Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Thank you for having me! It all began in Pennsylvania. That’s where I’m from. As a child, I began making up songs from the time I could talk, and I just always innately loved performing for people. I was raised Catholic, and I struggled in Catholic schools. I was this colorful kid that nobody knew what to do with. I started singing in Church at the age of 5, and at 8 years old I stepped out onto a stage for the first time, and everything just clicked for me. It felt like home. Many of my school mates teased me growing up. They would make fun of how I sang and imitated the vibrato in my voice. When I didn’t get into college for musical theater, I took that as confirmation that I must not be a good enough singer, so I focused solely on acting and eventually made my way to Los Angeles to be in the movies. LA was a roller coaster ride, and I learned the movie business was far from glamorous. In the thick of it all I remembered how music was my lifelong passion and used the pain and disappointment as a catalyst to get back to my true purpose, music.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did your journey begin?
It’s always been music; I was just derailed from this path out of fear and self-doubt. I looked in the mirror one day and didn’t even recognize myself. I had let other people’s opinions influence my choices, and I’d felt detached from my soul. I knew I had to make a change, so I cleared myself out, immersed myself into the world of yoga, and started going to therapy. My life shifted dramatically, and I felt this calling to buy a keyboard and I started teaching myself how to play. It felt as if I was unlocking this box inside of myself that had been shut away and found again. Everything else faded into the background and all I could think about was making these songs, and that’s all I still think about.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
When music producer Brendan O’Brien heard my demo, for my song “As I Am,” and wanted to produce it. Two weeks after the release, the song was placed on the CBS television show “God Friended Me,” and then a week after the song aired on television, the world shut down from the pandemic. Talk about a whirlwind. I’ll never forget it.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I’ve gotten deeper into the world of producing and everything I’ve been creating over the last few months really feels like home. Before arriving at this place, I finished an electro pop EP that I co-produced. It’s a softer and more intimate side, and it’s totally different from all my other work. I’m excited. About it all.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in music, film, and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
We need diversity because diversity is our truth! Humans are not just one thing. We are a beautiful melting pot of colors and backgrounds, and we’re all connected. We must share the space with everyone. We must include everyone. Our world is not black and white, and neither is the human soul. The more diverse we become, the more we evolve, and the more we evolve, the more loving and accepting our world will be, making us all more united.
As a successful music star, you’ve likely faced challenges along the way. How do you stay motivated? How do you overcome obstacles in your career?
The cause keeps me motivated, and I overcome obstacles by redirecting negative thoughts into positive ones, practicing yoga, praying, and remembering why I am doing this. I want to help people. And when I stay focused on that, it helps me tune out the noise.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
1. If you don’t know what to do, do nothing. There’s so much pressure in our society to follow the crowd. Everyone’s got an idea of how you should be and what you should be doing. Take time to be alone and clear out distractions. Give yourself the time to not know and be okay with not knowing. Focus on other aspects when something isn’t working.
2. Trust your visions. You have them for a reason, and nobody knows the answers like you do. Your intuition becomes stronger the more you follow it.
3. Learn the circle of fifths. It will help you immensely with chord progressions and songwriting. At first, I would hear things in my head, and I would have the worst time trying to find them on the piano. My poor neighbors would probably hear me play the same thing repeatedly for hours. Now that I have a basic understanding of music theory, I can find the chords I need much easier.
4.Learn music production. Working with other music producers is wonderful, but it is also incredible to be able to
do it all yourself and craft out your ideas just as you hear them. Everyone’s perspectives are different,
and the more you lean into your own individuality and style, the more you it will be.
5.Revisit the songs that made you. When you’re feeling unmotivated or uninspired, revisit the songs that you love! Learn them on an instrument or just sing along to them. Have a karaoke party in your living room. This will raise your vibration, free up your energy, and help to get you back on track. I swear by this.
Can you share some insights into your creative process? How do you approach songwriting? How do you approach musical collaborations?
I am inspired by everything around me and I mostly get carried away by my feelings, and that’s when I get this hunger in my soul, and I must write about it. When this happens, I give myself the space and time to be fluid and free. I just begin jamming and when something moves me, I go back, and I try to dive deeper into those moments and build from there. I think about what it is I’m trying to say and what it means to me and what it might mean to someone else. It’s a thin line to walk between thinking and just doing it. I try to find a happy medium because if I start thinking too much, it can take the spontaneity out of the moment and lead to analysis paralysis. The most important thing I can say about my process, is to just trust yourself and let yourself be free. By doing so, you open yourself up to limitless possibilities.
Your music has resonated with so many fans worldwide. What do you believe sets your music apart?
I’m on a mission to soothe your darkness and illuminate your light. I don’t really have any breakup or love songs that I’ll be releasing just yet. Everything that’s to come over the next year will be dedicated to the journey of the soul, self-love, breaking generational trauma, and the path to enlightenment and forgiveness.
How do you connect with your audience? With your busy schedule and demanding performances, how do you prioritize self-care and maintain a balance between your personal life and career in the music industry?
I connect in real life and on social media, live shows, and events. I prioritize self-care by having boundaries and holding myself accountable. I try to find a routine, but I also make sure not to become overly attached to a routine. I listen to my body, and I make sure I try to have balance, physical activity, rest, work, and play.
I also try to limit my time on social media because it tampers with my creative process.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-).
My movement is the revolution of the soul. You must walk through your darkness to find the light. The light is compassion and forgiveness. Nobody is perfect. We’re all human and we’re all flawed. The more compassionate, and forgiving we can be with ourselves and others, the more loving and healed our world will become. It’s a ripple effect, and you hold the power. We can change absolutely everything in this moment, no matter what came before. It’s all a state of mind, and whatever you believe is what is real for you. The more we believe in the good, and choose to see the good, the better things will be.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
Find me on social media and music streaming services:) Thanks for having me, and God bless!
https://www.facebook.com/emilybrooksmusic/
https://www.instagram.com/embrooksmusic/
https://www.tiktok.com/@emilybrooksmusic
https://www.youtube.com/@EmilyBrooks
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7nSRBrBviqtyp11QHDZlPO?si=rXGg7yXfSi--1g2Yp7lkbg
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
