Italian-born alt-pop queen Erika Grapes sat down for a chat to talk about her recent release and the makings behind the scenes.
Born in Italy, Erika Grapes is known for her unique and provocative blend of dream pop and electro-pop—two genres that she has seamlessly merged into a single musical experience.
After moving to London early in her career and joining the indie band Bungalow Purple, she has since evolved her sound into the electronic pop-funk daydream we now know.
Erika’s recent release, ‘Once Upon an Ordinary’,effectively captures the essence of her music—a mind-numbing sequel to all her previous works, including the hit single “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby,” which has been her most popular release to date.
Erika is still redefining herself, constantly elevating her music to new and exciting levels, with a new project just over the horizon.
If you’re not already sold, take a moment to read our interview with Erika Grapes below.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
ERIKA: This is a genuinely Happy time in my life! I’m surrounded by beauty, peace, wonderful relationships and creativity and many projects seem to flow harmoniously.
HAPPY: Where are you from? What do you love about it?
ERIKA: I was born in Lovere, an enchanting town by Lake Iseo, in Italy, to a Hungarian mother and an Italian father.
Soon enough I moved with my family to Sesto San Giovanni, a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Milan, where I spent most of my life…but I have also lived in other regions in Italy, in London and in Los Angeles. I feel at home in many places and I love this.
It makes me feel more connected to an ongoing sense of adventure.
HAPPY: What gave you the idea for “Take My Heaven,” and how is it different from “Once Upon An Ordinary”?
ERIKA: “Once Upon An Ordinary” is a beautiful visionary sort of fairytale written by British musical talent Felix Subway. It contains folky elements and electronic landscapes, intertwined.
I have admired Alfie’s work for years and we had published another single together, earlier: the super sweet “Out of Depth”, also produced by Andrea Del Miglio, with whom I have partnered with for most of my music production.
“Take My Heaven” takes a different musical direction. For years, probably since my late childhood, new wave, post-punk, and new romantic genres have been my favourite styles of music.
When I first heard the work-in-progress of a song by the Italian new wave band Way To Blue (produced by my dear friend Marco Barusso), I was immediately drawn to its vibes and became an instant fan. I asked Marco to introduce me to the singer/songwriter behind the track.
That’s how I met Vincenzo, who liked my voice and style and sent me a demo—without lyrics—of what would eventually become “Take My Heaven.” Everything came together very naturally and well.
HAPPY: Can you share your creative process for “Take My Heaven”? Did you face any challenges or have any breakthroughs?
ERIKA: The creative process behind “Take My Heaven” flowed effortlessly. I knew right away that Lorenzo Montanà was the perfect choice to produce the track.
Having collaborated with him on my debut single, “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby”—still my most successful release to date—I felt his sonic vision would seamlessly align with the mood of this song.
There’s an unspoken connection between Vincenzo, Lorenzo, and me when it comes to new wave.
Maybe it’s because we’re from the same era, but it also comes down to a shared sense of nostalgia and romantic melancholy for the ethereal, dreamlike world of the ’80s.
HAPPY: How does “Take My Heaven” fit into your upcoming project or album? Is it a standalone track or part of a bigger story?
ERIKA: “Fitting” isn’t exactly the right word when it comes to my music production, which is incredibly diverse—reflecting the many sides of my personality. For instance, while we’re discussing “Take My Heaven,” I’m simultaneously preparing for an acoustic live show with country, spooky, and soul influences, and also collaborating with classical/jazz pianist Maestro Gabriele Toia on a set of standards and songstress classics.
However, for some time now, I’ve felt that “Take My Heaven” should mark the start of a larger musical journey.
I’d love to record and release more songs in that style—it feels natural to me and has resonated deeply for so long.
HAPPY: Who are your biggest musical inspirations?
ERIKA: There are probably hundreds, but I’ll list the first ones that come to mind: Billie Holiday, The Cure, Courtney Love, Fiona Apple, Lana Del Rey, Sarah Vaughan, and Nina Simone.
HAPPY: What themes or feelings do you want listeners to take away from “Take My Heaven”?
ERIKA: I would love the listener to figure out his or her own story while listening to Take My Heaven. Songs, to me, are like bridges between microcosmos and macrocosmos.
I can recall a personal experience while singing a song, but the song really starts to work only when and if the personal emotion manages to tap into an archetype, therefore enabling the song itself to tell different things to each listener, according to their personal experiences and personalities.
Of course, this is the beauty of music (one of them): its messages travel beyond the human beings who have generated a song.
It’s a shared experience.
HAPPY: Were there any specific musical or literary references that influenced the writing of “Take My Heaven”?
ERIKA: A certain dreamlike era. Artists like Ultravox, A Flock of Seagulls, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
HAPPY: How does “Take My Heaven” show how you’ve grown as an artist since your last releases?
ERIKA: I’m not sure if I’ve “grown” as an artist since my last release, but “Take My Heaven” feels especially sweet and heartfelt—though tinged with a bittersweet edge.
I’ve exposed myself through personal lyrics before, on tracks like “Falling Inside Out,” “Mother and Child,” and “Blood” (the latter produced by the brilliant Pietro Foresti, and connected to “Take My Heaven” like different chapters of the same story).
When I sing a song that carries my own words, the experience of sharing it can become deeply intense.
HAPPY: What’s the story behind the title “Take My Heaven”? Is it based on a personal experience or something mythological?
ERIKA: This is a complicated one. Let’s just say there was someone. I once believed we were twin flames, sharing a unique, cryptic language and secret codes for far too long.
But looking back, I think I was more like an Iris to a Jasper.
Sometimes it takes years to see clearly when you’re lost in illusions. At a fortunate turning point, I realized—though not without tears—that I was little more than a character in his story, a hypervirtual one, in a way.
The song tells the story of two hearts trapped in a carillon. The conflict lies in the fact that one heart wants to be real, while the other doesn’t.
The first heart feels constantly betrayed and inadequate, while the second keeps chasing an illusion.
Eventually, the first heart realizes she’s better off alone, as parts of her, within the bigger picture, can no longer be ignored.
In the end, it’s the lived experience that builds faith, not empty promises—the tangible truth, both in everyday life and in the greater, infinite scheme of things.
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
ERIKA: What makes me HAPPY today is an exciting, newly found sense of freedom and the opportunity that Fate has recently given me to share it with someone deeply meaningful and extraordinary. He’s so special. I’m in love. Happily in love.
