Emii is a girl after my own heart — she’s into comic books, science fiction and video games. She has a penchant for martial arts and is inspired by the costumes in “Assassin’s Creed.” A true girl’s girl, Emii has spent the past few years building a career that is on the verge of exploding. A self-possessed star on the rise, Emii’s stuff is unapologetically pop with a dance feel but a decided rock edge. In short, rock chicks won’t feel bad if they get caught rocking Emii in their car. Emii says she’s “pop and proud,” which is evident in her body of work. Her brand of pop earns comparisons to megastars like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, of whom Emii says she is terrifically flattered. Still, she’s no carbon copy: Emii knows she’s walking a veritable minefield in the entertainment industry. She is making her own way and poised to go even further than her predecessors, while paying respect to those who have gone before her. Michael Jackson has had a pronounced influence on her music. Emii is very hands-on with her songs, writing or co-writing the majority of them. But, she isn’t immune to feeling connected to a song that she didn’t pen herself. Emii embraces random moments of inspiration, wherever and whenever they occur. She uses inspiration from her personal life — her song “Stilettos” is a clever, sexy expression of her love of kicking up her heels and having a good time. Of her craft, Emii is constantly challenged. “Finding new ways to express myself in a way that appeals to my creative spirit” keeps her focused, she said. Emii’s first single, “Magic,” released in 2010, and she has been touring internationally since then. The video for the song went on to become the sixth most frequently viewed video on YouTube. She dropped her next single, “Mr. Romeo,” an infectiously catchy collaboration featuring none other than the Doggfather, Snoop. Snoop is “the coolest cat I’ve met in the music business so far,” she said. “He was a pleasure to work with and, as completely badass as he is, he still managed to be a complete gentleman during the music video shoot.” The video was released in early 2011 and has been viewed at least one million times. And no wonder: The concept is futuristic and slick, but pulls its influence from the 1985 movie classic “Legend.” A Youngstown native, Emii has toured the world many times over. She performed on the NRJ Music Tour alongside Flo Rida, Iyaz, Inna and many more, rocking the stage in front of over 25,000 fans. Though she’s been travelling most of this year, Emii says that Beirut, Lebanon, has become her personal favorite. “There is definitely something magical about traveling for 20 hours to do a concert for tens of thousands of people and being welcomed with open arms,” she said. “There is so much I could say about my Lebanese fans, but one thing is for certain — they really know how to party!” When it comes to fashion, “Most of my style has been influenced by video games and science fiction,” she said. “I love the attire in video games such as ‘Final Fantasy’ and ‘Assassin’s Creed.’” Emii’s flawless skin and supermodel build allow her to carry off virtually any look. She follows self-made trends, but she definitely loves fingerless gloves and leather-hooded jackets. After a hectic 2011, Emii looks forward to the new year with a slew of resolutions. She has resolved to get herself to ComiCon in 2012, and will be hard at work on a full-length album, with a release date to be announced. She’ll also be “touring, writing, performing, and working to improve myself as an artist” — not to mention working to “master the helicopter kick, but that might take me a while.”