Journey of a Song

Emmeline

Have you ever wondered how a song is made? What happens during the recording process? In Journey of a Song, singer-songwriter Emmeline takes the audience on a tour of a musician's creative process, from the first notes to the final recorded song. Each week, a different songwriter pulls back the curtain on a favorite composition, beginning with an acoustic version of the song and ending with the final recorded product. In between, you'll hear a conversation about the inspiration behind the song, the decisions made in the recording booth, and the many ways in which music reflects and informs our emotions and our lives. Find behind-the-scenes photos and more when you follow @EmmelineMusic on Instagram! read less
MusicMusic

Episodes

"My Abilene Woman" by Dorian Marsh and Ian Ross Cohen
Feb 23 2024
"My Abilene Woman" by Dorian Marsh and Ian Ross Cohen
"Eyes of burgundy..." This line was in Dorian Marsh's head from the inception of his collaboration with guitarist Ian Ross Cohen. He liked something about the turn of phrase, something about the concept of elusive, alluring eyes that forced him to proclaim, "I love her so." Dorian didn't choose to sleep on the idea, though; he leaned into the unknown and went with it.In this episode, Emmeline sits down with singer-songwriter Dorian Marsh and guitarist Ian Ross Cohen to talk about the collaborative process, the joy of finding like-minded creatives on the internet, and the importance of taking the leap--even when we're scared! Dorian shares the story of how he and Ian connected, and Ian talks about how his confidence in Dorian ultimately helped Dorian to have confidence in himself. The two see "My Abilene Woman" as a stellar example of honesty, vulnerability, and creativity--not without fear, but with fear in the back seat, where it belongs.They also talk about finding inspiration in all kinds of art, and why genre can be difficult to pin down.For more information about Dorian Marsh, or to follow his musical journey, find him on Spotify and Instagram. For more information about Ian Ross Cohen, or to follow his musical journey, find him on Spotify or on Instagram. You can listen to their collaborative record, Meeting Place, here.For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.
54. "Flashing Lights" by Baylis Laramore
Jul 23 2023
54. "Flashing Lights" by Baylis Laramore
"Deep in the woods, things aren’t always what they seem..." Songs might usually have some sort of emotional impetus, some big feeling that catapults them into being--but not all songs start with a feeling. Not all songs are initially borne from that place deep down inside of us that says, "See me. Hear me. Know me."Some songs start, quite simply, with a prompt.In this episode, folk and Americana artist Baylist Laramore shares how his eerie, contemplative track, "Flashing Lights," came from the combined influences of a prompt from a writers' group and a book he couldn't put down. Baylis talks about coming to songwriting later in life, about the importance of finding a songwriting community, and how writing prompts and musical friendships have inspired him to keep writing, keep singing, and keep creating. He also discusses the beauty of the Kerrville Folk Festival!To hear more from Baylis, or to follow his musical journey, visit him online or on Instagram. For behind-the-scenes information and more about Journey of a Song, follow Emmeline on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can also hear songs from previous episodes on the Journey of a Song Official Spotify playlist.For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.
51. "Angels Cry" by Chloe Clemente
Apr 28 2023
51. "Angels Cry" by Chloe Clemente
"I'm gonna thrive, just because I'll fight." Maybe you need some encouragement. Maybe you need someone to remind you that you're not defined by your insecurities. Maybe you need to take a deep breath, screw up your courage, and invest in yourself.In her moments of doubt, Chloe Clemente wrote "Angels Cry"--and she wants her new single to be your motivation to become your best self.In this episode, Emmeline sits down with Chloe to talk about investing in self, the importance of education, the beauty of a supportive community, and the essential nature of vulnerability in music. Chloe shares the almost supernatural process by which "Angels Cry" was written and talks about how it chronicles her journey through depression. Emmeline and Chloe also discuss their mutual love of dogs--and how Chloe's dog accidentally made it into the final cut of "Angels Cry"!To learn more about Chloe Clemente, or to follow her musical journey, visit her on Instagram or check out her official website. For behind-the-scenes information and more about Journey of a Song, follow Emmeline on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can also hear songs from previous episodes on the Journey of a Song Official Spotify playlist.For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.
47. "American Denim" by Sam Cormier
Jan 30 2023
47. "American Denim" by Sam Cormier
"What am I supposed to do when you look at me like that, like you know my whole life and you still want to hear it?"Have you ever had feelings that you weren't sure were requited? Have you ever been reluctantly drawn to a relationship that broke you wide open?In "American Denim," songwriter Sam Cormier seeks to navigate those feelings with innovative, open guitar tunings and sweeping melodic lines. Using layered harmonies and minimal production to capture the feeling of a live performance, Sam aims for a musical snapshot of the wild uncertainty of a crush and the reckless rush of attraction.In this episode, Sam and Emmeline talk about the importance of growing into a lyrical idea and waiting for one's life to catch up to the thoughts within a forming  song. They also talk about the freedom of open chords and tunings on acoustic guitar, the impossibly beautiful challenge of telling the truth in songs, and why fast driving is such a delicious endeavor. Emmeline references Ani DiFranco's "Falling is Like This," and Sam talks about taking musical ownership of his identity as a gay man. He also shares how the scariness of navigating a queer identity can add an extra layer of risk to a potential relationship.To learn more about Sam Cormier, or to follow his musical journey, follow him on Instagram at @samcormier_music. For behind the scenes information and more about Journey of a Song, follow Emmeline on social media at @EmmelineMusic or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can also hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.
46. "Bloom" by Katherine Paterson
Jan 19 2023
46. "Bloom" by Katherine Paterson
"Now that the peas have grown tall, and they don't reach the land of giants..." Disappointment. Gratitude. Loss. Grief. Joy. Pride. Hope.We humans are complex, messy creatures, and all of these feelings can co-exist in us. In "Bloom," the mandolin-driven title track from her debut EP, singer-songwriter Katherine Paterson seeks to give voice to all of these warring emotions in a sparse, stark Americana jam that ends in a celtic barn dance.In this episode, Emmeline sits down with Katherine to talk about how disappointing relationships can still help us grow and why it's so important to give ourselves space and permission as creatives. Katherine shares the story of a powerful creative retreat, confesses her love for gardening, and discusses her enthusiasm for stringed instruments. The two also chat at length about...Sondheim's Into the Woods?  (Hey, if you know, you know!)To learn more about Katherine, or to follow her musical journey, visit her official website. For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow Emmeline on social media at @EmmelineMusic or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can also hear songs from previous episodes through the official Journey of a Song Spotify playlist.For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.
45. "Home" by Melissa Gail Klein
Dec 22 2022
45. "Home" by Melissa Gail Klein
"Freedom is ours to be found." What makes a home? A sense of peace and security? The presence of people we love? Delicious solitude? How can we find our own home? Better yet, how can we build our home?Along with her talented band, The Morning Dew, Austin-based singer-songwriter Melissa Gail Klein explores these questions in "Home," the title track from her upcoming album.  A meditative banjo player and a compelling vocalist, Melissa uses the ethereal timbre of both her instruments to contemplate the spiritual journey of home and the ways in which we might be able to provide peace for each other.In this episode, Melissa and Emmeline talk about the mysterious songwriting process and the sense of being a conduit for earth's greater truths. They also discuss the importance of finding one's own unique path, the sense of connection that music brings, and why songs sometimes become their truest selves at a live show. Melissa also shares why she's most inspired by singing about the lighter parts of the human condition.To learn more about Melissa, or to follow her musical journey, visit her official website. For behind-the-scenes information and more about Journey of a Song, follow Emmeline on Instagram or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes on the Journey of a Song official Spotify playlist.For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.
43. "Bonnie & Clyde" by Alexandra
Oct 7 2022
43. "Bonnie & Clyde" by Alexandra
"I guess I know why we romanticize Bonnie & Clyde." Music heals.How many times has a song helped you through something difficult? How many times has a song made you feel a bit more understood and a little bit less alone? How many times has a song been the voice for an emotion you didn't even know you were feeling?With rich harmonies, a driving guitar, and  a deceptively cheerful chorus, "Bonnie & Clyde" is one of the songs that helped singer-songwriter Alexandra heal after a difficult period of reevaluation in her life. In this episode, Alexandra sits down with Emmeline to talk about music as medicine, songwriting as catharsis, and the importance of learning to sit in silence with your messy parts until you can navigate and make peace with them.They also discuss the challenge of being a woman in a male-dominated industry and what people don't talk about when they talk about why everyone loves a bad boy.To learn more about Alexandra, or to follow her musical journey, find her on Instagram at @AlexandraMusic.  For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow Emmeline on social media at @EmmelineMusic or visit the official Journey of Series webpage.  You can also hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song official Spotify playlist.For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.
41. "Restart" by Xavier Bernazard
Sep 1 2022
41. "Restart" by Xavier Bernazard
"I sure hope my life has meaning." Do we have to grow colder as we grow older?  How can we continue to evolve instead of letting adulthood cause us to devolve? When do we start letting life live us instead of living our lives?In "Restart," Xavier Bernazard seeks to tackle these questions with slick steel drums and passionate vocals. In this episode, Xavier--an artist who identifies as both Latinx and as part of the LGBTQIA+ community--sits down with Emmeline to talk about the choices we make as we age, the circumstances that can force our hands off the steering wheel of our lives, and how we're never really done creating ourselves. They also talk about their mutual love for Paramore (especially the songs "26" and "Grow Up") and their intention to have a crying party--because emotions are important! Lastly, they discuss the process of infusing every step of a recording with authenticity, emotion, and narrative. To learn more about Xavier Bernazard, or to follow their musical journey, visit their official website or find them on Instagram at @xavierbernazard. For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow Emmeline on social media at @EmmelineMusic or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can also hear songs from previous episodes by listening to and saving the Journey of a Song official playlist on Spotify!For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.