Emma Freeman’s First Single, ‘Verona’, Debuts, and another Single, ‘Do You’, is being Released this Month.
First, the stats! Tell me a little about yourself.
I’m 24, a Greeley grad Class of 2014, and I went to the University of Miami where I got a BFA in musical theatre.
When did you know you were interested in music?
Since I was tiny! I’d wake up in the morning and start singing from my bed to announce that I was awake! If music was ever playing around the house, apparently I would immediately stop whatever I was doing to listen and just focus on the music. My parents even had to stop playing music around me to get me to do other things! This eventually turned into an interest in musical theater and acting. But my love for pop music remained and stayed strong through all the years, and even within the theater I always loved the more contemporary and pop-driven musicals.
Where did you hone your musical skills?
Fortunately, I had a very artistic life at Greeley. I took advantage of every performing and musical opportunity – and there were many- chorus, acting, Theatre Rep, and music theory. I performed in every show possible, and was a member of the Enchords a cappella group. I am so lucky to have grown up in a town and with parents that presented me with so many opportunities. These experiences made me grow as an artist and performer and motivated me to continue with the arts through college and beyond. I took voice lessons, and even trained classically at an NYU Steinhardt program when I was in high school. I continued with vocal training and performing at the University of Miami, and that’s where I began songwriting as well.
How would you describe your sound? Who are your musical influences?
My all-time favorite is Joni Mitchell. I also love Regina Spektor, Ingrid Michaelson, Phoebe Bridgers and dodie. My songwriting professor from the University of Miami taught me so much and inspired me to keep writing.
Generally, my music is usually indie-pop or indie-folk style, but varies song to song. I try not to limit myself and just write where the story and feel of the song takes me. But my songs still feel like “me” even with different genres–they are usually very melodic with a wide vocal range, and often change up typical song structure. I like to include a lot of harmonies in my music, with multiple vocal lines of me singing harmonies and backup vocals with myself.
In addition to vocals, do you play instruments?
Yes! I learned piano as a kid, and I also play ukulele and recently started guitar.
What do you generally write about?
I write a lot about love and heartbreak, self-discovery and self-struggle. I try to keep my music relatable but with an air of mystery, in hopes that anyone can hear my music and find it specific to them. I love it when people reach out to me and tell me how they related to my music, or how they interpreted something in my song, because sometimes it’s something that I hadn’t even thought of yet, but completely makes sense. It’s just an amazing feeling to know you connected with someone.
Tell me about your new (and first!) single, Verona.
Verona is an indie-pop song about longing for love and seeing it everywhere. I had just finished playing Juliet in a production of Romeo and Juliet when I wrote it, and was inspired by the story and the language–I even included some of the text in the song. I wanted to capture the feeling that someone might have of reading the story and wishing for their own Romeo (or Juliet)–seeing other people in love and watching them and wishing they could have it too.
How did you get it made?
I had been recording vocals for a very talented musician’s own project. I showed him some of my original music and he became interested in producing it for me! It was a very rewarding process working on it during the pandemic when everything was being done virtually. We worked back and forth until we got it just right, but I knew from the very beginning that I was working with excellent people who understood the song and that it was in good hands. This was the first song of mine that anyone worked on and I cried when I heard it all put together for the first time–it was everything I wanted.
What’s next?
An album is the goal. I can’t wait to share more of my music; a new single “Do You” comes out April 1!
Verona can be found on all streaming platforms. Follow Emma @emmaraldcity and emmapfreeman.com
