EMMALISA reimagines Madonna’s “Hollywood”

Hailing from Perth, EMMALISA is building a pop world where glamour and emotion collide in spectacular fashion. The Australian artist creates exciting, emotionally driven pop shaped by the worlds of Hollywood, fashion and nightlife, combining glossy dance pop with a darker, cinematic aesthetic. Beneath the sparkle is an interest in ambition, fame and the fantasy of reinvention, with her music reflecting the intoxicating idea of chasing a dream that always seems just beyond reach.

Over the last five years, EMMALISA has independently developed a growing catalogue that moves between dance pop, modern pop and dark alternative pop. Previous releases including “Iconic,” “Famous,” “Killer Heels,” “Hot Girl Era” and “Can’t Block Me on the Internet” have confirmed her status as an artist drawn to confidence, escapism and bigger possibilities. Inspired by artists such as Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez and Madonna, her work channels the theatrical side of pop while keeping its emotional context connected to the person behind the music.

This year marks the beginning of a new chapter; rebranding under the stage name EMMALISA, she’s streamlined her own name into an identity that reflects the artist and creative world she’s now building. This next stage is more than a change of name, it forms part of a wider vision for pop that’s unapologetically feminine, glamorous and aspirational, while still allowing flickers of the real person underneath the fantasy. That balance comes sharply into focus with her latest single titled “Hollywood,” a shimmering reimagining of Madonna’s hit song.

By not looking towards Hollywood from the outside, EMMALISA filters the track through her own fascination with fame, pop culture and the pursuit of big dreams, bringing it into the world she’s been creating around her new identity. As such, the release is intended to capture the excitement and fantasy attached to Hollywood, while reflecting the ambition driving EMMALISA herself. There’s an inherent sense of movement to the single, as though the song exists somewhere between the dream and the decision to chase it.

The single was recorded and produced in the UK by Lostchild, before Perth-based engineer Darryn Ball took on the mixing and mastering. Its modern pop treatment gives the familiar material a place within EMMALISA’s own artistic universe, where glamour is not merely decoration but part of the storytelling. Propelled by grooving beats, pulsing bass lines and wrapped up in an arrangement of smooth synth textures capped by EMMALISA’s alluring vocal performance, it’s a stunning cover that pays tribute to the original while reframing it in the artist’s own style.

The timing makes the release particularly personal, with EMMALISA preparing to travel to Los Angeles to continue building the next chapter of her music career, making “Hollywood” feel closely connected to the road ahead. The dream that’s shaped her creative output is no longer simply an imagined destination, it becomes part of the next step in her journey. In EMMALISA’s world, pop becomes a space where dreams can be exaggerated without losing their emotional impact and as she prepares to take the next step towards Los Angeles, “Hollywood” captures the moment when aspiration starts turning into action.

Listen to Hollywood below

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