EQUATE Introducing: Salem Ilese
For 21-year-old pop princess sensation, Salem Ilese, music has been part and parcel of her life and upbringing and is something she’s been doing “for longer than she can remember”. Finding global virality thanks to the medium of social media, namely TikTok, the Californian singer-songwriter quickly gained notability with her breakout hit single “Mad At Disney” which puts a metaphorical middle finger up at the unrealistic paradigms and unattainable fairytale endings that we’ve all been exposed to from this conglomerate-disguised-as-a-wonderland, in her own clever, pop-infused way. Being viewed over 1.8 million times within the first 24 hours of her video release, Salem’s music shares the same DNA of the songs she was raised on: irresistible melodies mixed with surprising and fascinatingly observant lyrical choices that make sure her music impossible to forget. We caught up with the star-on-the rise to talk about who she is, how social media literally changed her life overnight, and what we can expect next from her after her monuments rise into the spotlight.
Words & Interview by Danielle Temeng
EQ: Hi Salem, could you please tell us a little bit about yourself?
SI: Hi, I’m Salem Ilese! I’m from Mill Valley, California, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. I’m an artist, songwriter, and mother to a puppy named bowie and a bearded dragon named Lil Cow. I spend my days writing music with friends, mostly online at the moment, and hanging with my pets. I’m an only child, which says a lot about me. I went to Berklee College of Music for 2 years, then dropped out (mostly due to the unbearably cold winters) and moved to LA. I’m 21 but usually feel more like I’m 12.
EQ:…and what drives your love for music? Is there anyone in particular that inspires you?
SI: I’ve obsessively loved music for as long as I can remember. I’m extremely lucky, because my parents caught on to this obsession at a very young age and started putting me in music classes. They’ve been incredibly supportive of my dream every step of the way. Neither of my parents are in the music industry, but both of them have impeccable taste, raising me on icons like Bowie (hence the dog name), The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Joe Satriani, and Norah Jones. My mom even loved Julia Michaels before it was cool (she purchased the song “Next To You” off of her EP in 2010). I originally wanted to be a singer/songwriter like Sara Bareilles, playing open mic nights every Monday in high school while wearing a black wide brim hat that was far too big for my head. Once I got to Berklee, I met Bendik Møller (my boyfriend, co-writer, producer, and co-dog parent), and discovered the world of electronic production. I was intrigued, to say the least, and immediately started making up-tempo pop songs. Now, my favourite thing to do sonically is to combine live instrumentation with electronic elements, pulling from my early influences while sprinkling in some of the new ones (which include Lorde, Alexander 23, Red Hearse, Charli XCX, and Jon Bellion).
EQ: Your latest video for your single ‘Mad At Disney’ pretty much went viral, achieving over 1.8m views overnight. How does the thought of that make you feel?
SI: Reading that gives me goosebumps, a ginormous smile, and a sharp pain in my chest. I’m so grateful, but also a bit in denial, as it’s hard for me to believe that any of this is really happening. Being placed in the public eye during a pandemic is quite an odd phenomenon, as everything has completely changed online, but stayed pretty much the same in real life. I still do most of my work from my couch, only leaving the house for the occasional trip to Trader Joe’s or Petco. I don’t think the gravity of this will hit me until I get to play a show again and realize that the crowd actually knows the words to one of my songs. I’m so overjoyed that the video was received as well as it was. I was able to work on it with a truly incredible team of people, including Phillip Lopez (director) and Clare Gillen (creative director).
EQ: The aforementioned single also touches on the idea of unrealistic expectations we’re exposed to when growing up. Do you think this is necessarily a bad thing, or is it a way to help us preserve the beauty and wonder of our childhood?
I believe that some unrealistic expectations are acceptable, and some destructive. For example, my world wasn’t flipped upside-down when I realized I couldn’t have a conversation with a squirrel [laughs]. It’s okay that the kitchen silverware doesn’t sing and dance. What really concerns me, though, is how princesses are portrayed in the classic Disney movies. Consistently, the female leads are shown as the damsel in distress. Their only goal is to be rescued by a prince and obtain the life-altering “true love’s kiss.” This is so far from reality, yet painted in a frame that seems believable, especially to the young girls consuming the content. For once, I would like a Disney princess movie that doesn’t end like a fairytale. Let’s make the princess single, but happy being alone. Let’s have a multi-racial cast, as well as some LGBTQ+ representation. In my opinion, the more fragments of reality we put in our fairytales, the better-off the younger generation will be.
EQ: With the success, you’ve achieved initially going viral on TikTok, how would you view the use of the internet and social media in a musical space?
I am both thankful for and terrified of social media. I’ve never felt like an app can read my mind more so than TikTok. My “for you page” is tailor-made for me, highlighting videos of dogs, cooking (I can’t cook but I love food), Trader Joe’s hauls, and obscure songwriters. This is why the app is such an incredible tool for musicians. I truly believe that every artist has a fanbase out there, but the real challenge is finding them, and then getting them to actually listen to the music. TikTok’s finely tuned algorithm strategically places artists in front of a demographic that is extremely likely to enjoy the content. Even the most niche musicians can find their crew by utilizing the power of today’s social media. That being said, there are still so many undiscovered artists with more talent in their left pinkie finger than I have in my whole body, so luck definitely plays a large part as well.
“…every artist has a fanbase out there, but the real challenge is finding them, and then getting them to actually listen to the music. Even the most niche musicians can find their crew by utilizing the power of today’s social media.”
– SALEM ILESE
EQ: You’re currently 21, which some people may say is relatively young in the music scene. Where would you like to see yourself in say, 5 years from now?
SI: Assuming that our world hasn’t succumbed to the effects of global warming 5 years from now, I hope to see myself maintaining a career as both an artist and a songwriter. I know I’ll never stop making music, as that is simply not possible. Even when I force myself to take a break (which happens once in a blue moon), I find myself writing songs while doing other activities, such as doing my makeup or driving to Blue Bottle for my morning coffee. “Retiring” will never be an option for me, and I’m very okay with that. More than anything, I want to be a positive force in the industry. My biggest goal is to figure out the absolute best way to use my newfound platform, acting as a role model, but also being as authentic as possible. With my music, I really just want to make people think. I write pop, so on the outside, my songs are pretty digestible. If you look under the surface, though, all of my lyrics have a deeper meaning, offering some small insight into the world and its perplexities.
EQ:…and if you could collaborate with one artist, dead or alive, who would this be and why?
SI: This will sound very bad, so I apologize in advance, but I’ve always wanted to have a writing session with myself. I’m so curious about how I come off to my collaborators; what my strengths and weaknesses are as an artist and a writer. If I could clone myself, I would, but only for professional purposes. Other than me, though, I would love nothing more than to work with Lorde. I would even just take a coffee with her. I think her approach to pop music is genius, and her ability to appear calm cool and collected at all times while also being relatable astounds me.
EQ: If you could give young musicians one piece of advice that you’ve picked up so far (or that you wish you’d known starting out) what would this be?
SI: The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is, don’t make music that sounds like what’s on the radio. That was all written a year ago. Make something weird, I promise it won’t be weird in time. Everything about this industry changes each day, so trend-chasing isn’t sustainable. By the time writers and producers are aware of a trend, it’s too late to successfully use it. Trust your instincts and dare to be different! There are really no limits to what you can say in a song. I’ve been in too many sessions where someone will say, “that word can’t be a lyric.” Who says you can’t say “goldfish” in a song? There are only so many words in the dictionary, don’t limit yourself to only a quarter of them.
EQ:…and besides your own music, what are the top 3 songs you have on your playlist at the moment?
SI:
- JON BELLION – Lev (check it out, you won’t regret)
2. Quiet – Emilia Ali (beautiful song with a really important message, listen carefully)
3. Hypochondriac – Sasha Sloan (one of those songs I wish I’d written)
EQ: Finally, you’re now working on your full-length project which is really exciting (congratulations!), what can we expect from it?
SI: Thank you!! I’ve had a larger body of work in the making for a while now, and the only consistent thread I can think of is total honesty. If you just want some music that’s easy to listen to and has some level of danceability, you might enjoy what’s to come. If you’re looking to really dig into some lyrical content and have a good think about life, you might also be pleased. Either way, you’ll get to know me more by the end of it. The overall sound is a bit darker than “Mad at Disney,” but I’m 12 at heart so nothing will ever be too heavy. I had a lot of fun making these records with my friends, and I hope that once they’re released into the world, you have a fun time listening to them!
YouTube/salem ilese
Stream ‘Mad At Disney’ HERE
Follow Salem Ilese on socials
Instagram: @salemilese
Twitter: @salemilese