Since bursting on to the Irish pop music scene, Aimée has gone from strength to strength, becoming the most played Irish female artist on radio during 2022. In addition, she also performed to a sold-out crowd at The Academy in Dublin, embarked on a debut regional tour, performed on 'The Late Late Show' and signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal. She has recently released her phenomenal new single, 'Hurt Like Hell,' an empowering break-up anthem. This single sees her find her voice once and for all and deliver an incredibly special offering.
"I wanted to write a song for people going through heartbreak and hope it might give them a little spark of confidence when they heard it. I also wanted a song that tempts every person to grab and sing into their hairbrush, throw their middle finger in the air and scream: "IT'S GONNA HURT LIKE HELL!
Valentine's Day isn't all roses and romance for everyone. I've noticed so many more people embracing an anti-Valentine's Day vibe these past few years, which is all about self-love and self-respect, and not needing a relationship to validate you. This is a song about loving yourself enough to leave a bad relationship!"
We recently had the chance to speak with Aimée about her new single, how it came together, her plans for this year and much more. Keep reading to check out what she had to say!
You have recently released your new single, 'Hurt Like Hell.' What has it been like for you have new music released?
"It's so exciting! It felt like a long gap between last year's release, 'Nobody Else,' and this, but the reaction has blown me away!"
You have also unveiled a music video to accompany the single. Was it important for the music video to correlate with the message of the single?
"100%! The video is just a total expression of all of the emotions in the song. I literally have costume changes to reflect the range of emotions that the person singing the song is feeling. I got to be really creative with this one, and I adore the final product!"
You said that you wanted to write a song for people going through a heartbreak. Did you find it challenging to be so emotionally vulnerable with your music?
"It can be a very vulnerable position opening yourself up within your music. I've tackled that head on with songs like 'I'm OK,' 'Bulletproof' and 'Break Me.' Let's face it, when everything is going well in your life and there's no drama, it's not usually when artists feel at their most inspired or creative. As a song-writer, I've really started to lean into storytelling, and putting not just parts of my own life, but of others in my life, into my music. 'Hurt Like Hell' was born out of that."
How long did 'Hurt Like Hell' take to come together?
"This one was one of those magical songs, where all the pieces came together within a one day session. I think Stockholm can take all of the credit for this song! Writing it was one of the best experiences I have had so far. We wrote this in Sweden and has this great balance of two Irish writers, including myself, and two Swedish writers. We knew we wanted to write a break-up song, but one that wasn't too melancholic. There is something about writing and recording in Stockholm that brings magic when you're a pop artist. We wrote this the day after I had spent some time with Max Martin, having him listen to my demos and offer me some tips and advice at his home studio in Stockholm. I think you can feel his influence across this song?
If you were to sum up your sound in a couple of words, what would they be?
"BIG POP!"
Going back to your roots, how did you first become involved in the music industry? Has it always been something that you have wanted to be involved in?
"I've never felt like I have had a choice. It's always been something I have felt compelled to do. It is my true passion. As far back as I can remember, I was singing, dancing and writing music, so being a creative is just in my DNA. Deciding to move from just singing in my bedroom to actually having the courage to pursue a recording career took some time though! But really from my teenage years onwards, I was chasing this goal. I feel so grateful to be a working artist!"
Who would you say are your musical influences? Do you feel that such artists have a direct impact on the music that you release?
"There's lots of different people for many different reasons. Vocally, Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. Performance, Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Janet Jackson. Production, Max Martin. I absolutely feel that these artists directly impact the music I release, but I also think it's vital to have your own stamp and your own value proposition, and to not just imitate your heroes."
You have achieved so much already to date, but if you were to pick one achievement that stands out in your mind, what would it be? Additionally, is there one achievement that you would most like to achieve during your time in the music industry?
"Becoming the most played Irish female artist on radio for 2022 felt like a huge achievement, not least because I wasn't expecting it at all! In terms of future achievements? Honestly, to just continue to be able to make this a viable career and continue building a fan base, because without that, there's nothing!"
Thinking ahead to 2023, what does this year have in store for you that you can tell us about?
"We've released a Swedish version of 'Hurt Like Hell' and there will be lots of Swedish promo and content! We have some amazing festivals already announced and more to come. I'm playing the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin in May with an amazing line-up, to raise funds for Focus Ireland. I'm also showcasing in Brighton at The Great Escape. I have a HUGE next single lined up and ready to go."
Finally, do you have a message for everyone who supports you and who has listened to your single?
"From the bottom of my heart, thank you! I see your messages on social media. I see those who have been with me from the start, and all of the new faces. Without you, this isn't possible. It's all for you!"
Aimée's single 'Hurt Like Hell' is out now and available to purchase and stream through all major music purchasing and streaming outlets.
By Rachel Dempster
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