Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily O’Neal. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Emily, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of my most meaningful projects to date is my song “Watercolor.” I came up with the concept in Fall 2022 but hung onto it for a while because I knew the idea was special and wanted to wait for the right moment to write the song. I was afraid I wouldn’t do it justice if I wasn’t in the right headspace to write it. That moment finally came right before Christmas last year and it was an incredible feeling to finally get the story out and get it right. It’s a song about healing, relief, and contentment, which can be some of the more difficult topics to write about for me. I made a demo and later took it to my friend Brady Armstrong to finish the production. I’m ecstatic with the way it turned out. It’s my favorite song I’ve released so far lyrically and sonically, and I feel like I’m finally finding my own unique voice.

Emily, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up in Florida, in a small town named Starke, between Jacksonville & Gainesville. My mom enrolled me in piano lessons when I was 6 and I didn’t love it at the time, but I DID learn that I love to sing. I was super shy growing up and had a lot of stage fright so it wasn’t until I was around 13 when I actually started singing in front of people. I started performing at any events around town that would let me.

During that time I also picked up the guitar and started writing songs. I had a really hard time relating to and making friends with people in my hometown and all of those feelings got poured into my songs. I continued writing and performing throughout high school & decided to go to college for music and move to Nashville in 2020.

I’ve been so lucky to have incredible experiences like opening up for Olivia O’Brien, playing the bluebird cafe, going to LA for Grammy week, and winning a BMI John Lennon Scholarship for songwriting. I released my debut EP “Otherworldly” in 2021 and my new single “Watercolor” this past July.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I felt a lot of pressure to release music as soon as possible because, from my observations, the industry favors young artists. Every person’s music journey is different, and I wish I hadn’t put so much pressure on myself to succeed right away. Every song is just 1 piece of your overall artist puzzle and you don’t have to rest your hopes upon any 1 song.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist are the “lightbulb” moments, whether that be writing or producing. The moments when you finally have the perfect line or melody for a song, or the band clicks when performing live, or when you finally find the perfect sound to add to the recording are all invigorating. Trying to make something the best it can be and feeling like you’ve succeeded is magical.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emilyonealmusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyonealmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilyonealmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@emilyonealmusic/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyonealmusic

Image Credits
Christina Coleman, Kenzie Maroney, Tejas Badgujar