Mimi Barks Cites Eminem as the Foundation of Her Sound

Mimi Barks, the pioneer of the self-described “Doom Trap” genre, has never been one to follow traditional sonic boundaries. Her music is a visceral collision of industrial grit, metal aggression, and hip-hop rhythm—a blend that often leaves critics scrambling for a label. However, in a recent interview with Louder Sound, Barks shed light on the origins of her uncompromising artistic philosophy, tracing her creative roots back to the raw storytelling of Detroit legend, Eminem.

For Barks, the connection to hip-hop began early and served as her introduction to the world of recorded music. She revealed that Slim Shady’s 2002 masterpiece was her entry point, stating:

“The Eminem Show is the first CD I ever bought. I listened to it daily, and long before I even understood the lyrics. But I did feel the pain and the honesty in Eminem’s voice, and especially in his song Superman. It taught me that authenticity isn’t optional; that’s the foundation for making music. It’s so raw, and there were no boundaries with the things he was saying. He’s the first one that really, really just didn’t give a f–k and just did it.”

This focus on emotional transparency and “not giving a f–k” is clearly reflected in Barks’ own career trajectory. Since her debut, she has leaned into the darker, more abrasive corners of the alternative scene, eventually signing with the heavy-metal powerhouse Century Media Records. Much like Eminem during the early 2000s, Barks has carved out a space where she can vent her frustrations and “doom” without conforming to the polished expectations of mainstream radio or the rigid structures of a single genre.

By prioritizing “the pain and the honesty” over technical genre constraints, Mimi Barks continues to push the envelope of what modern alternative music can be. Her admiration for Eminem’s boundary-breaking era suggests that her own work will remain rooted in that same radical authenticity. As she continues to dominate festival stages from Wacken to Download, it is clear that the lessons learned from The Eminem Show—that music must be raw to be real—remain the driving force behind her evolution.

Eminem Mimi Barks