5 Questions With Emma Miller

Words by Josh Abraham.
Photography // Emma Miller – press.

What is it about music that made you want to be an artist?

Honestly it’s the process from start to finish of beginning a song and that initial idea forming, to fleshing out the structure and lyric and melodies and then suddenly this whole and complete piece is brought to life in a recording or performance and ya feel great! Progressing songwriting into the umbrella of ‘artist’ really happened when I had created a larger body of work and wanted the audience connection which comes from performing your songs in a live setting as well as your music feeding into other creative and artistic outlets, such as visuels, artwork, videos. I think that when you’re representing yourself as ‘an artist’ you have the opportunity to encapsulate all of those things and even bring your personality and values as a person to the table, which can be a nice space to take ownership of.

What was the first gig you ever went to?

I think the first proper concert I went to was for Pink at Glasgow’s SECC. One of my friend’s mum drove us there and I got right to the front during the support act and then  by the time Pink came on and did an impressive bit of trapeze work, I was too busy feeling sick from the pressing crowd and had to make a swift exit. A short lived adventure! I do still remember being hugely in awe of her performance and show.

What’s the best way for you to unwind after a tough day?

Wine? G&T? To be honest, I know that doing something as simple as going for a walk or getting away from screens and doing some form of exercise is an absolute re-energiser for me. It shakes off the day and brings in some positivity. However, it depends how tough the day has been…if we’re talking about a real corker here then just bring on the wine and netflix. 

Your music brings a calming effect on many people, was that the plan when you were creating the new track ‘Honey’ or did it come naturally to you?

That’s a nice thought, to think of my music calming people. I certainly don’t set out with the intention of giving people a certain feeling or mood, but obviously it’s lovely to hear if someone feels a certain way when listening. My only intention is to cultivate connection and that really starts off with my own initial connection with the song. When I sit down to write, the music that truly resonates with me does tend to have a more melancholy tone, so perhaps that can contribute to a sense of calm. Honey came about very organically and was more of a cathartic release for me, personally. The fact that it seems to mean something to other people is wonderful. 

Finally, what’s one bit of advice you would give to any creative person out there?

Keep checking in with yourself. If you’re feeling disconnected from what you’re doing, take a break. I think creative people can be under the false impression that we’re always meant to be creating and making and doing. For me, creativity needs room to breathe and often, when I’m taking a step back from songwriting, I’ll find I can address the balance of life a bit and free up some brain space so that whenever I come back to music the next day, or in a week or month, I’ve lived a bit of life elsewhere and I’ve got something to say when I return.