Emma See On Her Authentic Songwriting And Letting Go With New Single “How to Drive”

An artist that you need to watch out for!

Originally from Denmark, this UK-based Emma See is the pop princess we’ve been looking for. All of her songs are relatable bops, and her latest single “How to Drive” is no different.

We had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Emma about her NYC debut, “Like That”, and more!

When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

E: “I’ve known that I wanted a career in music from quite a young age. I grew up in the Danish countryside with both my parents being artists- my dad’s a bronze caster and my mum’s a painter- so creativity was always part of everyday life. I started writing songs when I was about seven, recording in my dad’s home studio in a shed in the garden. At first we were doing cover songs, it didn’t take long before I started writing my own songs as well, and we began recording those too. I remember handing out my own CDs at school, which, looking back, feels quite early to have that kind of instinct. In terms of actually pursuing it though, I think it became more real when I moved away from my childhood home after college to study songwriting in the UK. That was the first time I really started to understand what a career in music could look like. But it
probably wasn’t until after I graduated that I felt like I was fully pursuing it as a career.”

Congratulations on your latest hit “How to Drive”. How did this single come to be?

E: “Thank you so much! The song was born at a writing camp in Italy where I met some really talented people- including songwriter Connor Douglas Fergusson and songwriter/producer Steven Ilves, who I ended up writing the song with one of the days of the camp. It was the first time we’d ever worked together- but yeah, it just felt very effortless and fun to write. At the time, I’d just come out of something with someone, and I remember feeling quite reflective that day- thinking about past relationships, my own patterns, where I’d been and where I wanted to go, and that really set the tone for the song. I remember listening to the demo on the flight back home and just not being able to stop playing it. Afterwards, I went to visit my dad in Denmark and recorded the final vocals at my childhood home. I sent it to Steven, who then did his magic, and we ended up sending it to Brandon Unis, who did such a beautiful job mixing and mastering it.”

If you had to choose a song from your discography that best represents who you are as an artist, which would it be and why?

E: “I think it might be my single “Like That,” written with and produced by Jack Ducker. It feels like a good representation of me as a songwriter and artist because of the vulnerability and honesty in it. It has that kind of hopeless romantic, vulnerable yet confident, self-reflective energy- which feels very me-coded. The song came from a place of wishing I could be more laid-back, feel less, be a little less sensitive, I suppose. But performing it live afterwards and doing PR around the release of it, it ended up becoming this quiet celebration of that exact sensitivity and of being unapologetically yourself. I actually think that being sensitive and feeling things deeply is such a superpower. And I wouldn’t be able to write the songs I write if it wasn’t for that part of me.”

You just made your New York City debut! What has your experience in the big apple been like thus far?

E: “New York is genuinely my favorite city in the world. I have family there and I usually stay with my cousin and her husband- so it feels like home away from home in a way. I’ve mainly visited to spend time with them and to explore the city and soak up inspiration- I always come back feeling really energized and creatively inspired!”

Are there any other US cities/states that you’d love to perform in next?

E: “I’d love nothing more than to play more shows in the US! Los Angeles and Nashville are high on my list- especially because of the songwriting communities there, I’d love to connect with that. I also think that places like San Francisco, Austin and Chicago would be amazing to experience live- they seem to have really strong music scenes. But I’m honestly just excited to keep exploring and see where the music resonates.”

One of the many aspects that makes your music so strong is your incredible songwriting skills.
It’s your storytelling abilities that make each song relatable. What advice would you give to
aspiring artists who are exploring being vulnerable in their lyrics?

E: “Thank you, I really appreciate that! For me it ties in with authenticity. Authenticity has always been the most important thing to me when writing. I think vulnerability in songwriting is less about trying to say something profound and more about being specific and real- even if it feels a bit uncomfortable. Usually, the things you hesitate to say are the ones people end up connecting with the most. And it’s not to say that everything has to come directly from personal experience, but as long as what you’re saying feels true to you and you can sing it from your heart, I think that’s a really good place to start.”

Make sure to stream “How to Drive”, available now on all music platforms!

Photo Credit: Connor Douglas Ferguson

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene Magazine, back in October 2020. When not helping her team and working on their print issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral TikTok recipe.