Artist Interview: Serena Mary
London-based singer-songwriter Serena opens up about her musical journey, inspirations, and upcoming EP "Journey of a Broken Heart". With a genre-bending sound and emotive lyrics, Serena shares her insights and experiences in this candid conversation.
Tori: You’ve been performing all over London — from The Ned to Hope & Anchor. What’s been your most memorable show so far and why?
Serena: My most memorable show so far has to be the ‘A Night of Pop/RnB’ at Rae’s, Omeara in London Bridge that myself and some others put on for our uni degree. My team were amazing and also a group of people that I’m really good friends with so it was really fun, also got to perform some new material which people really enjoyed!
Tori: Your upcoming EP, Journey of a Broken Heart, is set for release this September. What inspired the title?
Serena: I’ve had this concept for a project about love for a while now, I always had the idea of each song representing a particular emotion through the process of being heartbroken and healing, which honestly is quite ironic considering I can’t say I’ve been truly heartbroken, but at the time it felt as such, so it just made sense to refer to it as a ‘journey’, a ‘journey of emotions’ in a sense.
Tori: How does this new EP reflect where you are in life right now — emotionally, creatively, and personally?
Serena: Emotionally, it’s a mix of me from a few years ago and me now being happy and healed. Creatively, it’s very much a step in a direction sonically that I’ve wanted to explore for a while now, and always wanted to produce it on my own, for myself, so I’m happy to be finally doing that. I love so many genres of music, so genre fusion is really important to me. Personally, it’s also a mix - sadness from the past with some reflection and excitement for the future from now!
Tori: What themes can listeners expect to hear throughout Journey of a Broken Heart?
Serena: Heartbreak, betrayal, loss, nostalgia, and the excitement of something new.
Tori: You’ve mentioned that your music is influenced by Lady Gaga, Adele, and Anne-Marie. How do these influences come through in your own sound?
Serena: I think Gaga and Anne-Marie’s influence definitely comes through genre-wise; my already released stuff is definitely more dance pop/electro pop-based, which at the time I really loved, and I still like it now, it just doesn’t serve my story as much as it did. Gaga and also Adele definitely come through in the vocals; stylistically and tonally, I’ve always loved them.
Tori: As a singer, songwriter, and producer, how do you balance those roles in the studio?
Serena: Not gonna lie, balancing is hard sometimes; it can be too much to find the inspiration yourself. When balancing all three, I definitely put myself into a mindset of "If you don’t do this for you, it’ll never be done". I also have this habit of holding onto songs for ages once they’re written before I start the production process, which is something I’ve gotten better at not doing recently. Generally, though, I do find it easier as executing your vision yourself can be better than having to explain it to someone else.
Tori: What’s your typical songwriting process like — do lyrics or melody come first?
Serena: I’ve been asked this question so many times, and although this isn’t the usual answer from artists, it really does depend on the song honestly.
Tori: You grew up playing piano and immersed yourself in music early on. Can you remember the moment you knew music was what you wanted to do?
Serena: Ooo, to be honest, I have the memory of a goldfish lol, but I don’t think there was a specific moment per se; my parents both love music, my dad is a singer, and they both come from generally very musical families, so being surrounded by this was a key factor. I’ve just always known music is what I want to do; it’s in my blood.
Tori: What challenges have you faced as an independent artist in today’s music industry?
Serena: Marketing and promotion are definitely something I struggle with; I just want to get my music out so I can find my people!
Tori: If you could collaborate with any artist — past or present — who would it be and why?
Serena: Oooo oh my gosh, I have so many; I’ll give you two - 100% Lady Gaga and Ryan Tedder; they’re just my faves.
Tori: Your lyrics often feel deeply personal. Is there a particular track on the upcoming EP that feels especially close to your heart?
Serena: Honestly, the whole EP is so special to me; I’m so excited for the world to hear it, but one that’s close to my heart I’d say is a track called "Albi"; it’s about betrayal and is honestly quite sad, but it just hits me right in the heart.
Tori: You performed a stripped-down acoustic version of "Not Ever Letting Go"— what made you want to reimagine that track in that style?
Serena: I wrote the track just piano and vocals, and doing it acoustically allows me to slow it down so I can do more vocally, so it’s my favorite way to perform.
Tori: Do you find performing live energizing, nerve-wracking, or something in between?
Serena: Definitely energizing; to be honest, I don’t really get nervous anymore; I’ve been singing on stages since I was about five, so nerves aren’t really a thing anymore, although they do come every so often.
Tori: You’ve performed for "New Music Monday" hosted by Jodie Bryant — what was that experience like?
Serena: Honestly, it was so amazing to have that be one of the first shows I’d done with my original music; I really enjoyed it, and The Ned is stunning. I would love to perform there again someday. Jodie is amazing - I love everything she curates and all the support she shows for independent artists.
Tori: Lastly, what do you hope fans walk away with after listening to your new EP?
Serena: I hope they walk away with confidence and belief, and healing energy if that’s the stage they’re at right now. I also hope it gives them an idea of my sound and musical influences, and hopefully, they have a new favorite song or two.
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