Emily James has been surrounded by music for as long as she can remember. Among the 22 year old’s first memories are of her New York upbringing with her parents’ eclectic music collection. Spanning from Billy Joel and Stevie Wonder to musicals and folk music, all these early influences were quintessential to her story; nuanced and ever evolving as the music of the L.A. based artist creates. Raised in a small town just north of New York City, James began her musical journey singing and taking piano lessons and, by the time she was ten, writing her own songs.
A defining moment came a year later, after James was completely heart struck by Adele’s Someone Like You. She recalls, “The way she made me feel her heartbreak when I had never personally felt any emotions close to that yet really showed me the power of music to move someone so deeply just by listening. It was my first realization that music isn’t just entertainment, it has the ability to connect people on a deeper level.”
Tell us about your story as an artist
Hi! I’m Emily James and I am a singer/songwriter based in Los Angeles, CA. I was born and raised in New York, just outside of NYC, and that’s where my music journey began. I think I may have started singing before I was even speaking in full sentences, and I started writing songs when I was about 10 years old. I fell in love with songwriting immediately, and ever since then, I knew it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life! I moved to Nashville when I was 16 years old, where I recorded and released my first EP, “Emily James.” After two years in Nashville, I moved out to LA, and since then I’ve released five other projects independently. I just recently signed with Nettwerk Music Group, which I am over the moon about, and have lots of new music on the way 🙂
What makes “Bird of Prey” special in your opinion?
Part of what makes “Bird of Prey” special to me is that I wrote it and then produced it myself, allowing me to really tap into what I was hearing in my head when I was writing it. One aspect of the song that I think is cool is that, although it sounds like it is being sung to someone else, it’s really more of an internal dialogue and battle within oneself. The feelings of wanting to open up and be vulnerable with someone often get halted by the fear of letting a person get too close, and risking heartbreak. I wanted the production in this song to represent that conversation of emotion, so it starts out with the really stark, nearly-whispered opening, and then begins to flourish and bloom more and more in the choruses.
What inspired this track?
The inspiration for this song came from my own feelings at the start of a new relationship. I’m such an over-analyzer, so writing about the intricacies and in-betweens of emotions is one of my favorite things to do, and really therapeutic for me. I wanted to write something that would capture the simultaneity of anxiety and hesitancy that comes with letting walls down, paired with the beautiful hopefulness for what could come once you do allow yourself to be vulnerable. Even though the song is personal to me, my hope is that others relate and connect with it and attach their own experiences to it.
What are some of the core messages you hope people will take from your music?
I always turn to music to find some sort of connection, and to feel moved by something. So, my hope would be that when people listen to my music, they feel like they’ve found something they can relate to, and that makes them feel understood in some way. I really value people trusting and confiding in me, and feeling comfortable with me, so I want my music to be something that they can turn to and seek comfort from.
How do you think TikTok and social media are contributing to changing an artist’s career?
I think TikTok and social media are extremely powerful tools, and they clearly have the ability to be the tipping point for an artist’s career. It’s amazing to see how posting one clip on TikTok can be the thing that kicks off your entire career. At the same time, as awesome as it would be to go viral, I do think there’s a lot to be said about slow and steady growth. I’ve always felt that the best way to achieve and maintain a long-lasting career is to build a platform, fan-by-fan, and connect with as many on an individual level as possible. So, I think it’s important to use TikTok and social media for the purpose of growing a strong foundation rather than just trying to go viral.
You were recently featured on Spotify’s Created By Women playlist, highlighting songs written, produced, and performed 100% by women! What is your favorite part of the music-making process?
Yes! It is such an honor to be included among so many women creatives that I admire. I think my favorite part of the music-making process is right after I’ve finished writing a new song and have some sort of recording of it, and then getting to listen back to it a bunch of times (especially in the car, for some reason that just hits different). It’s like when you get a new piece of clothing and you want to try it on right away because you just love it so much and it makes you feel happy!
What do you think is the most important aspect of your life right now?
Balance. I’m trying really hard to figure out how to live the most happy, balanced life that I can. Making time to do what I’m passionate about, as well as making time for the people I love, are my main priorities right now. Again, with social media, it’s SO easy to get caught up in comparisons and lose sight of what you’re actually working towards. So, I’m trying to maintain a healthy balance there too and not be living on my phone 24/7!!
What are some of your core values as a human being?
My parents always instilled in me and my siblings to be kind, so that’s a big one for me. I also really believe in not judging anyone. Everyone has a different story and experience, and it’s important to accept people for who they are and not to try to change them. That goes for ourselves too. I think it’s a lot easier to be kind and non-judgemental towards others, but when it comes to ourselves, we tend to get tripped up. I’m always trying to remember to give myself the same kindness and love that I would give to anyone else.
What other projects are you excited about this year?
I’m very excited about the songs I am putting out this year!!! I feel like I’m digging deeper into who I am as an artist, as cliché as that may sound haha. I just really feel like the music I’m making is representative of me and my personality, and that makes me really happy 🙂
