The rising, BRIT-school graduate, Erica Manzoli, has released her debut single, ‘My Best Friend Is My Therapist’ – a modern ballad rallying against isolation in the digital world.
“I had a really bad time,” Erica Manzoli says of 2020/2021. She was not alone, of course – a fact she acknowledges and in fact accredits for the positive response to her debut single. “I think that’s why the song’s resonating with people. I think a lot of people felt the same way, at least in terms of feeling really isolated, and seeming connected but actually being completely disconnected from reality.”
Though a challenging time, Erica comes out the other side of Covid-induced lockdowns with a debut song, a record deal, and an impending headline solo show in the nation’s capital. Were it not for the time and reflection afforded to her over the last 24 months, it’s impossible to say if all this would have happened. It’s certain that her music would be very different.
“Before lockdown, I was writing solely in collaboration with producers and in studios,” she tells me. “I had no idea what I was doing when lockdown hit, but I ended up saying things I wouldn’t have said if I was in the studio.”
The result is impressive. Combining the sensitivity and familiarity of bedroom-pop, with a far grander sound, ‘My Best Friend Is My Therapist’ is a both honest and introspective. Ultimately, it’s sad. Vulnerable. Decidedly set in 2022, tackling issues including the hollowness of Instagram and one’s own personal insecurities, it’s not the typical introduction to a rising pop-star. There is no doubt, however, that ‘My Best Friend is my Therapist’ authentically Erica Manzoli – a destination that would not always have seemed likely.
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“When you have 15 different people writing and putting an angle at you,” she explains, “you can lose track of what’s actually yours. [Over lockdown], I ended up writing a lot of my best material. I wanted to be a lot more honest.” The first, and thus far only, example of this new process is indeed genuine.
It was a roundabout, eclectic route that led Erica to this release. Her youth involved a number of different schools, moves often inspired by bullying, before she arrived at The BRIT School. It was also here that she learned how “embarrassing” her prior taste in music was, largely consisting of Eminem and the Black Eyed Peas.
But far more important to a burgeoning music career was the creative and personal freedom she found at her new school. “I definitely wouldn’t be in the position I am if I hadn’t gone to BRIT. They actually let me have a day off school, once a week, and I could write and do sessions. It was a little bit a bit mad, but it was a really nice new environment, there were always shows going on in assemblies and people encouraging you, asking Oh when’s your next gig?”
Now, Erica’s next gig is on May 5. She’s playing at The Waiting Room, in what will be her first ever solo headline show. It’s her biggest performance yet, and one she’s determined to leave a mark with. “I think you might as well make it an experience. I want people to remember it, to talk about it later.” Without revealing all that much more, the show is set to include a similar style projection to that featured in the recently released video for ‘My Best Friend is my Therapist’.
Having already established herself with an active social media following, Erica was unsure if it would translate to fans caring about her music career. The initial response has shown they do. The feeling goes both ways. “I really want to be personal with people. If anyone messages me, saying that they like my song, I think it’s important to take the time to respond. Why would I want to sell myself, or my music, if people don’t know me?”
