. She has made so many different kinds of songs but always stays recognizable in her sound. Her music has inspired me a lot in my own songwriting.

What’s next for you?

I’m releasing an acoustic album called ‘This Time’ on the 15^th of September. The making of this album has really brought me back to the purest form of songwriting with just a guitar and piano. It’s also the first time that my music will be available on vinyl through ‘Electric Spark Records’. This is really exciting for me, I can’t wait until the moment that I can play my own album on the record player for the first time!

What is your current music project about?

The album that I’m releasing is very personal and emotional. The creation of this album was a way for me to deal with heartbreak, depression and insecurity but also shows a lighter side. The album is a transition from me being someone who is dependent on others to an independent person who can manage on her own.

Was anyone else involved in writing, recording, or producing the songs?

I had a lot of help from Ivy van der Veer. He is a guitarist and my boyfriend and plays in a very cool band called Temple Fang. He has helped me with the recording and the mixing process, and he has also played additional guitar and bass.

What’s your least favorite personality trait you like about yourself?

I’m very quiet and I can be awkward in social situations. I’m learning to accept that this is the way that I am but I sometimes wish I could be a little bit more outgoing.

If you could learn any language fluently, what would it be?

Bosnian. I’m half Bosnian and I have lived there for a couple of years. I could speak the language fluently but now I can’t anymore because I haven’t spoken it in a very long time. It feels like I lost a part of myself. Maybe I will try to learn it again sometime.

What’s your favorite children’s story?

I really love ‘Alice in Wonderland’ because I could always identify myself with Alice as a child. I even have a tattoo on my arm of the hat of the ‘Mad Hatter’. It’s also the first book I read in Bosnian.

If you were talking to a younger version of you, what advice would you give yourself?

I would tell myself to try to stop worrying and just focus on making music. Don’t let yourself be distracted too much by the people around you.

I Don’t Think I’ll See You Again’ is a song about the ending of a relationship and accepting that things don’t always go the way that you would want them to. It’s the first of three singles from Ismenas solo album called ‘This Time’, which will be released on September 15th.

The album will also be released on vinyl by Electric Spark Records. Pre-order it here: https://www.electricsparkrecords.com/…