Domina Monriel
Greek composer, orchestrator, and singer-songwriter Domina Monriel has carved a singular path in contemporary music—one where cinematic grandeur meets human intimacy. Hailed by Greece’s best-selling newspaper as “the Greek woman who united the whole world through music,” she bridges the classical and the modern with striking emotional depth. From reimagining the timeless works of Ennio Morricone and Cesare Andrea Bixio to composing for internationally recognized projects like Tabloid Tales and Art Unites Us All, Monriel’s voice resonates far beyond genre or geography. Her debut EP of original Film & TV songs, released through Warner Chappell in 2025, marks a defining chapter in her evolution as an artist who views music as transformation.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music and a two-time honoree of the Association of Music Supervisors at Cannes, Monriel’s compositions have been performed by the RTVE Symphony Orchestra in Madrid and the National Radio Symphony Orchestra of Greece. Whether mentoring Berklee students, scoring campaigns for social awareness, or setting Rumi’s poetry to music, she continues to expand the boundaries of what orchestral sound can express. In our conversation, Domina reflects on following instinct over convention, the creative freedom that comes from balance, and her unwavering belief that music’s truest power lies in its ability to make us feel seen.
Indie Sound: How did you first get into music, and when did you realize you wanted this to be your career?
Domina Monriel: Since I can remember myself, I remember wanting to play the piano—from the very first time I ever heard it being played. I knew that was what I wanted to do. A family friend who was a musician advised my parents not to start me before the age of nine, and so the very day I turned nine, I said, “Now it’s time I start playing the piano!”
I would be lying if I said I never imagined doing something else. Growing up in Greece, where music isn’t always valued as a viable profession, and being a good student, I was encouraged to pursue something more “conservative” and “safe.” But the moment I realized that life itself isn’t about safety—it’s about feeling alive—I knew I had no choice but to follow this path.
Indie Sound: Who or what has had the greatest influence on your creative vision?
Domina Monriel: Both as an artist and a person, I’ve been shaped by everything that excited my curiosity and imagination—be it science, literature, art, and of course, music. My creative world draws from many places: the glamour and aesthetic of 1950s Hollywood noir, the theatricality of musical theatre and figures like Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Adler, the dark irony of Hitchcock, and the diversity of world music styles that fascinated me through travel.
Writers such as Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allan Poe, and C. P. Cavafy have influenced my storytelling profoundly, while artists like Freddie Mercury and Danny Elfman inspire me to embrace my truest, weirdest self.
Indie Sound: Your debut EP was released through Warner Chappell in 2025—a remarkable platform for any artist. How did this collaboration come to life, and what did it mean to you creatively?
Domina Monriel: It was Gabriel Candiani, Warner Chappell’s producer and A&R, who believed in me—not only for who I was in 2023 but for who I could become. He truly saw through me, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
Working with Warner was an education in every sense, creatively and professionally. It made me understand the duality of our industry: it’s both an art and a business. Learning to balance those two worlds, and even allowing one to inspire the other, was transformative. It taught me that creative freedom also comes from understanding the framework around it.
Indie Sound: You bridge classical orchestration with contemporary vocal expression. How did this hybrid language develop, and what draws you to this particular sound world?
Domina Monriel: This fusion grew naturally from my need to explore the piano’s limits while daring to sing at the same time. It felt as if I was finally matching the voice within me to the voice outside—the instrument.
Ultimately, my goal is always to tell a story, whether it’s mine or someone else’s. I try not to confine my work to what it “should” be; I simply allow it to be. That freedom is where authenticity lives.
Indie Sound: What role does your Greek heritage play in shaping your artistic voice?
Domina Monriel: It plays a huge role. Growing up in Greece means growing up surrounded by culture and history—literally under every rock. Ancient playwrights and philosophers inspired me to search for meaning and essence in everything. And mythology continues to be a great teacher: it excites my imagination while revealing how profoundly human those twelve gods were—their mistakes, desires, drama, and dreams. That’s what life is made of.
Indie Sound: In 2024, you reimagined the works of Ennio Morricone and Cesare Andrea Bixio—two towering figures in film music. How did you approach honoring their legacy while making these pieces your own?
Domina Monriel: When the Bixio Music Group asked if I would be willing to reimagine their works, I was elated; they had been part of my musical DNA long before I ever dreamed of collaborating with them.
I listened to various interpretations by legendary artists like Luciano Pavarotti, Tito Schipa, Milva, and Mina, and selected elements that resonated with my own vision. Then I combined them with my personal emotional perspective, crafting something that was both homage and rebirth. Touching the legacy of the greats while building your own voice was one of the most challenging, fascinating, and rewarding experiences of my career so far.
Indie Sound: Working with the Bixio Music Group carries immense historical weight in cinema. How has this collaboration influenced your understanding of musical storytelling?
Domina Monriel: This collaboration has been—and still is—a constant process of transformation and growth. It’s a journey upward, really, even when the weight of the challenge feels heavy. It’s taught me that storytelling through music is never static; it evolves with every note.
Indie Sound: Your compositions have been recorded by the RTVE Symphony Orchestra and the Greek National Radio Symphony Orchestra. How does it feel to hear your music interpreted by such prestigious ensembles?
Domina Monriel: It always feels a bit surreal. During the sessions, I’m so focused on ensuring every detail sounds as I imagine it that I rarely process the magnitude of what’s happening in the moment. It’s only afterward that it hits me: these incredible musicians, in this concert hall, were bringing to life something that once existed only in my mind. It’s humbling and profoundly moving.
Indie Sound: What do you see as the unique power of orchestral sound in visual storytelling today—especially when combined with the human voice?
Domina Monriel: The orchestra has a timeless emotional vocabulary: it can whisper, it can roar, it can ache. Yet there are emotions that can only be expressed through the human voice—as if the body itself becomes the echo of the stor
When the two merge, something transcendent happens. It’s no longer just sound: it’s empathy made audible. It’s a story taking shape before our ears.
Indie Sound: You’ve been twice recognized by the Association of Music Supervisors at Cannes. How have these moments shaped your career and opened new doors?
Domina Monriel: Those recognitions affirmed that music truly is a universal language. They opened new collaborations, yes, but more importantly, they gave me perspective: authenticity resonates far more than perfection.
As composers and songwriters, we often work in solitude, and that solitude can lead to self-doubt. Being recognized twice by the same association reminded me that consistency in artistic truth builds its own momentum—and that sometimes, faith in yourself matters more than others’ approval.
Indie Sound: You’ve described your work as a way of “uniting people through music.” What does that mean to you on a deeper level?
Domina Monriel: I truly believe that art unites us all. We live in challenging times where we often obsess over the details that separate us, instead of focusing on the ones that connect us. What music reveals is our shared humanity—the fragility and the strength that exist within each of us.
Deep down, though we might use different means—whether through power, control, invisibility, or self-expression—we all strive for the same thing: to be not only understood but truly loved, even when we don’t understand ourselves.
Indie Sound: If you were to collaborate with a filmmaker or creative team, what kind of project would allow your approach to truly flourish?
Domina Monriel: I love writing to picture because it’s a team sport. When creative visions collide and merge, something extraordinary happens. Any project with a story worth telling has potential, especially when it’s backed by integrity and a strong work ethic. That’s when true creative magic unfolds.
Indie Sound: How do you imagine the evolution of film music in the next decade, and where do you see yourself within that landscape?
Domina Monriel: I am optimistic. I think we’re entering a phase where film music is less about technical perfection or grandeur and more about humanity and authenticity.
Technology will keep expanding our sonic palette, but emotion will always be the compass. I see myself continuing to blend the organic with the cinematic—keeping the orchestra alive in new ways and ensuring that, no matter how sound evolves, storytelling remains at the heart of it all.
Indie Sound: If you could collaborate with any artist, living or past, who would it be and why?
Domina Monriel: This is a tricky question, because when you admire someone’s work, you tend to put them on a pedestal, and meeting them as a person might unsettle that image. That’s why I prefer not to plan my collaborations but to let them unfold naturally, following wherever the path takes me
That said, my favorite artist who bridges classical and contemporary music—at least for his time—is Freddie Mercury. Beyond his music and artistic vision, which I am a huge fan of, I’m inspired by his strength as a person.
Indie Sound: What advice would you give to emerging artists trying to find their own voice?
Domina Monriel: I wouldn’t give them advice, because what worked for me might not work for someone else—and that’s perfectly fine. What I can say is that it helps to listen deeply to professionals you admire, study the greats, and take their feedback and history as valuable information, but not as an ultimatum. I always listen to my gut. Even when I don’t know exactly what I want, I know what I don’t want.
I strongly believe that your path will reveal itself, and that’s part of its magic. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, so I just remind myself to take things one step at a time. As long as I’m putting my best foot forward, I can sleep soundly.
Listen to Velvet Screen Fantasy here.
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