BACK TO HER ROOTS

“The lyrics from the song felt like something I would hear from my older self, telling me how we all got here.”

That’s how Armi Millare describes the words behind her latest, “Roots,” her much-awaited single that was released last month on all digital music platforms. Characteristically chill, pensive, and melodically soaring with her effortless ability to come up with inventive vocal lines and phrasing, the track was co-produced by Jonny Sjo, Kim Ofstad (of Norwegian neo-soul outfit D’Sound fame…) and producer Bernt Rune Stray, who also happens to be the live guitarist and keyboardist of D’Sound.

“I just love working with them; co-producing the song with Jonny, Kim, and Bernt was an experience I am glad I had; we have fostered a great working relationship through the years; I’ve always said a big part of the blueprint of my musicality is related to what they’ve created , so this is merely acting it out, having created this musical dialect together; I’ve learned so much working outside of my comfort zone with them,” shares Millare.

“Roots” is her first solo outing since publicly announcing her departure from former band UDD back in late December 2021.

When asked about her frame of mind during the creative process and her current mindset now that “Roots” has been released, Millare offers: “I think the pattern is that inspiration is like bookends at the start and end of a piece or a body of work… First, I was really itching to start the process, kind of blindly, powered by my ideas solely without ever looking at details and just focused on the big, fuzzy picture. Then life happened, and it came in threes indeed; it struck me so hard that I quietly decided I’d forget the project and hid from everyone in plain sight. I was secretly convinced this wasn’t me anymore or that this wasn’t me after all. Little by little, it started to feel like I could wake up, adjust my sails again, head home, and end the day. Just take small steps,” the artist revealed, and added, “There will always be a destination, no matter how short the distance. Mind the storm; it will pass. Sail anyway.”

Currently, Armi has played shows as small as music bars and as big as out–of–town festival setups, her most recent being in Davao. The songwriter also shares that more music is on the way, but there’s absolutely no rush or pressure to commit to dates or a full schedule.

“I just want to keep at it like any musician would: do shows, learn some more, rinse and repeat,” she starts off. “Sometimes I let the plan come to me and see if it is a fit— does it work with where we are? Some things compute, and yet, still don’t feel right… I never mean to displease, so I don’t make any promises, if at all, to myself, especially: I’ll just do the work and see what about it could be fun for everyone.”