Princess Cyberspace Q&A w/ Status Magazine

Original article appeared in Status Magazine. 

By Bea del Rio
Interview by Ernest Fraginal

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Using a comical approach to serious worldly themes befitting of the contradictory culture it tries to expose and consequently establishing its own musical genre, PRINCESS CYBERSPACE stands out as the next big act to invade our online screens.

If millennials ever need a soundtrack, the music of LA-based duo Princess Cyberspace would be a top choice. When singer-songwriter Rebecca L’Amore and electronic music producer STEL★LEO teamed up, they effectively gave birth to what they dubbed as “CyberPop,” a new genre tailor-fit for this cyber-obsessed generation. Gathering inspiration from past punk rock and new media to feminism and pop culture, their infectious jams are a combination of ‘80s synthpop, electronic music, and a tropical-future sound–a nod to the duo’s multi-racial roots–accompanied by satirical lyrics that reveal a deep and relatable truth about a generation whose reality exists inside mobile screens and the Internet.

With their first music videos in the works and a full-length album expected to be released by the end of the year, we caught up with the duo you’ll be probably be hearing and seeing more of in your next online browsing.

“I think that our lyrics have a certain depth to them that not all people will want to admit that they can relate to. Hopefully, people become more self-aware and apply this intelligence to their everyday lives.”

“I think that our lyrics have a certain depth to them that not all people will want to admit that they can relate to. Hopefully, people become more self-aware and apply this intelligence to their everyday lives.”

How did two of you get together?

Rebecca: Stelio and I met in Boston through a mutual friend. We connected immediately because I grew up on Guam and he grew up on Bermuda. I think living on an island with a very small population during your early childhood affects you in a really unique way. Islands are like distant stars in the middle of nowhere. It’s difficult to connect with people from the mainland if you’re from a remote island. Also, both Stelio and I are multi-racial and really into fashion, music, art, and entertainment, so there hasn’t been a dull moment since the moment we met, honestly.

What pushed you guys to start a Princess Cyberspace?

R: We officially started Princess Cyberspace when we moved to Los Angeles in early 2016. We wanted to start a more self-aware/society-aware popular music group, because so many songs on the radio today aren’t relatable. To me, they’re vague. We both spend a lot of time on our phones and computers like most millennials, so simply writing about my experience of living in a mobile world pushed us to start this project.

Your music often dwells with tropical, electronic music and has dubbed it as “CyberPop.” What inspired this direction in sound?

R: Growing up in Bermuda, Stelio was surrounded by the sounds of dancehall, reggae, and calypso music. The rhythms and melodies of these genres have definitely shaped his writing style, but each song we create is definitely new and distinct from our other tunes. “So Relatable” definitely captures that dancehall pop electronica vibe while “Alone, By Myself” is a festival ready moombahton track. Our latest release “Blocked/Unblocked” completely breaks this mold and has a more future/retro ‘80s sound utilizing a lot more live instrumentation. We’ve always been poking fun at how social media and the advancement of tech affects everyday interactions with this project. Our “CyberPop” sound definitely goes hand in hand with this with its clean pop elements and sometimes robotic vocal processing.

Speaking of it, your lyrics call out this generation’s overuse of phones and technology. What led you to tackling this specific subject matter?

R: I think the question is what didn’t lead us to tackling this subject matter. To be honest, if you’re not writing about mobile technology, you’re not writing about popular culture, because popular culture, at least in Hollywood, is literally being on your phone or computer 24/7/365. It’s rare for people here to be able to hold a full conversation anymore, especially if they’re strangers.

“So many pop songs on the radio are written by men for women, therefore not voicing the opinion of the feminine. We want Princess Cyberspace songs on the radio, so that the feminine word can get out there properly.”

“So many pop songs on the radio are written by men for women, therefore not voicing the opinion of the feminine. We want Princess Cyberspace songs on the radio, so that the feminine word can get out there properly.”

What do you want listeners to take from your songs?

R: I hope that listeners hear our songs and (a) think they’re relatable, (b) think they’re funny, and (c) take a piece of the song with them and show them to their friends. I think that our lyrics have a certain depth to them that not all people will want to admit that they can relate to. Hopefully, people become more self-aware and apply this intelligence to their everyday lives.

Ultimately, what do you hope to achieve with your music?

R: We want to prove to be complete rule-breakers in the music and technology industries. A woman fronting a male producer has been done before, but I write all of the lyrics and call almost all of the shots when it comes to this project. So many pop songs on the radio are written by men for women, therefore not voicing the opinion of the feminine. We want Princess Cyberspace songs on the radio, so that the feminine word can get out there properly. We want to take Princess Cyberspace all over the world, and maybe to another planet one day.

Princess Cyberspace Navigates Being 'Blocked/Unblocked' And Avoiding Exes

Read the original article by clicking here.

"PRINCESS CYBERSPACE is pop’s newest and most relatable duo comprising of LA cool girl Rebecca L’Amore and producer STEL★LEO. Unapologetic, and catty, L’Amore is truly the femme icon after every freshly single girl’s heart. Princess Cyberspace‘s latest single ‘Blocked/Unblocked’ is a satirical and sassy nod to the social media generation and navigating awkward break ups both IRL and online. For anyone who’s been through a messy break up, it’s always hard to know when’s the time to unfollow/unfriend/block and delete that person from your life, ‘Blocked/Unblocked’ captures this petty sentiment pretty perfectly, and it’s a certified banger.

Much like the themes of their songs, Princess Cyberspace‘s style is futuristic and forward thinking. The single weaves together 80s inspired synths and deliciously funky bass guitar. L’Amore‘s stylised techy vocal is the driving force of the tune, giving ‘Blocked/Unblocked’ it’s distinct satirical millenial flavour.

Princess Cyberspace turns technology and musical production on it’s head with their unique brand of cyber-pop. And we couldn’t be more excited to step into the uncertain future with Princess Cyberspace providing the soundtrack."

Words by ROSIE RAE

Premiere: Princess Cyberspace's 'Blocked/Unblocked' Is The Breakup Anthem Of Our Generation

Full article published via BULLETT on Monday, January 23, 2017.  Read the full article by clicking here. 

Photograph by Kimberly Torres (@diamondroots). 

"Everyone knows what it feels like to obsess over an ex on social media. But Princess Cyberspace, the cyber-pop duo made up of vocalist Rebecca L’Amore and producer Stel Leo, take cyber-stalking to a whole new level on their new single, “Blocked/Unblocked.” An ’80s synth-pop banger, the track mixes French house with L’Amore’s saccharine lyrics, part Janet Jackson, part Daft Punk.

“From a lyrical standpoint, ‘Blocked/Unblocked’ is a song about that love interest you can’t escape on social media,” says the band. “It’s about lurking on your ex or ex-crush’s social media accounts even though you know they’re bad for you.”

With hypnotizing synths and L’Amore’s undeniably catchy vocals, “Blocked/Unblocked” is the bubblegum anthem for the digital generation.

Listen to the BULLETT premiere, below."