Empress Of

Empress Of is the recording name of Honduran-American singer, songwriter and producer Lorely Rodriguez, based in Los Angeles. Born in 1989, she works in alternative pop, electropop, pop and synth-pop, and her music also draws on electronic, dream pop and art pop elements. She uses bilingual lyrics and often writes about identity, love and vulnerability.

Early releases and name

She first gains attention in 2012 by posting anonymous one-minute demos on YouTube under the title Colorminutes. Later that year she issues her first 7-inch single, “Champagne,” through No Recordings. Her stage name comes from a tarot card reading: the first card drawn is The Empress, which she associates with fertility, strength and creativity.

Albums

Her debut album, Me (2015), is self-produced and recorded in Mexico. It includes the singles “Water Water” and its Spanish version, “Agua Agua,” and combines minimalist electronic pop with lyrics focused on love, identity and self-expression.

Us (2018) follows with contributions from Dev Hynes and DJDS. It takes a more collaborative approach than the debut and brings together electronic pop, R&B and experimental textures, with songs centred on community, love and personal growth.

I’m Your Empress Of (2020) presents a more polished sound, mixing pop experimentalism, dance-pop and R&B. Its lyrics deal with heartbreak, identity and resilience, set against rhythmically driven production.

For Your Consideration (2024) is released on her own label, Major Arcana, with distribution from Giant Music. It is produced across Los Angeles, Miami and Montreal with Nick León, Umru, Casey MQ and Valley Girl contributing, and includes guest appearances from Rina Sawayama on “Kiss Me” and MUNA on “What’s Love.” A deluxe edition includes the previously unreleased track “Loud” alongside alternative versions and remixes.

Collaborations

Across her career, she collaborates with Khalid, Kimbra, Jamie Lidell, Florence + The Machine, Allie X and Girl Ultra. Her catalogue combines pop, electronic and experimental sounds with a recurring focus on personal and emotional themes.