band crush: empress of

Originally from Los Angeles, Lorely Rodriguez is the mastermind behind Empress Of, which is now a Brooklyn-based electro-pop band. Rodriguez has studied music--with a focus on jazz--since she was fourteen. And now with her newly appointed drummer and keyboardist in tow--she's quickly setting herself apart from the other female artists in the genre. Stage presence and strong vocals aside, Rodriquez sings beautifully in Spanish. Every beat, deep breath, and lyric (even though we can't translate most of them) is beautifully strung together to create a sound that's as powerful as it is calming. So if you're looking for that perfect, in-between listening experience--one that isn't too intense, but won't put you right to sleep--this is your best bet. Her music is like an electro lullaby. Her EP Systems is out now, and her next album is already in the works. But you can catch Empress Of this summer as she tours with another band crush of ours, Autre ne Veut. For show updates (but mostly entertaining banter), we like to check in with the band on Twitter. "I usually just talk about star wars or being obsessed with Panda Bear but sometimes there are show updates on there. Check it out!"