Posted by Interview with Masha, Ringfest Köln — Nicky N. Meyer & Claudia Erhardt
✦ Intro byline
We stumbled across Exilia by chance—thanks to Claudia ending up on Enorm Music’s promo list. Sometimes the universe knows what it’s doing. After catching a firecracker of a set at Ringfest Cologne (part of Gun Records’ 10th anniversary), we ducked away to a café with frontwoman Masha and her feisty, feather-duster-sized sidekick. What followed was a candid chat about passion, perseverance, and not fitting anyone’s mold.
✦ Interview: Between Microphones and Misfits
Still buzzing from the stage, Masha greeted us with a tired but genuine smile.
“We played two festivals in Switzerland yesterday—one in the afternoon, one in the evening. Threw everything in the van and came straight here.”
Touring clearly fuels Exilia. The band may still be young, but they’ve been through the ringer already, playing 25 shows across Europe last year.
“It’s exhausting, sure,” Masha admits, “but it really bonds you. All those shared experiences—they shape our music.”
Formed five years ago by Masha and guitarist Elio Alien, the current lineup only solidified in the past year. There was trial and error, experimenting with sound and personalities until the pieces finally clicked.
“It’s not easy to find someone who’s both a good musician and a good friend,” she says, knowing exactly how rare that combo is.
When they’re not on the road, Exilia’s holed up in the studio—DIY-style, as most up-and-coming bands must.
“We’ve got 15 tracks in the works and plan to pick the 10 strongest for the album,” Masha explains. “We’re recording it ourselves at home. And we’re hoping to shoot a video too—if we can scrape the funds together.”
But being a metal musician in Italy, especially as a woman who doesn’t fit the cultural cliché, comes with its own battles.
“I’m vegetarian. I don’t look like a typical Italian woman. I’m not here to play housewife and smile at the stove. It’s a constant uphill fight to just be yourself.”
Still, that fierce sense of identity is part of what makes Exilia so magnetic.
“I’m completely different on stage,” she admits. “Not shy at all.”
And yet, she never fakes it. The band’s sound, like Masha herself, is shaped by artists who wear their truth loudly—think Guano Apes, Papa Roach, Linkin Park.
“It’s not just about the music. It’s their personalities and what they stand for.”
So where did it all start?
“My dad’s a drummer. I basically grew up surrounded by music.”
Final words
The interview may have been short and sweet—cut mercifully short for everyone’s sake on that blazing August afternoon—but it left us hungry for more. Exilia’s blend of grit and honesty is rare, and Masha? She’s the kind of frontwoman who makes you believe in the raw power of simply refusing to conform.
We’ll catch them again on the next tour. And next time, we’re bringing cookies.