In this interview spotlight, we chat with Nashville’s Emily James about her influences, her music, the new project, and more.
Full Q&A, links, and a stream of her EP is available below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
I can’t say that there is one thing that attracted me to this genre or style- music has just always been a huge part of my life. I’d be three years old and go from listening to my parents’ old CD collection (which consists of just about everyone from David Bowie to Muddy Waters to ZZ Top) to belting out “Defying Gravity” from the musical Wicked. My taste in music was acquired over time and I think it’s that diversity that influences what makes up my “sound.”
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
I’ve been singing basically since I was able to create any kind of noise from my mouth. (Seriously, you couldn’t get me to shut up.) When I was five I started taking piano lessons which eventually led into writing my own songs at ten. Later on, I picked up the guitar and started playing my original music live at open mics in New York when I was about 13.
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
My greatest musical influences would be Adele, Ed Sheeran, Bob Dylan, John Mayer, and The Rolling Stones. I could go on forever, but those are the people I could listen to on repeat forever. My taste in music has definitely changed over time and is ever growing- as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned to appreciate certain types of music even if I don’t connect with it on a personal level.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
This being my debut EP, all I wanted was to get these songs down and really discover my sound. That’s why I’m so excited to share Emily James- being a new artist, I am contributing something new that nobody has heard before. (Unless somebody released my song before me… then we have a problem!)
What was the last song you listened to?
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by John Mayer. That song will be the death of me.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Everything sounds better on vinyl. If I could listen to everything on vinyl, it’d be a beautiful life. Unfortunately, my car doesn’t fit a record player so I’d have to say MP3 just for the ability to listen to music literally anywhere, at any time.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
As a songwriter I feel like I’m supposed to view streaming services as the enemy… but I don’t. As a music lover, it’s heaven to me: unlimited access to all of my favorite artists and an abundance of new music basically for free?? Sign me up! As an artist, I view it as a great platform for exposure to new listeners. That’s where I discover the majority of the music I fall in love with, so why not make myself available to be that for someone else? Yes, as a songwriter the pay is less than ideal but this is only the beginning of the age of streaming services and I am optimistic that a compromise will be found that works for everyone.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
I would say my age often gets in the way of some really great opportunities. Being 17, there is a very limited number of venues I can play live, whether it be a club that’s 18 and over only, or a bar that doesn’t allow minors inside. Often I’m too young to even get into the live shows of some of my favorite artists. Fortunately, there are lots of cafés and restaurants and, hey, playing on the street doesn’t require submitting to a booking agent! It’s just a matter of finding the right places and just getting the music heard.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
My self-titled debut EP Emily James is available on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and other popular music platforms.
- Website: http://www.emilyjames.net/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyJamesMusic
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyjamesmusic/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/EmilyJamesMusic
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/musicemilyjames
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
The music business is one of the toughest to be in and at times can be pretty brutal. But, it’s the music business which means, we’re all just here to make music. We do it because it’s what we love to do and we’re too crazy to stop even after we’ve been told “no” a hundred times. That’s what the fans are for- to remind us that, at the end of the day, it’s not about how many Twitter followers you have or how many ‘likes’ you have on Facebook. It’s about creating something so raw and real that when someone listens to it, they get chills. Something that lets a person know that whatever they’re going through, they’re not alone because someone else has been through the exact same thing. Or that one song that they know every lyric to and can’t wait to blast in the car with the windows down on their way home from work. Those are the moments that make us fall in love with music over, and over again. When a fan tells me that my song is one of those for them, that’s the greatest feeling in the world.
