Emma

Your name:
Emma Louise Hewson.

Where are you from?
I was raised in Guelph ON, but have been living in Toronto for the past six years.

Who else is in your band?
I'm a solo act, but I'm occasionally joined by Raphael Roter. He recorded the percussion on my first EP, just released in June.

How would you describe yourself?
I'm a Toronto-based singer/pianist/songwriter, with a strong passion to express myself fully. What that means, is that even though most of my music is R&B/pop, I like to improvise a lot and be creative with my music and stage performances. I'm really interested in performing as an authentic artist, who is continually evolving and expressing herself.

Who are your main influences musically?
I studied classical piano for years, listening to Bach, Debussy, Chopin etc.. but I always had an ear out for pop/r&b. My first album, given to me by my father when I was around six years old, was of Mariah Carey. Presently, I'm most inspired by the careers of Rihanna and Kimbra, and I'm very heavily influenced by the local Toronto music scene.

What do you hope to achieve in music?
I really hope to achieve a career where I feel totally able to express myself and my ideas with ease. I'm personally inspired by musicians who stand by their causes, stand by their desires, and express everything fully through their art. That's real, and that makes me feel alive. I would love to be proof that you can be fully expressed and live life as a strong person mentally, emotionally, physically and creatively.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?
Recording and releasing my album for sure. Hands down it's my proudest musical achievement because I never quit and I went for it even when I had no idea how I was going to do it! Getting my degree in music from York University last year was also a high point.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?
All of the crazy/crying/run-out-of-the-room-I'm-so-scared performance anxiety I had during my classical training and university performances. haha.

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?
The Best is the single off of the new EP, and I picked it for many reasons. I wrote it in high school, so it represents that teenage part of me who at the same time really believed in myself and also really doubted my ability. It's kind of the champion of my high school self. Like, see? We made it. - Real Sounds OK

A constantly-moving camera turns an otherwise straightforward performance into something more interesting in the video for Emma Louise Hewson’s “The Best.” Grayowl Point is premiering the video, the first and only single from Hewson’s debut EP, EMMA.

As for the song, it features Hewson on piano with Raphael Roter brushing away on drums. Hewson’s R&B vocal delivery makes the otherwise solemn-sounding pop song sound like something new. - Gray Owl Point

Toronto based artist Emma Louise Hewson has just released a brand new music video for her haunting single, “The Best.” Simple, yet powerful, the video features Hewson on piano, spewing out pop vocals with an R&B/soul delivery, while Raphael Roter keeps time on drums. - Infectious Magazine