Self Portrait

Self Portrait is the fifth by Marianan pop-rock group Empress of the Future. Work on the album began in the fall of 2016, one year after the release of their last album, Why Wonder?, and following their work on the standalone single What's a Direction? in the spring of 2016 (without Hania).

According to bandmember Jan Kort, <>

A two-part single, Reasons, was released in late November 2016,

Background
Empress of the Future had come off their first big consert tour, the We Wonder Tour, with concerts in Mariana and Europe in September to December 2015, and a series of four concerts in Sierra and the United Commonwealth in March 2016. Returning to the studio, the group (minus singer Hania, who was working on her The Tunnel We Perceive album) worked together to release a standalone single being written by keyboardist/singer Erica Milton, which ultimately saw the four members all contribute in the writing and composition, a first for them.

What's a Direction?, released on 1 July 2016 became a success in Mariana and Europe, making it to number 5 in the Marianan charts, and reaching number 7 in the Austrian, 11 in the French and 21 in the Spanish charts. In Anglo-America, the song only managed a best position of 78 in the Sierran Sunset charts.

Recording and production
The group, after a brief hiatus in the summer, began work in the early fall on a new single. All five members were present at the studio in September and early October, though guitarist Jan Kort missed three days due to a cold. On 21 November, the single Reasons was released. Reasons quickly charted to the number three position in Mariana within a week, and made it to number one for one week in early December. A <> for Reasons, Sad Face, was concurrently released, but has not charted as highly.

It was later announced through their website that a bonus song would be released in early 2017, though only as a 45 rpm single.