(Photo: David O'Donohue)
You started your musical career from being a vocalist and guitarist of the band Emily Warren & the Betters, with whom you released an EP "The Betters". When and how did you fall in love with music and what are your favourite memories from the early stages of your career?
I fell in love with songwriting from my piano teacher because she wrote songs. So after each lesson, she'd play me a song she had written. Then my mind started going, and I realized that I could write music, too. And when I was in middle school, my dad encouraged me to record some songs I had written. One thing led to another and I started a band we played together all throughout high school and eventually went to NYU.
After Emily Warren & the Betters disbandment, you became a songwriter for such artists as Jessie J, Shawn Mendes, Dua Lipa and The Chainsmokers. What is the most difficult thing about writing a song for another artist and what does this songwriting process look like?
Everything is different from artist to artist. To me, it's all about helping the artist tell their truth and their story. But more often than not, I get in the room, have a long conversation and try and see where they're at and what's going on. After everyone's comfortable, we start putting those ideas into a song. I definitely love working with artists who want to collaborate though, it makes it a lot easier to write something that's personal to them and they're excited about.
The Chainsmokers named you "one of the best songwriters they had ever worked with" and you appeared in the Forbes 30 under 30 in the music industry list. Which song are you most proud of? Do you have your recipe for a hit song?
Crazy! I'm proud of a lot of them. One of my favorites is actually one from Astrid S's EP called "I Don't Wanna Know". That was a perfect example of spilling emotion in a session and telling a true story in the lyrics. I've always loved that song. And I definitely don't have the hit recipe - things change so quickly and you have to be one step ahead of them, and that's what makes it so fun and exciting.
Apart from being a gifted songwriter, you are also a very talented singer. You have already released such singles as "Paranoid" and "Poking Holes" and now your song "Side Effects" recorded with The Chainsmokers is very popular on the radio. How can you describe your main singing inspirations?
Aw thank you! I fell in love with music because it comforted me when I needed it the most. You know when you hear a song and it sounds like the artist is singing about you? Telling your story? I've always believed that that comes from people writing from a really vulnerable place, so that's what I really try to do with other artists (and with my music too!).
(Photo: David O'Donohue)
On 5 October 2018 you release your debut solo album "Quiet Your Mind", so we can finally fully appreciate your amazing singing skills. Can you tell us something more about this project?
I wrote the album with some of my favorite writers/producers on the planet, and beyond that we're all friends so it's just an absolute joy making music with them. We've experienced a lot together so when it comes to writing my story they know me so well, so it's a really comfortable and fun process. The sound is definitely pop-driven but quite a bit more organic and stripped back than some of the other stuff I write or have had my voice on. I like to think it's lyric/song driven. The lyrics on "Not Ready to Dance" and "Just Click" are some of my favorite lyrics I've ever written. I wrote them both with Scott Harris, and I'm really proud of the story telling. If you focus on the lyrics, they take you on a whole journey.
As a singer you had a chance to perform on stage with The Chainsmokers and Frenship on their concerts and such TV shows as "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "Good Morning America". What is your most special gig experience so far?
Touring with The Chainsmokers was one of the highlights of my life so far to be honest. They're the best, and everyone on their team is so fun and welcoming. Having the opportunity to get up and sing a few songs in front of such humongous crowds was not only insanely fun but also sort of threw me right in the ring and I really I learned a lot from it. If I had to pick one show, it'd be the one in New York - all my friends and family came out and it was the last night of the tour. It was the best!
Music is the most important part of your life, but I guess that you have some other activities besides. How do you spend your free time?
I love to travel, see the world and meet people from different walks of life. And I love to read - I get a lot of inspiration from books and the rest from conversation, so I love to have both as much as I can!
What are your main plans and aims for the foreseeable future? Are you planning to go on tour to promote your new music?
I have two tour dates as of now, Los Angeles at the Moroccan on 5 November and New York at Rough Trade on 7 November. I'm just really excited to get out and play my own songs! And then you can definitely expect more music! Writing for myself and others. And I'm looking to dip into some creative fields outside of music in the coming year as well. So stay tuned!
If you want to learn more about Emily Warren and her music, please visit her official website:
https://www.facebook.com/emilywarrenmusic/
https://www.instagram.com/emilywarrennnn/
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