Today, Swiss Singer and outstanding vocal producer Milena Patagônia released the music video to the first single of her upcoming unannounced solo album. The song, titled “Ohni Di”, marks an important step in her musical career, and even more so an important one towards her goal of becoming a master of vocal production.
A song about self-love
“The song is about self-love, basically. I sing about a partnership, being in a relationship, and really in love. But you are only with this person because you know you could also be without them”, Milena says about her first official release since 2018. “Ohni Di” perfectly sets the tone for what is to come of the self-producing indie artist: sonically-reduced, ethereal electro-pop, accompanied by empowering lyrics about strength and womanhood.
“It sounds a little bit cheesy, but the song is not at all cheesy. I want to be with you, but it would also work without you – and that’s why I want to be with you.”
In the video clip to the single, the Bern-based artist finds herself dancing on top of a hill, at the edge of a faded forest, dressed in white. Her only accessory: a white veil. Milena’s sensual dance moves and the visual of the fragile fabric flowing in the wind are in stark contrast to the grey surroundings, making her the sole focus of the viewer. The video reflects what is the essence of the song: her independence and strength as a woman, only enhanced by allowing herself to be vulnerable and fall in love: “I could let them go and be happy”. Knowing that she would be happy without her partner makes their relationship stronger, rather than codependence. In the video, she is committing to self-love as much as she commits to her partner by wearing the wedding-reminiscing white veil.
“I wanna be really good at producing a voice, at vocal production”.
“Ohni Di” is a power move through and through, beyond its lyrics and visuals. In our interview on her overall work and vision, Milena told us about her goals of being a first-class vocal producer. This song marks her first step to achieving her goal. With a complicated three-layer setup, the song took a long time to live up to her perfectionist expectations of herself, marking a new era for the self-made Swiss artist.
Emancipation as a mission
Beyond its empowering message of not giving in to codependency in love, “Ohni Di” also sets an example for Milena Patagônia’s very own, and other female artist’s musical emancipation. While it can be a rewarding experience to collaborate and share an artistic vision or one’s life with a partner, this song proves to herself and the world that she does not depend on anyone else to make her happy - or produce her music.
