Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with EMELINE

Rising singer-songwriter EMELINE is one of the breakout artists of 2021. The gifted and talented artist has moved listeners with her uplifting message and tremendous vocal range.

Earlier this year, she released the empowering anthem “this is how i learned to say no”.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with EMELINE about her career, “this is how i learned to say no”, and more.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music and the arts?
EMELINE: I was always drawn to the arts, particularly musical theater. I got into that when I was seven or eight years old. I did musical theater professionally growing up. I definitely admired a lot of ’90s female artists like Alanis Morissette. My mom bought me a guitar when I was seven because I thought Sheryl Crow looked really cool with one. I started writing when I was around that age. It was very innate.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
EMELINE: That’s a good question. I would say my mom. A lot of my newer music is inspired by her strength and our bond. A lot of my music is about regaining that strength. We’re very, very close. She’s my cheerleader and number one fan.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
EMELINE: I had a TikTok video that went viral. It was me listening to the demo of “flowers & sex”. I was in the middle of writing it. I will never forget the immense joy that I experienced when that started blowing up and having this realization of what was happening and what could be. Every ten minutes, I would start sobbing. But at the same time, I would be like, “We’ve got to plan.” I was in crazy person mode, but it all fell together. I scrambled so hard, but in the midst of being this business person, I broke down sobbing because I had spent years as a writer, trying to be an artist, trying to find a team. It was all coming into place. That was so rewarding.

PC: You’ve got a new single out now. Tell us about “this is how i learned to say no” and the inspiration behind the song.
EMELINE: The song was a breaking point for me. While I was writing the song, I had no plans of releasing it. It was so therapeutic, and I think that’s why it’s connecting with so many people. But I had decided to set boundaries in my own life. I wanted to have this strength. I wanted to be this person who could say no. As someone who has struggled to say no for most of my life, making that decision and trying to uphold it was a real moment for me. I wrote that after “flowers & sex”. I released it in a similar way as I had “flowers & sex”. I teased it on TikTok a few days after writing it. Everything that has blown up has been incredibly aligned with what I’m currently going through. It’s fun to bring people on this journey. But yeah, this song is about my own strength and loving myself enough to set boundaries.

PC: You’ve used your craft and platform to bring awareness to issues and topics that you’re incredibly passionate about. How did you discover your voice as an advocate?
EMELINE: That’s a good question. I’ve always cared about people. When I was in high school, I was going to all the Black Lives Matter protests. I’ve always been an advocate and ally for equality. I wrote a song about my own personal struggles with a man in my life who kept putting me down. I wrote a song called “hush”. It was my first single. At the time, I was really into directing. I reached out to all the women’s marches to see if I could help. I wanted to shoot a short film for them when I was eighteen.

I had sent them my songs. I was like, “This is my song about regaining my strength as a woman.” They were like, “Do you want to perform it?” I performed it at the Boston Women’s March. There were so many more people than I had expected. There were like 200,000 people and they didn’t have enough acts. They threw me and Elizabeth Warren onto the stage. Luckily, I used to perform at farmers’ markets for five hours at a time, so I whipped out that set. I stood in front of 200,000 people and talked about my beliefs on staying strong and being together during such an insane time in America.

A lot of my songs start as personal struggles or moments. After I finish writing them, I realize they touch on bigger topics. It’s inspiring to see how a song can change lives and hopefully push feminism forward.

PC: You’re an artist that’s been releasing music throughout the years. If you had to pick one song that best encompasses who you are as an artist, which would it be and why?
EMELINE: “Flowers & sex” because it’s iconic. It’s so fun and out there, but at the same time, I put some crumbs in there. I wanted to hopefully subconsciously influence my younger fans to think about sex and the idea of asking for what you want as a tool that is powerful. It has multiple layers where it includes my mission. Also, it has insane production. That’s one of my favorite songs I’ve ever worked on. That was a moment where everything clicked.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2021 into 2022, what can fans expect from you?
EMELINE: They can expect a few music videos and singles. Those singles will lead to an EP. I’ve never released a body of work before, so that’s something I’ve always wanted to do.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
EMELINE: I listen to a lot of ’50s music. I listen to Nancy Sinatra every morning. I’m a big Elliott Smith fan.

PC: First album you bought?
EMELINE: It was a Norah Jones album. I remember purchasing it physically as a CD and being like, “I will tell this in an interview one day.” Here we are. [laughs]

PC: First concert you attended?
EMELINE: The first solo concert I went to was Justin Bieber.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
EMELINE: Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. It inspired my lyrics to be blunt.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
EMELINE: The Heartbreak Hotel in Providence Rhode Island where I’m from.

PC: A must-have on the road?
EMELINE: Coffee.

To keep up with EMELINE, follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, and Apple Music. Pick up or stream “this is how i learned to say no” today.