A Dirty Dozen with MIMI BARKS – May 2026

According to a recent press release: “Mimi Barks’ story begins in Germany and takes shape in the underground world of Berlin where she found the freedom to experiment without limits. Berlin gave her the space to explore the extremes of punk, hip hop, techno and metal until her identity as an artist began to form. When she moved to London she found an environment that pushed her even further and from there she started releasing music that quickly caught attention across Europe and the United Kingdom. Mimi is known for live performances that feel like emotional exorcisms. Her shows are intense and deeply personal. There is no distance between her and the audience. Every song becomes a release of what she carries inside and every crowd responds to that honesty. Her recordings follow the same path. From her early releases to her full length album This Is Doom Trap she has continued to refine her sound and dig deeper into the emotional weight behind it. New music will arrive in early 2026 and it marks the beginning of a new chapter that is heavier, darker and more focused than anything she has released before.” We get Mimi to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through? Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

There are a lot of vocal overlays and layers throughout the record, so a lot of the detail reveals itself over time rather than on first listen. You really have to get the physical copy of Dreamstate of Fear EP and go through the lyric sheet and the artwork to see what’s up.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

The energy of a live performance, the smell of smoke and sweat and the way the low end from the subs hit my body at my first festival. It was the first time I truly felt euphoria and I wanted to be part of that world.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

The Prodigy’s live energy remains unmatched. Their stage presence fundamentally influenced how I approach my performance. Watching their 1996 Phoenix Festival show online, especially after being dismissed by the German music industry for being “too extreme” was a moment of confirmation. It validated the path I had already chosen.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Liam Howlett of The Prodigy. I want to see his process in the studio. He’s a synth god, nobody’s got anything on him.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Listening to vinyl records, read, workout and meditate.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

A magazine headline said, “If Limp Bizkit and Carpenter Brut had a baby, it would sound like Mimi Barks,” which couldn’t be further from the truth. If you really needed a comparison, it sits closer to a post apocalyptic club in the aftermath of a riot than any traditional genre box. There’s a strong sense of duality in my music, beauty and decay, vulnerability and dominance, all existing at the same time.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

Probably at The Prodigy show in Los Angeles last week. Rob Holliday turned his guitar around and flashed it at me and on the back it just said “MIMI” in duct tape. It was a proper full-circle moment.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part of being a musician is being able to create something out of nothing. It’s spiritual. Being able to tap into your subconscious and opening yourself up to a collective field of thought, the aether. There’s nothing else for me beyond this.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

What do you think happens after your death? Do you think there`s a heaven or a hell. I believe heaven or hell are merely states of consciousness and we get to choose which one we live in right here, right now. It’s a choice. Do you create heaven or hell for yourself? “Who is Mimi Barks” and “Explain the meaning of this song.” I find that quite a reductive question. I don’t really believe anyone can be summed up in a sentence. I am all things, I am you, you are me, we all come from the same source. And I don’t think art should be explained in simple terms, rather it should speak for itself and become the explanation of who or what you are.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Many missteps and obstacles, but every tear obeys the law. I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason and in its divine timing. So when things get out of control, I try to ask myself: “What’s the lesson here?” And I try to remind myself that whatever comes after has to be really fucking good, because everything is rhythm.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

If I would be part of the process and interfere with the collective energy in that room the record would’ve never turned out the way it did.

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Category: Interviews