After infusing Latin music with hyperpop and opening for Doja Cat, Emjay is tackling rock on her new and deeply personal album, Pop Pesado. 

Emjay is all about pushing boundaries and breaking down barriers. In three years, the Mexican pop provocateur has made a name for herself by living many lives. Emjay first infiltrated Mexico’s male-dominated trap music scene with her debut album, and then she became a hyperpop phenomenon with her global follow-up. With her forthcoming third album, Pop Pesado, shared on 24th September via Warner Music México, she is now embracing her role as a diva of the darkness with her rock-infused LP.

“Pop Pesado is my most personal era,” Emjay says. “It’s an era where I’ve decided to open myself up for real, so that’s why the lyrics are so personal and sometimes heavy. I feel like this is a reflection of how my sound and I as an artist have matured. I feel very myself in this era.”

Emjay is the stage name of María José de la Torre Villaseñor, who hails from Guadalajara. While growing up, she cites Kesha, Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey, Rosalía, and Doja Cat as inspirations. The rock inspiration of Pop Pesado also comes from the bands Emjay likes, such as Mexico’s Zoé, and Wonderland cover stars, Gorillaz. She debuted as a fierce trap singer and rapper with 2023’s LAS MORRAS TAMBIÉN HACEN TR444P. Emjay later introduced hyperpop into the Latin music ecosystem with last year’s frenetic and groundbreaking Me Estoy Volviendo Loca. Off the success of that album, she joined forces with Latin pop icon Belinda on “Boss Rmx” and later opened for Doja Cat’s concert in Mexico City.

Emjay is showing a darker and more vulnerable side to herself with Pop Pesado. She gives her musical approach a rock makeover with the haunting “Lobo” and the enchanting “Moreno Fantasy.” She also leans into alternative territory with Ximena Sariñana in “Atemporal” and Alanis Yuki in “Dónde Tú.” In an exclusive interview with Wonderland, she opened up about her new LP, dream collaborations, and making music for the girls and gays. 

You have said Doja Cat is one of your biggest inspirations. What was the experience like to open up for one of her concerts earlier this year?

I was at that moment where I was starting to question myself, like, “Am I on the right path?” My team told me, “You’re going to open for Doja Cat.” When I was with her and talking to her, I was like, “Okay, I know I’m on the right fucking path.” She told me, “Girl, you did great!” What else can I ask for? There’s no better sign than this. It was so magical and inspiring watching her perform at the Palacio de los Deportes. She’s one of the greatest performers I’ve seen. That was my first time seeing her live. I learned a lot about her like how she moves and performs.

What did it mean for you when Belinda collaborated with you on “Boss Rmx”?

That’s literally like a dream come true for me and every girl. I was in a song camp with my team, and one day she just sent me a DM. She wrote, “Shall we do the remix?” I was like, “Girl, are you serious? Is this the real Belinda?” It was very organic, to be honest. Being in the studio with Belinda was also a dream come true. She’s very kind and professional. This song was meant for her because there’s no one else who knows how to work all day and be a boss like Belinda. She’s been working since she was like three years old. There’s a lot of new collaborations coming with artists that I admire. I’m so excited that pop is growing and reaching a new peak. The pop girls are taking the lead right now. 

Where does that girly and fierce energy in your music come from?

It comes from me just wanting to be myself. I just want to feel like myself. I think every person has their sweet side, but also their fierce side and heavy sides. We all have these two words within us, the dark side and the sweet side. That’s what I want to embrace. I don’t want to hide anything. I don’t want to hold in anything that I’m feeling. 

How did you feel about “Flash y Pose” being used as a lip-sync song on Drag Race México: Latina Royale?

I’m a big fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I love all styles of drag. I love how drag queens express themselves. I have a goal of being a guest judge on Drag Race. One day, I hope that will happen. My team didn’t tell me anything. Literally, I was watching Drag Race, and I saw that they used my song. It was really a surprise for me, but it was also so exciting. The girls did an amazing to my song. I love Taiga Brava. She’s my mother. 

What does your connection with your LGBTQ+ fans mean to you?

My songs are for girls and gays! If straight people want to get into my music, they’re more than welcome. They all know I’m part of the LGBTQ+ community too. All my friends and my whole team belong to that community. Gay people and the LGBTQ+ community are so important in my life. They’re a hard audience to please. They ask for a lot, but I love to meet their expectations. When a gay person tells you, “Girl, you’re doing well,” you know you’re really doing well. 

What does the title of your new album Pop Pesado mean to you?

I started with trap music, and then I was like super electronic, but pop and rock have always been part of me. I’ve never felt like I’m this perfect pop star. I’m a messy girl. I’m a super type B girl. I like to party, but I also perform and dance and sing and do the biggest shows I can do. That’s where “Pop Pesado” came from. I know I do pop, but I’m not the pop star that you want me to be. This is just my type of pop. 

How did the song “Atemporal” with Ximena Sariñana come together?

It was a dream come true to work with Ximena too. She sent me a message that said, “I love what you’re doing, and I would love to get into the studio with you, so I can write for you.” She wanted to write a song with me, so we could meet each other and get to know each other. At first, that song didn’t have a feature on it. The next day, Ximena told my manager, “I would love to work with her. I wish I could have jumped on that song with her.” At first, I didn’t have the guts to tell her to jump on the song with me, so that’s why I didn’t ask her. I was like, “Girl, you should have just asked me. Let’s get into the studio right now.” We met up again, and we made it happen. 

What was the experience like to collaborate with Alanis Yuki on “Dónde Tú”?

Alanis is one of my favourite artists right now. Even though she just started a few years ago, I think she has a really nice voice, and she knows how to express herself with her voice very well. Since the beginning, I knew I wanted to have three people on my album: Ximena, Alanis, and DannyLux. They’re also my friends, and I love to work with friends in music. The song with Alanis became more personal because we both share the same music taste, and that made everything easier. Working with my friends on this album was a really great experience. 

Who would you love to collaborate with in the future?

If you tell me right now to think big, I would love to collaborate with Adéla. She’s one of my favourite artists right now. I also love Charli xcx. Here in Mexico, I would love to collaborate with Kenia Os and Danna. I would say Belinda, but I already have a song with her. I would love to make another song with Six Sex. I would love to collaborate with Akriila as well. 

What more can we expect from you this year?

You can expect a lot of Pop Pesado. There are great collaborations coming. I can’t wait to start my tour of Mexico. I’ve been preparing so much for it. I’m taking a lot of dance lessons because my gays want to me to dance. It’s going to be an amazing tour. I’m hoping to visit as many cities as I can. The rest of this year will pretty much be about my album and the tour. 

Words – Lucas Villa

Photography – Adonay Sánchez