Journey of a Song

"Don't let what we have fall prey to a shallow society."
Set against a soundscape of feel-good R&B, these words highlight the extent of what Quentin Moore strives to offer in "You Forgot Your Heart." Part social commentary, part old-fashioned heartbreak anthem, "You Forgot Your Heart" takes the listener as deep as they'd like to go. Those looking for a slow dance can certainly find it, but Moore also offers the opportunity for a discussion about gender roles, social stigma, and the value of vulnerability. In this episode, Emmeline and Quentin talk about relationships as inspiration, the joys of live music, the way songs gain a life of their own, and how audience interaction gives songwriters the chance to reimagine their music.
To learn more about Quentin, or to follow his musical journey, you can find all of his social media links, tour dates, and more at his official website. To learn more about Journey of a Song, follow Emmeline on social media at @EmmelineMusic or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from other episodes on the Journey of a Song 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.

"Why am I the same?"
This poignant question serves as a haunting, thought-provoking conclusion to "Houston," the coming-of-age ballad off of Billy Law's brand new album, Alone Somewhere. Billy's sparse musical rendering emphasizes the loneliness of one's early twenties, when the shift from college life to adulthood forces a sort of personal reckoning. In this episode, Emmeline and Billy talk about the essential loneliness of self-discovery, the confusing transition to becoming one's own breadwinner, the importance of following one's heart and chasing one's passion, and the persistence with which a parent's adages seem to follow us around. They also talk about the importance of live music, the importance of leaving space in music, and why dynamics matter so much in the execution of a song. You'll even hear them share their favorite sad songs, like "Seventeen" by Sharon Van Etten and Olivia Rodrigo's "Enough for You."
To learn more about Billy Law, or to follow his musical journey, find him on all of your favorite social media sites at @abillylaw. You can also download his new album, Alone Somewhere, on all streaming platforms. 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 back episodes with the 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.

"Do you know what it feels like to fall apart and smile at the same time?"
With this poignant question, Dallas-based pop artist Michael Sanchez articulated the feelings that fueled not only the creation of his thoughtful banger, "Life of the Party," but his entire album, appropriately titled The Other Side of Fear. Amidst a pulsing bass and an electronic soundscape, Sanchez muses about the limitations of a party lifestyle and the complex emotions that lifestyle may be obscuring. In this episode, Emmeline and Michael discuss mental health as an active pursuit, the gifts and blessings in the COVID-19 lockdown, and how sitting in and writing through his emotions has led Michael to the happiest place in which he's ever been. They also talk about working with children, defying the definitions imposed by entertainment media, and giving people permission to be okay with not being okay. They take a brief detour to dissect the pop landscape of the late 1990s and early 2000s, with an enthusiastic examination of how Britney Spears and her live performances helped to define an era.
To follow Michael's journey, or to hear more from his full-length album, The Other Side of Fear, find him on Instagram at @michaelsanchez_official or visit his official website. For behind-the-scenes information and more about Journey of a Song, follow Emmeline on Instagram at @EmmelineMusic.

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.

"Watch me burn through the shadows as bright as the sun."
This is one of the many uplifting, empowering sentiments in Ellen Once Again's first release of 2021, "Survivor." Produced by Josh Goode, "Survivor" details the struggle so many have endured during the difficulties of 2020, but it seeks to infuse this season adversity with hope and strength. In this episode, Ellen Once Again and Emmeline discuss the realities of one year of COVID-19--from homeschool to a lack of live music--and how these difficult circumstances inspired Ellen to reflect on the resilience of the human spirit. They also talk about the juggling act of life as a creative professional, the lack of compartmentalization in lockdown, reimagining ways to use music to connect, and how--in the words of the amazing Chris Cleave--"a scar means I survived." (You can find the book Emmeline references, Little Bee, here.)
To check out the video for Ellen Once Again's song, "Survivor," click here. To follow Ellen's journey or to hear more of her music, you can find her on TikTok or on Instagram at @EllenOnceAgain. You can also visit her official website.

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.

"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.