Following one of the most significant headlining performances of his career—the debut of ÆDEN at the Coachella main stage—Anyma has opened up about the conceptual origins of his latest work. In a recent feature with DJ Mag, Matteo Milleri, the mastermind behind the Anyma project, reflected on his journey to becoming one of electronic music's most influential figures, known for crafting futuristic, cinematic audio-visual experiences.
“It’s about the synergy or the symbiosis between humans, machines and nature.”
Milleri views the integration of technology as an inevitable evolution. “It’s just an unavoidable future in my opinion,” he told DJ Mag. “I try to have a positive take, even if some of the visuals look dark and scary. I feel it’s normal we’re going to go through scary moments as a society, but I like to believe that we can live in harmony with artificial intelligence, that it’s going to enhance and improve life. Being scared of it is potentially the worst thing we can do. Machine learning through creativity is a positive way to bring technology and artists together.”
Drawing inspiration from a diverse array of influences, Milleri credits his visual creative team, led by co-creative director Alessio De Vecchi, for helping bring his vision to life. His aesthetic is deeply rooted in both the past and the future, blending the classical influence of his Italian upbringing with the modern sensibilities of Japanese anime and manga. “I’ve always been interested in art, whether it’s Japanese anime like Evangelion or Ghost In The Shell, or a Michelangelo bust,” he explains. “Combining these influences into something futuristic made Anyma come about.”
This thematic depth extends to his Genesys trilogy, where tracks were specifically written to serve as a live score for his immersive universe. The scale of these productions reached new heights during his residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. For the 12-show run titled ‘The End Of Genesys,’ Milleri emphasized that the spectacle required a massive collaborative effort. “There is no one-man show here. You need hundreds of people,” he noted.
Looking ahead, Milleri is focused on his new project, ÆDEN. “The story is really about an uploaded intelligence that goes to this digital cloud realm... to look for, in a way, immortality,” he says. “The reason my vision is neoclassical is that AI still needs something from humans—creativity and the drive to make art. This is just the beginning.”
As he prepares for the upcoming ÆDEN world tour and continues to release new music—including the recent collaboration with LISA from BLACKPINK titled ‘Bad Angel’—Milleri remains committed to his artistic vision. While the future of his project with Tale Of Us remains uncertain, his focus on Anyma as a solo venture continues to yield profound results. “Right now, Anyma is my main focus and is the most fulfilling outlet for me,” he concludes. “The story will always evolve rather than end.”
