The UK-born singer, songwriter Minke is now based in LA. After a successful debut in 2019 with her Album “The Tearoom” she got her recognition as an artist and became a darling in the indie-pop scene. With the support from various people and companies she was ready for a breakthrough. But then with Covid-19 more obstacles and life changing events appeared. It became a time for healing and now she has just released her new single “Happier Than Me” on May 10, 2024. In the single she is seen playing piano for the first time and baring her soul in the usual emotionally honest fashion we’ve come to expect.

Has navigating the music industry as an openly queer artist presented any challenges?
Nothing too crazy so far that I’m aware of! I mean there’s the occasional hateful comment but that’s just the internet. It’s only been this release I’ve presented in my work as openly queer so we’ll see but I do feel like finally there’s been a shift in acceptance, even from when I was last releasing music in 2019. And I wasn’t out then in my life in the way that I am now so it would be disingenuous to not address it at this point.

How have these experiences shaped your journey, and what impact do you hope it has on the music community?
I’ve been inspired by so many other artists who are out singing and sharing their truth, so I’m just excited to represent and share mine.

On May 10th, you released your new single Happier Than Me, Could you explain the background and inspiration behind this song? What is the background of this song and what was your thought process while making it?
We were working on another song that whole day. It hit 5pm and we had a break and Dan just started playing these chords. Then we wrote the song in an hour, it came so easily. Especially living in LA, it feels like everyone’s always living their perfect lives but that’s not really the case.

What personal significance does your new single 'Happier Than Me' hold for you, especially in the context of the challenging years marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and other hardships?
I was in such a whirlwind by the end of 2019 having the best time. I’d just settled into LA, out at shows every night, making new friends, my career was going well. But I probably wasn’t practising a lot of self care and looking back on it, still had some demons to wrestle with. Covid was really helpful in forcing me to be introspective. The line ‘parents still alive and still together holy shit that’s rare’ doesn’t apply anymore but I didn’t want to change anything as it was such an honest expression and I like it as a timestamp of that part of my life.

At this stage in your life, do you feel a sense of healing from past challenges, or do you find yourself still on the journey toward recovery and self-improvement?
I definitely do feel a sense of healing. At times in the past few years my life felt like a horror movie so growing from all those experiences has made me wiser and more appreciative of the happier times I find. It’s a never ending journey though and I’m a very curious human so I’m always on the lookout for ways to expand my horizons.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals for the future of your music career? Are there any new directions or projects you're particularly excited about pursuing?
The next single is unlike anything I’ve released before and the songs for the rest of the year all show different sides of me and who I am now, I can’t wait for them to be out in the world!

Link to spotify and new single “Happier Than Me” here!