In discussing her recent release “I Could’ve Died,” Emerald M. expresses satisfaction with the public’s positive reception and shares her intentions to diversify her future work, delving into upbeat songs and experimenting with EDM influences. While the track revolves around the theme of redemption, she clarifies that it does not stem from her personal experiences, but is crafted to resonate with others.
Collaborating with William D. Lucey, Emerald highlights the creative synergy and understanding between them, appreciating his expertise and instrumental skills despite occasional differences in musical preferences. The songwriter also revealed that she dreams of collaborating with artists like Kenya Grace, envisioning a blend of their distinct vocal styles.
Beyond personal experiences, Emerald draws inspiration from movies, TV shows, and tries to look into other characters for her songwriting. The impact of her music on listeners, evident through personal messages of gratitude, leaves her feeling extremely touched and moved.
How has the public received your music and songwriting since the release of “I Could’ve Died”? How do you envision your sound evolving after it? What themes or styles are you exploring in your upcoming work?
I am pretty satisfied with the public’s perception of “I Could’ve Died.” I appreciate all the personal messages sent to me and am extremely grateful. I’m going to aim to write more upbeat songs in the future and experiment with many genres that are my type. I’m very much into EDM music as well, so I will be experimenting and taking influences from it in the future.
In “I Could’ve Died,” redemption is quite prominent. Does this stem from any personal experiences of significant regrets in your life, and if so, how have you navigated through them?
“I Could’ve Died” doesn’t relate to a personal event in my life, if I’m being honest. I just knew that there would be someone who could relate to the story I’m telling.
How did your time in London contrast with your life in Yangon, and in what ways have these two distinct environments influenced your musical expression?
London isn’t my hometown, so I’m not really satisfied with my music-making environment. However, writing music in my dorm room also is a different experience than writing music in my room back in Myanmar. In Myanmar, I get to create more memories, meet different people, and get to observe more interesting situations through interacting with other people. This helps inspire my writing process.
Working with William D. Lucey must bring a fusion of creative energies. Could you share an anecdote about a challenge or breakthrough moment that you two experienced together?
Working with Will has been absolutely amazing. He is very understanding of my opinions and choices. Most of the time, I face a lot of dilemmas. I want a track to sound like everything, ‘opposite’ from each other, and my references are all over the place. Will always explains why which option would work best for the track we’re working on. Will and I probably also have different perspectives and preferences when it comes to our musical styles. He is a great instrumentalist as well. I am comfortable to openly talk about a situation I want to write about with him, even if it’s very personal to me.
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or deceased, who would it be and why? How do you imagine a song created by the two of you would sound?
Ohh, the list would not end, if I had the chance to collaborate with another artist! Currently, Kenya Grace is an artist I admire. Her song “Strangers” is such a unique sounding track. She also produced it herself. She has a very soft and smooth voice and I have a very different voice from that. I would like to create with her a track influenced by “Strangers,” and with a deeper singing voice.
Outside of your own experiences, where else do you draw inspiration for your music? Are there books, movies, or other art forms that influence your songwriting?
Movies and TV shows definitely have an influence on my songwriting process. I like to get into a specific character’s shoes and write from their own perspective.
How do you feel when listeners share their personal stories of how your music has impacted their lives? Has there been a specific fan interaction that has deeply moved you?
I feel extremely grateful to those who sent me personal messages saying how meaningful and relatable it is to them and thanking me for it. I don’t have any other words to describe how I feel except gratitude.
Listen to “I Could’ve Died” here:
Watch the lyric video below:
