Over the past few years, the Atlanta-based rapper and producer Mercury has been making some of the most exciting music in the city. On songs like “Cacti” and “needalight,” she sounds both casual and focused, with one eye on the vernacular of her hometown and another on a wider palette of sounds and ideas—her tracks have sampled everything from Bon Iver to Basement Jaxx. 

The artist’s debut album, ‘MERCZONE,’ came out earlier in the week. Featuring production from, among others, Playboy Carti collaborator Ethereal, the record is a crystallization of the sound she has been building and fits into a larger wave of Atlanta women rappers—Anycia and Karrahbooo are a few that come to mind. This is all to say that we were curious to know more about the artist’s musical history and influences, which span from rap to EDM to screamo. We learned a lot, including how a school project became the conduit to start an entire career.

What are your formative musical memories from growing up in Tennessee or Mississippi?

When I was growing up, I mostly remember staying with my grandparents and being very active in church. We stayed in Memphis but our church was in Hernando, Mississippi. All of my family went there and we were very active in the choir. Ever since I was about three years old I’ve been singing or performing. After church some Sundays my grandma would invite my aunties and cousins over and we would sing and dance and have little fashion shows. 

What kind of music were you listening to in middle school? How about high school?

In middle school, I was listening to a lot of different music. I was really obsessed with Deadmau5, Skrillex, Pierce the Veil, Slipknot, Ab-Soul, FKA Twigs, The Internet, Tyler the Creator, Pharrell, and Migos. When I got to high school, I started listening to more underground rap. At the time it was Trippie Redd, Uzi, Young Thug, Chris Travis, and Uno the Activist.

Can you remember the moment you realized that you wanted to rap? 

I was in the 4th grade and we had a project about African American inventors. We had the option to make a poem, and I decided instead of a poem, I was gonna rap. So I took the instrumental of "6 Foot 7 Foot” by Lil Wayne and that was my first rap.

Who is your all-time favorite Atlanta rapper? What Atlanta rapper has been the most influential on your personal musical style?

Young Thug is my favorite Atlanta rapper ever but I feel like the most influential to me in my personal style is DavidTheTragic, he really helped guide me in understanding how to create my own sound and just pushed me to try different things.

Is there any music that you would never want to make yourself, but still inspires you?

Screamo music. I love rock and I love metal, screamo, and pop punk, but the way my vocal chords are set up, I don’t think that’s the best idea for me. 

You sampled Basement Jaxx on a track. What kind of dance music do you listen to?

I listen to all types of dance music: EDM, garage, drum and bass. I had a dubstep phase.

Any dream collaborations?

I would love to collab with Nicki Minaj, Gorillaz, Kid Cudi, and Young Thug.

Any non-musical influences?

My non-musical influences are my mom and my peers. My mom is just a real ass bitch, she fly and confident and she be having her shit together even when she don’t. She just carries herself so well and my friends are just fly as fuck and passionate about what they love.