Emily King

Upon first hearing Emily, you ll know she s good, but you could still miss the power of what she s bringing to the table. Some artists need and deserve a slow digestion. Her very substance filled album displays vocal talent, writing talent, and has the ability to pull in a variety of audiences with different musical tastes.

With her debut album, East Side Story, Emily is definitely a musical force to be reckoned with this Year.

MVRemix: Many enter the music business for various reasons. What would you say was your driving force behind pursuing a solo career in music?

Emily King: My driving force was definitely my natural passion for music. I just always knew that music was what I was going to do. Also seeing how it affected people and I was always passionate about social issues.

MVRemix: You mentioned social issues. I know some artists eventually use their celebrity for different social issues and causes. As an artist do you stand for a specific cause?

Emily King: Just people getting along and people understanding each other - just trying to make this planet more livable for everybody.

MVRemix: How were you discovered? Did your family relations have anything to do with it?

Emily King: Yeah, it definitely did. My mother was friends with a guy named Bill Brown formerly of Sony Publishing and one of his producers was Chucky Thompson. I gave Bill a demo that he eventually played for Chucky. We eventually met and hit it off right away.

MVRemix: Wow - that was easy [laughter]

Emily King: Yeah, it was like "meant to be," you know? And then the adventure began!

MVRemix: What was the lowest point of your music experience?

Emily King: I'd say it was the growth period, and [the time period just before] getting signed. It was tough. We experimented with a lot of different co-writers and having to do things so that other people can understand you and [the label] want to see action. You can sit around all day and tell people who you are, but they want to see results and they want to see how you mix with this person and that person and overall it was hard for me. I wouldn't say it was a low point because it needed to happen for our team to be stronger and for all of us to be on the same page 'and for me to grow as an artist.

MVRemix: How would you describe yourself as far as spirituality is concerned?

Emily King: I'm extremely spiritual. I didn't grow up with any specific religion - music was our religion to be honest. But I respect everybody's religion and think if more people did that we wouldn't have so many problems. Let people believe what they want.

MVRemix: Do you believe in a Supreme Being or Higher Power?

Emily King: Yes, I do have my own kind of faith in The Creator and I live my life off of my intuition.

MVRemix: Your bio reads that you like artists like The Beatles all the way to Nas - That's a pretty broad range Emily.

Emily King: [Laughter]

MVRemix: Is there 1 particular artist that you look up to as a strong influence on you and in your music?

Emily King: As corny as it sounds I'd have to say my parents.

MVRemix: That's not corny at all.

Emily King: Ok. [Laughter]. They were my teachers my whole life. I emulated how they sang. They sang such beautiful music. In writing songs, the bar was raised high by them already so I wanted to write songs with meaningful lyrics and beautiful melodies. I also have to say another influence [was] Jimi Hendrix - in high school that was like my sound track.

MVRemix: Ok - the love life question. What are you looking for in a significant other?

Emily King: I always think people have it backwards, I think that I'd have to be a friend with person first -- you know, like a best friend. You could burp in front them [laughter], you know, do crazy stuff. But when it's there you know it's right. I don't really have any specifications.

MVRemix: Is having a significant other or someone there important to you?

Emily King: I'm a Cancer; I'm very emotional [laughter]. So yes it's huge to me. But again, this process [being an artist] has also been knowing and learning how to not have it be so big, you know? But to be in love is the best thing. For writing and everything it's the best thing.

MVRemix: Your album cover, very cute by the way!

Emily King: [laughter] Oh thank you!

MVRemix: Why was that cute picture of you as a child chosen for your album cover?

Emily King: Yeah, my baby picture, I'm not sure that will be the final picture on the album though.

MVRemix: Ok, why is that one in the forefront to date then, instead of going the route of the sex vixen, or something more expected for a new artist?

Emily King: [laughter] Well, I think everybody just liked it and it had a little attitude and I look totally different when I was kid---I don't know what happened!

MVRemix: And where would you say you want to go image wise- - sexy, earthy.

Emily King: I think that sexy isn't just the typical image that we see everyday and I'm kind of a tom boy at heart I guess. So it's like sexy tom boy I guess [laughter]. But it will be a mixture of Bohemian, village, urban.

MVRemix: No entourage dancing then, huh?

Emily King: [Laughter] No, back up dancers or anything. All natural, and jeans and sneakers and t-shirts.

MVRemix: That will be refreshing to see.

Emily King: [Laughter] Yeah, MC Hammer it out-right? [Laughter]

MVRemix: What's one of your post record deal goals as an artist?

Emily King: A life time goal would be to write great songs, like the Beatles. To write songs that people will be singing for hundreds of years or thousands of years, and to be performing until I'm an old lady. Performing, traveling, and hopefully touching people for a very long time.