E.M.M.A., Musician and Columnist

 

Hello and welcome to the 39th 3 Art Questions With Jackson interview! This time I interviewed the amazing musician and columnist E.M.M.A. I listen to her music when I paint and find it very inspiring. This is the first time I have interviewed a musician and I really enjoyed reading her perspective on being creative. I think you will enjoy the answers too! Thank you for reading! Her new single Magic Hour is out now on Deutsche Grammophon. (Photograph taken by Sophie Davies  sophie-davies.com  @sophiewophy)

Jackson: What inspired you to begin making electronic music? Do you think your environment inspires or inspired you?

E.M.M.A.: I have always listened to music very carefully since I was a kid and made a lot of mental notes about what sounds I liked and the emotion that resonates with me of my favourite tracks and artists. But I didn't think about making my own until I started getting quite involved in the local music scene in Brighton while at university. I was going to club nights and seeing my fave producers, which I found very inspiring and I wanted to throw my hat in the ring and have a go myself.  Sometimes my external environment inspires me, for example in Brighton it was quite visceral with choppy sea and waves, and the sound of a fairground blowing in from the pier into the land. Then you might think "how do I create this in a track?" but other times I tend to synthesize a lot of references from my imagination, whether it be films, people, places or my cat Janet. 

Jackson: Has the pandemic impacted the way you make music? Have you lost any opportunities since it began?

E.M.M.A.: It hasn't really impacted my workflow because I have quite a simple studio set up. But the extra time I've had has helped me to focus and spend more time learning new skills to improve how I am better able to convey what's in my head. I think there was a feeling that opportunities would be lost, but when things like this happen you have to be prepared to adapt and make sure you're open to trying things you might have missed before. So in a way, I've been able to think more deeply about my music and choices. But one thing that stands out is I would have liked to have had a party for my album launch, Indigo Dream. Kinda sucks that we couldn't do one.

Jackson: If you could meet any musician living or dead, who would it be and why?

E.M.M.A.: I think it would be Prodigy from Mobb Deep. Shook Ones pt II is my fave tune of all time and I wish he was still with us.