Emilia Mernes

María Emilia Mernes Rueda (born October 29, 1996), known mononymously as Emilia, is an Argentine singer-songwriter, model, and actress. She began her career as the lead vocalist of the Uruguayan cumbia pop band Rombai, along with Fer Vázquez. In 2019, she signed with the label Sony Music Latin and management company WK Entertainment, represented by Walter Kolm.

Her debut album, Tú Crees en Mí?, released on May 31, 2022, was certified platinum by the Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers and spawned the Argentina Hot 100-top-ten singles "Como Si No Importara", "Rápido Lento", "Cuatro Veinte," and "Intoxicao". In 2023, she released her 2000s-influenced album .MP3, which reached number two in Argentina and contained the number-one song "La Original", a collaboration with Tini.

Mernes' accolades include a Buenos Aires Music Video Fest Award and two Premios Quiero, as well as nominations for the MTV Millennial Awards, Heat Latin Music Awards, Premios Gardel, Premios Juventud, Los 40 Music Awards, and the Premios Tu Música Urbano, among others.

Early life
Born and raised in Nogoyá, Entre Ríos, Emilia's devotion to music began when she was just 12 years old and her grandfather gave her a guitar. Since then, creating melodies, strumming her guitar, singing, and dancing have become her passions. She completed her secondary studies at the Colegio del Huerto in her hometown.

In 2016, she began studying Literature at the National University of Rosario, but six months later, she realized that she wanted to study music and abandoned her studies. So she went home and asked her parents if she could study music at National University of Rosario. However, she never made it to her first class. In her spare time, she began to rehearse songs. She recorded and uploaded her first cover to her Instagram account.

Early career with Rombai and as a soloist (2016-2020)
She rose to fame in 2016 as the singer of the Uruguayan band Rombai. She replaced Rombai's former vocalist, Camila Rajchman. Within a week, she was already doing her first show at Luna Park. From 2016 to 2018, the group performed on some of the most important stages of Latin America. As the band's primary vocalist, together with Fer Vázquez, they released the singles "Cuando se Pone A Bailar", "Sentí el Sabor", "Una y Otra Vez", Besarte," and "Que Rico Baila". In 2018, Emilia announced her departure from the group to focus on her solo career.

In 2019, after signing a contract with WK Entertainment and Sony Music Latin, home of superstars acts such as Maluma, Wisin, CNCO, Carlos Vives and Prince Royce, Emilia released her debut single "Recalienta", which peaked at number 68 on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100. In May 2019, she collaborated with Ana Mena and Nio García for the song "El Chisme". In August 2019, she released along with Darell the single "No Soy Yo", whose video is starring Joel Pimentel from CNCO, Oriana Sabatini and Johann Vera. The song also peaked in the top 70 in Argentina was her fist to chart on the Billboard Latin Pop Airplay chart, at position 38. The following month, she performed singing this single at the Latin American Music Awards. On November 28, 2019, was released the song "Boomshakalaka", in which she is featured, with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Afro Bros, Sebastián Yatra and Camilo. In late 2019, Emilia released her third single as a lead artist, "Billion".

On January 30, 2020, she released the single "Policía" alongside its music video. In March 2020, she collaborated with the MYA duo for the song "Histeriqueo". She also released along with Vevo the promotional single "No Más", a song first presented in February via Vevo DSCVR, which managed to become the only video clip within the platform to exceed 1 million views, 2 million views and 3 million views in 2020 (Only 9 songs have managed to exceed 3 million views in all history in Vevo DSCVR) regardless of language or genre, in a short period of time. On August 14, Mernes released a remix of the song, titled "Já É Tarde (No Más)", with the Brazilian singer Bianca and producer Cabrera. On October 15, she released "Bendición" along with Puerto Rican singer Álex Rose, with a home video clip recorded as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The song reached number one on the Monitor Latino chart in several countries in Central America, Chile, Bolivia, and Paraguay. In November, she joined FMK and Estani on the song "Esta Noche", with production of Big One.

Tú Crees en Mí? (2021-2022)
The lead single of her first studio album, "Como Si No Importara", with Argentine rapper Duki, was released on July 13, 2021. The song was her first to reach the top ten in Argentina, peaking at number 3, and her first to chart on the  Billboard Global Excl. US, at number 126. The song was certified Multiple Platinum by the Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers and the Cámara Uruguaya de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas, and Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. In September, she released "Rápido Lento" along with Argentine rapper Tiago PZK. The song peaked at number two in Argentina. Between November and December, Mernes released the standalone singles "BB", her second collaboration with MYA, and "De Enero a Diciembre", with Rusherking. Both songs reached the top ten in Argentina.

The album's third single, "Cuatro Veinte", was released alongside its music video on March 24, 2022. Mernes announced her debut studio album, Tú Crees en Mí? on May 23, along with its cover artwork, its tracklist and the official release date, May 31. The last single, "Intoxicao", with Nicki Nicole, was released one day before the launch of the album. Tú Crees en Mí? was certified Platinum by the Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers, and reached the top 50 in Spain. At the end of 2022, Emilia released the top 40 standalone singles "La Chain" and "Underground". In the year, she also was featured in five singles: "Esto Recién Empieza", with rapper Duki, "Diva", with Princess Nokia, "Q-Lito", with Sael, "Quieres", with Aitana and Ptazeta, and "El Plan", with Rusherking and L-Gante.

.MP3 (2023-present)
Mernes began 2023 by releasing the song "En la Intimidad" on February 1, along with Big One and Callejero Fino. The song, which musically mixes reggaeton, pop, RKT and argentine cumbia, is the first in a series of songs by Big One titled "Crossover". "En la Intimidad" reached number one on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 and stayed there for seven weeks. It also reached the top 20 in Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay, and was her first song to enter the Billboard Global 200 chart. In the same month, Emilia participated in two other songs: the remixed version of "Uno los Dos" by Miranda!, and "Tu Recuerdo" with Wisin and Lyanno.

Between March and May, Mernes began by releasing previews of her second studio album, which will have characteristic elements of the 2000s. On March 30, she released "Jagger", a dance pop song with elements of urban pop and hip hop. On May 3, she released, in collaboration with Ludmilla, "No Se Ve", a funk carioca song. Both songs managed to reach the top ten in Argentina. On June 1, the song "Los del Espacio" was released, by the supergroup of the same name in which Mernes participates along with Lit Killah, Tiago PZK, María Becerra, Duki, Rusherking, Big One and FMK. The collab topped the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 Chart. On June 15, Mernes released "Guerrero", the third single of her album, a ballad tribute to her father. The following month, her collaboration with FMK titled "Salgo a Bailar" was released, an Argentine cumbia and reggaeton song with lyrics about a story of separation and difficulties in getting over someone. On September 7, was released "GTA" as the fourth single from her second studio album. The song peaked at number two in Argentina, with a solo single, joining "Cuatro Veinte" as her highest peak on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100. On May 23, she released the song "Perdonarte ¿Para Qué?" in collaboration with the famous Mexican band Los Ángeles Azules.

Emilia's single "La Playlist" was released on 20 June 2024. It follows the 2000s aesthetic of her previous album, as it is stylized as "La_Playlist.mpeg".

Personal life
Emilia started dating Uruguayan singer Fer Vázquez in 2016 after being part of the band Rombai. Then in 2018 they ended their relationship. In 2021, she announced her relationship with Argentine rapper Duki via Instagram.

Discography

 * Tú Crees en Mí? (2022)
 * .MP3 (2023)

Tours
Headlining
 * Tú Crees en Mí? Tour (2022)
 * .MP3 Tour (2024)

Opening act
 * Sebastián Yatra – Yatra Yatra Tour (2019)