Anyma Gives Rare Interview to Push Back on Nepotism Allegations
In a rare and revealing interview with Variety, Matteo Milleri—known as Anyma—offered deep insights into his creative process, the groundbreaking Sphere residency, and what lies ahead for his project. Blending technology with music, Anyma’s work transcends traditional music performances, creating fully immersive, multi-sensory experiences.
Speaking just a week before the debut of his End of Genesys residency at Las Vegas’ Sphere, Milleri shared his meticulous creative process. From his minimalist Los Angeles home, he revealed running around 20 VR visuals tests with his team, perfecting elements like robotic cello arms and a quantum computer replica. “The final piece is called Human Now, and basically Eva”—the AI character at the center of Anyma’s performances—“is going to turn human to close the circle. But will it work? Is she human?” he mused.
A Visionary Experience
Anyma’s performances are renowned for their immersive quality, blending state-of-the-art visuals with melodic techno soundscapes. Collaborating with visual artists and utilizing technologies like virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR), Milleri creates multisensory experiences that blur the lines between the physical and digital realms. “I started this project basically to explore possibilities beyond what’s physical. But I never had in mind to have it be dissociative, like in a VR. It was more about extended reality,” he says.
The residency, initially scheduled for six nights, was extended to eight due to high demand, with six of the eight shows selling out within 24 hours. Over 130,000 tickets have been sold, underscoring the significant interest in Anyma’s innovative approach to live electronic music.
Fan-captured clips of the Sphere shows dominated social media over the holidays, amplifying the residency’s impact. The performances marked the culmination of Milleri’s Genesys era, powered by two albums released since 2023. A third album is planned to close this chapter, with new concepts on quantum computing and multiverses—introduced to Milleri by Grimes—already influencing his next steps. “This arrived to a point of saturation,” he admitted. “When ideas get recycled, I’m the first to think, what’s next? I want to move forward. But I want to give it a very glorified ending.”
The Anyma project began in 2021 as a personal exploration, with Milleri initially self-funding his work. Overcoming skepticism and financial challenges, he released Genesys in 2023 and grew his platform through viral remixes and global shows. Yet, the Sphere represented a culmination of his efforts. “This is the pivotal moment,” he reflected. “It goes further than what you expect sometimes.”
Despite his success, Milleri addressed misconceptions about his rise, particularly criticism suggesting nepotism. One of the reasons Milleri agreed to an interview was to set the record straight. “People don’t know the story of me. I think it happens with a lot of big artists, like they popped up out of nowhere,” he says. “But actually, no, it’s four or five years of grinding, and for me 15 years. I have not stumbled into this. It’s all been focusing to one pivotal moment, which I think for me now is this. It goes further than what you expect sometimes.”
Every dollar earned has gone back into his art, he explained, noting that even a concert film of the Sphere residency would have to be self-funded. People have been quick to claim that Milleri’s success comes from his father who this year became CEO of eyewear company EssilorLuxottica, has been funneling money into his project. “The guy got his dad to pay for all his projects.’ Blah blah blah. Like, look, I don’t know if that’s what you want to be saying around because you’re just going to be telling some kid he has a dream that he can’t do it because he’s broke, because you don’t know what happened here but this is what I do. I think I do it at a very high level and dedicated my life to it.”
Technological Integration
The Las Vegas Sphere, known for its advanced technological capabilities, provides an ideal setting for Anyma’s performances. The venue features a 160,000-square-foot LED screen that delivers a fully immersive viewing experience, complemented by a state-of-the-art sound system. This infrastructure allows Anyma to bring his concepts to life in ways that were previously not possible, creating an environment where technology and art coexist seamlessly. The residency presented a “cybernetic opera” divided into four acts—Genesys, Humana, End of Genesys, and Quantum. These acts explore the integration of human and machine, set against stunning visuals and live performances with collaborators such as FKA Twigs, Grimes, and Ellie Goulding.
Genesys III
Anyma’s is set to close the Genesys chapter with a third album, Genesys III. A culmination of years of actualizing imagination. Will Eva become human?
