AF: You grew up in Richmond, Virginia. What’s the music scene like in Richmond?
EH: Richmond has an extremely diverse music scene and is home to some wonderful festivals like Friday Cheers or River Rock (think music festival + extreme sports + a beautiful river) The town is really supportive of live music.
I was pretty young when I first started playing in Richmond. Actually so young that often times I had to have my parents with me to get into the bar or venue I was playing at that night. I was around 14 and was in a band with some older guys and teachers, mainly doing covers, sometimes until 1 a.m. on a school night. My parents were so supportive during that time - as long as I finished my homework. Now that I am older, I love to go back to Richmond whenever I get a chance and see who is playing or what new venues have opened up.
AF: Who were your earliest musical influences and what about them inspired you to start writing?
EH: I asked for an Aretha Franklin CD for Christmas when I was five... so she was certainly my earliest musical influence. I used to literally scream “Chain of Fools” and “Natural Woman” in the shower. Again, my parents were very supportive during this time of “creative exploration.”
I honestly didn't start writing until I made it to college. Patty Griffin and Lori McKenna were huge influences for me at that time of my life. I learned a lot from their styles while I was trying to find my own voice as a writer.
AF: Graduating from Berklee is no small feat. What was your college experience like?
EH: When I first showed up it was really difficult for me. Although I had been performing for years, I had never taken music lessons growing up and found myself thrown into the deep end with kids who were years ahead of me in music theory. However, I learned a lot while at Berklee. It provided me with a safe environment to experiment with my sound and for that, I am grateful.
I really struggled finding a balance between my love of simple blues and soul lyrics and being taken seriously [by my songwriting peers] as a lyricist. For some reason I had it in my head that if my lyrics were not earth-shattering metaphors posing the ultimate question by the first chorus, I was less of a writer. It took me a while, but I finally realized I am who I am. I write and sing in the style that I grew up listening to and that shaped me. I love it and there’s nothing wrong with simple. Of course, as an artist you always want to be pushing yourself to be a better writer, but I’ve found a happy medium.
AF: What is it about Nashville that made you want to move there over NYC or Los Angeles?
EH: I was SO against moving to Nashville. I really wanted to branch out and head out on my own to NYC or LA. I was visiting some of my bandmates in Nashville the summer before I was planning to move, and they took me to this dive bar, Dino’s. Flash forward three months - I was packing up all my things and making the drive to Nashville. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I am blown away by the music community in this town and have never felt so supported in my music. (Dino’s is still my favorite dive bar.)
AF: Nashville is a breeding ground for talent, yet it’s also a very saturated space. What was your strategy in terms of standing out from the crowd when you first arrived?
EH: Whew. I don’t think there is a right way or wrong way to do this whole music thing.
When I moved down here I just hit the pavement running. I said yes to every opportunity. I worked REALLY hard and heard so many nos.
I think maybe I got lucky. When I first started playing out in Nashville, the band and I were just trying to figure out our sound and having a blast doing it. Everyone was smiling and laughing on stage while I was dancing around. I think in a sea of acoustic guitars, that may have helped us stand out a bit.
AF: Your self-titled debut EP has a familiarity to it that feels really good. How do you balance writing within such a distinctive genre (retro rock / soul) while also keeping your music fresh?
EH: I think that rock and soul sound is what naturally comes out of me when I sit down to write. It is ingrained in my heart, so I focus really hard on trying to add some pop sensibilities in my choruses to make it more current. It’s always a battle, but I try to think about making blues and rock and soul accessible to a mainstream audience. Most of the EP was tracked live. The band and I were all together in one room doing full takes of the songs, so the arrangements and mixing process were really vital in keeping it fresh. I think where we placed certain things in the mix really helped to make it more current. Kyle Dreaden did a great job of working with me on that.
AF: What current artists are you listening to on the regular?
EH: Anderson East, Lake Street Dive, Theo Katzman, PJ Morton, Phoebe Bridgers, Tedeschi Trucks are on repeat and I’m always listening to my mom’s old vinyl.
AF: Do you have any plans to tour in the near future?
EH: Of course! Keep your eyes peeled for summer dates.
Emma Hern's self-titled debut EP is out May 11.
