When Passion Leads to Fame: Meet Emii, Cosplay Queen and Pop Artist

By Sarah Rosenblum

Going to comic cons can be inspiring—especially when you see cosplayers dress in elaborate costumes and “geek out” as they take on the speech and mannerisms of beloved television, movie, and video game characters. We were especially inspired after learning about one cosplayer in particular: Emii.

Emii is a pop and R&B artist who recently released a new single called “RED.” The electro-pop hit was produced by award-winning producers, the Diaz Brothers, and can be heard in heavy rotation on more than 60 pop and rhythm radio stations. We’ve been jamming out to it here at Wonder Costumes and have to give fair warning: It’ll have you singing along in no time and humming the tune for days to come!

Mainstream Meets Geek Queen

Not sure you read that right? Here it is again: Emii is a pop star and a cosplayer. And she’s not just any cosplayer. She’s the type of cosplayer who gets stopped for pictures and autographs. Well-known among the cosplay community, she was even featured in Vogue as one of the “Leading Ladies of Star Wars” at Star Wars Celebration 2015 in Anaheim.

If you find the pop-star / geek queen combination surprising or even unsettling, you’re not alone. “In the beginning,” Emii explained, “the fact that I was such a geek gave me a lot of trouble.”

People in the industry often advised her against the things she loved—like sci-fi, comics, and even martial arts—saying they were distracting her from her music and acting career. “I’ve even been told that being a geek was unattractive ‘for a woman.’ Complete BS,” she said. “I never listened then, and I’m unapologetically the same now.”

Sorry—Not Sorry!

Emii’s hobbies all happen to fall into the sci-fi, comic books, and video games category. (Her favorite game of all time is Final Fantasy VII, and she has also spent countless hours playing Fallout 4 and Destiny.) “Nothing wrong with that,” she said, “and anyone who tells you differently is full of crap.”

Exuding strong-willed confidence, we’re hardly surprised that one of Emii’s favorite role-plays is the iconic Star Wars storm trooper. “I love rockin’ my femtrooper armor,” she said. “There’s something very empowering about walking around fully armored with a blaster rifle.”

To us, and likely to many of her fans, she seems pretty empowered with or without the rifle!

For her next cosplay costume, Emii would like to dress up as an Alien drone. Already equipped with the foundation for this outfit—a pair of digi-legs that bring her to a height of approximately 7 feet—it’s clear that she’s not afraid to stand out from the crowd.

“If you put love into it,” Emii said, “the good people will appreciate and respect what you do. The bad people don’t matter.”

She was Born this Way, Hey

It’s clear that no one can ever make Emii stop doing what she loves—but just as important, no one made her start. In fact, she says she got into cosplaying without even knowing what cosplay was. “I unknowingly got into it when my best friend and I dressed as Jedi and staged a light saber battle at school in the 6th grade,” she said. “I have never thought of myself as a cosplayer; I just have always enjoyed emulating the characters that have entertained and inspired me throughout the years and eventually learned that those actions were known as ‘cosplay.’” (Learn more about Emii’s love of Star Wars in an interview with WGN Radio.)

Emii’s music career came just as naturally. “Pretty sure I’ve been singing since I came out of the womb,” she explained. “Haven’t stopped since.”

The Fame Game

One step into Comic Con is all it takes to see that there is no shortage of cosplayers in the world. What does it take for one out of the masses to achieve discernible cosplay fame?

For Emii, it was never about trying to be famous—or trying to be anything, for that matter. She has always followed her heart. “I’ve always done it because I love it,” she said, “and when you are passionate about something then it shows.”

Some of her favorite things about getting into costume are making people smile, posing to be in pictures with little kids, and serving as a role model or source of inspiration—like when she hears little girls say how excited they are to dress as storm troopers someday. As for the fame, Emii said, “anything beyond having fun and making people smile is icing on the cake.”

For those who hope to someday achieve a similar level of success in the cosplay world—and even for those who don’t cosplay at all—Emii shared a useful piece of advice: “Whatever you do,” she said, “do it because you love it. Not because you might get famous, and not because you might make money off of it someday.”

Inspire and Be Inspired

A common misconception about fame is that it involves making it to the top by positioning yourself as better than the competition. But talking to Emii reminds us there is no competition when you’re doing what you love.

“There’s more than enough room in the geek world for everyone who enjoys this stuff as much as we do! Always encourage those around you.”

Similarly, there is more than enough room in the music industry for musical talent. While many of Emii’s fans are inspired by her classically trained voice and the lyrics of her songs, Emii is inspired by the artists she loves. She named Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Disturbed, and System of a Down as just a few examples—and even referenced a love for 60s music.

Emii performs at music festivals, but she also attends them. (She specifically mentioned Coachella.) There are plenty of stages out there for anyone with the passion to climb them, and achieving fame doesn’t stop you from being a fan.

Speak Up

If you have an audience, big or small, then you have the ability to use your voice and deliver a message—to fight for good. 

NO MORE is an established anti-violence group that seeks to end domestic violence and sexual assault. Emii became an ambassador for the NO MORE campaign shortly after releasing her music video for “Leaving You Behind.” She explained that “there are too many people who feel utterly helpless when they find themselves in unfortunate situations, and it can be a frightening task to tackle alone.”

Emii’s goals are “to help empower those who need it and inspire everyone to rise above domestic abuse.”

Why We Love Emii 

Emii is more than just a gorgeous cosplayer with a beautiful voice. She is an inspiration to all. In addition to being incredibly positive and supportive of others, she reminds us not to be afraid to be our true selves and suggests that that if we do what we genuinely love and are passionate about, success will follow.

You can learn about Emii at her official website, emii.net, or you can follow her on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emiiofficial 

Instagram: @emiiofficial