Empress Of

Lorely Rodriguez (born October 19, 1989), known professionally as Empress Of, is a Honduran-American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer based in Los Angeles, California. To date, she has released three studio albums via XL Recordings and Terrible Records, her critically acclaimed debut, Me (2015), Us (2018) and I'm Your Empress Of (2020).

2011–2015: Early releases, Systems and Me
After finishing a sound engineering degree at Boston's Berklee College of Music in 2011, Rodriguez moved to New York City and quickly broke into the local music scene performing in a Brooklyn-based band with Sam Owens called "Celestial Shore" but soon left the group to focus on her own music.

In 2012, Rodriguez initially gained attention for anonymously releasing a series of one minute-long demos (via YouTube) prefaced only by a solid color entitled "Colorminutes". Her first 7" single, "Champagne" was released soon after on November 5, 2012, through a limited run via No Recordings. Lorely's stage name was inspired by a tarot card reading she did with a friend: "The first card he pulled out was an Empress card and I was like, 'It's me, I am Empress.' [...] the Empress card is connected to fertility and mothering and strength. It's kind of nice to have those feelings."

On April 2, 2013, her bilingual four-track EP "Systems" was released via Double Denim and Terrible Records in the UK and North America respectively. Since the release of her EP, she's showcased at SXSW, Iceland Airwaves and Pitchfork's Summer Music Festival and toured as a support act with the likes of Jamie Lidell, Jungle, Kimbra and Florence and the Machine.

"Water Water", the first single off her debut full-length Me was released on April 14, 2015. She also released a Spanish version of the track, "Agua Agua" "so that [her] mother listens [to her] music." Rodriguez's debut album Me, which she self-produced and recorded in Mexico was released on September 11, 2015, via XL Recordings and Terrible.

2017–2019: Us
During 2017, Rodriguez released a standalone single, "Go to Hell" on July 12. 2017 via Terrible. She also featured on two singles for Los Angeles producers, DJDS with the Billboard-charting "Why Don't You Come On" additionally featuring El Paso R&B singer, Khalid and a cover of Lana Del Rey's Lust for Life single, "Love" released on August 29, 2017, and December 1, 2017, respectively through Loma Vista Recordings for their third studio album Big Wave More Fire.

On April 11, 2018, double single "Trust Me Baby / In Dreams" premiered on Zane Lowe's Apple Music "Beats 1" radio show and released via Terrible. The former was co-produced by Cole M.G.N. In October 2018, she was featured on Khalid's first EP, Suncity.

Rodriguez's second album, Us, was released on October 19, 2018. She supported Maggie Rogers on her fall 2019 Heard It in a Past Life tour.

Her song "When I’m With Him" is featured on the soundtrack of the video game eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020.

2020–2021: I'm Your Empress Of and becoming independent with Major Arcana
On April 12, 2020, Rodriguez's released her third studio album, I'm Your Empress Of via XL Recordings and Terrible. The album was preceded by the single, "Give Me Another Chance" released and premiered March 3. 2020 via Zane Lowe's Apple Music "Beats 1" radio. Due to the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, no touring or live performances could be done to promote the album.

During 2020, Rodriguez founded and announced the start her own record label, Major Arcana via partnering with US-based artist management company, mtheory. The announcement marked the fulfilment of her contracts with XL Recordings and Terrible Records respectively, thus allowing all future releases to be fully independent under her own brand.

On October 27, 2020, Rodriguez released her first single via Major Arcana, "You've Got To Feel" featuring Grammy nominated singer/songwriter, Amber Mark while subsequently releasing another single, "Broken" for the soundtrack of the Amazon Prime Video series, The Wilds on Nov 20, 2020.

During 2021, Rodriguez was featured on American singer/producer, MNDR's single "Love in Reverse" released March 31, 2021, off her second studio album, "Hell To Be You Baby" via Watersound Records.

On April 30, 2021, Rodriguez announced partnering with an Ad Council-backed national campaign called "Sound It Out Together". The purpose of the campaign being, to highlight youth mental health and create an outlet for adolescent school children of color, to express their emotions and experiences through music.

With assistance from professional songwriters (Rodriguez, KAMAUU, Lauren Jauregui and Tobe Nwigwe respectively), the subjects of discussion between the artists and the children featured were turned into fully produced songs and released as compilation EP for the campaign via Mass Appeal.

Rodriguez's involvement included the single, "One Breath", a collaboration w/ a 14-year-old girl named Marianne on their shared experience of both being first-generation Latin Americans and balancing that duality or double consciousness through daily life.

2022–present: Save Me
On Apr 8, 2022, Rodriguez premiered "Save Me", the first single from her forthcoming EP of the same name, which was released on June 24, 2022 via her independent imprint, Major Arcana.

The announcement of the EP, produced by Rodriguez with additional production from frequent collaborator, BJ Burton and Johan Lennox was made through the release of the second single, "Dance For You" on May 25, 2022. On Jun 7, 2022, Rodriguez was announced as the main support for Carly Rae Jepsen's "So Nice" North American tour scheduled for Fall 2022.

Personal life
Rodriguez is a first-generation Honduran American. She was raised by her mother, Reyna in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, and her father Adán, one of the original pianists and founding members of the Honduran Latin music ensemble, Banda Blanca. Lorely's first experiences with music were listening to her father's cassette tapes of the Beatles and Pet Shop Boys. Formerly a resident of Brooklyn, NY, much of her debut album, Me addressed the hardships she faced while living in Brooklyn: "I hate the rats, I hate the rent, I hate all these shitty guys, I hate capitalism. [...] I am getting cat-called in the street, just being a woman walking and I should just be able to walk down the street, you know."

Rodriguez has a degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston. She cites Julee Cruise, Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins, the Zombies, and the Beach Boys as some of her musical inspirations.

Studio albums

 * Me (2015)
 * Us (2018)
 * I'm Your Empress Of (2020)

Extended plays

 * Systems (2013)
 * Tristeza (2014)
 * Save Me (2022)

Mixtapes

 * Colorminutes (2013)