Growing up in Baldwin Park, California, as a first-generation Mexican-American, Emvee Harlan first experienced music on a deeper level when she was introduced to an orchestra at nine years old.
With musical influences that cover genres of all kinds, she is learning to find herself within the music she creates as she connects with other like-minded individuals. Aiming to stay authentic and reach out to souls similar to hers, her main goal is to shed some light on their journeys as well.
The rich sounds that fill our speakers as we take in her most recent single and video for “Masquerade” sit with us in an antedating fashion. We hear the punk-rock nature of the song amplify through our ears, with Emvee Harlan’ unapologetic personality taking the forefront of this edgy record. With a filmic component that matches the grunge-esque styling of the musical foundation, we have Emvee Harlan sitting in the corner of a room with a mask on as we observe her from a mysterious topical view.
The black and white footage may open up the visuals, but what pulls us in are the colorful scenes that sprinkle the right amount of vivacity through this care-free track. Pairing up close and personal scenes with the cinematic art of abstract shots of Emvee Harlan all dressed up for the masquerade ball, there’s a diverse visual representation that brings us into the inner mind of her workings. We have to admit that the eye-catching intermissions of those luscious guitar chords being plucked away have us appreciating the zesty sounds that continue to trickle for the sustaining presence they leave on us.
Touring us to the final moments as the musical foundation fades out and we’re left with a bad-ass shot of Emvee Harlan in a stunning red gown, “Masquerade” is a song that has us eager to learn more about the boisterous artist herself.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Emvee Harlan. We love the sonic and visual pairing of your latest single "Masquerade." What inspired such an abstract concept for the music video?
I felt the beginning of the song expressed solitaire and uncertainty of the Self. It inspired me to create different versions of "me" with varying selections of wardrobes and masks. The song begins with the line... "never knowing who I am," and that's currently my reality as a New Artist. I'm still learning what that means and how to be authentic while creative at the same time.
How does the meaning of the song tie into what the visuals portray? Was that always what you envisioned when crafting the set?
I've had a lot of trouble being seen by others, so I wanted to make sure this music video pushed me to expose my vulnerability. But I wasn't sure how it was going to be created until I started shooting. That's when I decided to make it a stand-alone video of just "me." It ended up being three different personas: the shower scene of a more exposed and insecure Self (in connection with the start of the lyrics of feeling lost), the simple jean and shirt persona playing the guitar in darkness (the want to remain authentic and behind the scenes where I'm more comfortable and still part of everything, as the chorus suggests), and the elegant woman in a gown who has more confidence in herself and what she's becoming (connecting with the second verse of the lyrics of feeling stronger).
Could you please take us into the rest of your team that helped bring this concept to life? How did they help reiterate your vision?
I filmed, produced, and edited the music video by myself. I selected the clothes/masks and filmed inside my Condo. As a brand new independent, I found it cost-efficient this time around to take over the project. However, my mom did help me with fitting into the dress! Thanks, mom.
What message would you like your listeners to reflect on as they take this song in?
I think we all struggle with identity in different phases of our life. What we fail to do sometimes is connect with others in that journey because of fear or insecurity. And I think that puts a strain on our growth when trying to discover who we are or what we want to be. So realizing that we are all a part of this journey, I think, is the main message of the song. Together, feeling like we are sometimes fake or pretending but actively trying to figure it out and wanting to be better versions of ourselves. The more we see and feel connectivity, the easier it will be to be there for each other.