Emma Kate on her EP Autumn

Emma Kate’s EP Autumn just dropped, and I had the chance to talk to her about it.

In her own words:

I've been releasing music since 2021, though it was sporadic at first. That year, I released three songs and collaborated on a few. Two years ago, I tried a rock song. I don't do rock anymore, but I don't think it's necessary to stick to one genre. I listen to all kinds of music, even though pop is my biggest influence. I enjoy writing in different styles, and there's no rule against it. Looking back, maybe I wouldn't have released the rock song, but it was still good. As I've grown, I've decided to focus on pop for now. Maybe in the future I'll explore rock again or blend it with pop. I think experimenting and taking music in new directions is valuable. I recently became a songwriter with indie label Wilfred Records, which is exciting. I’ve been writing with Ella Rolls, one of their artists, and we’re very similar; both fans of Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams, so our songwriting styles align. Writing with other artists lets me tell their stories in their words. I never thought I’d get to do this as a job. It also gives me a break from my own music, so I can return to it with fresh eyes.

Do you enjoy writing songs for other people as well?

Yeah, and I want to get into it more. In most places, it's rare not to have more than one songwriter in the room when creating a song. In New Zealand, we tend to do everything ourselves, probably because we're isolated and the industry is smaller. You end up wearing all the hats. I think it would be great if New Zealand embraced more collaborative songwriting, because it's helpful. A song can become something completely different when someone else helps shape it. I've experienced that with my own music. Writing sessions with other artists are fun. It's hanging out, talking about emotions and stories, and putting it to music. I'm grateful I get to do it, and I wish it were more common here.

Before signing with the label, where did you go for support or to write with other artists?

Nowhere, really. I didn’t know I wanted to do that until last year. Before my course, I had barely written with anyone else and was terrified to try. I hated the idea. Before my first collaboration session, I thought, "I’m going to hate this. I just need to get through the night and go home." But I had so much fun, and it opened my eyes. It’s not so bad. At first, it can be hard, especially if you’re writing with someone you haven’t met. You might sit for an hour and come up with nothing, but sometimes you meet someone new, and a song comes immediately. Through that course, I discovered I liked writing with other people. Sometimes my songs start to sound the same if I write too much on my own, so collaborating helps. After the course finished, I only signed with the label about two or three months ago. Before that, I asked my friends and fellow musicians if anyone was keen to write together, and luckily, most were. Doing it over Zoom can be a little tricky, so I mainly did it in person with friends in the same city. But I’ve also done a few Zoom songwriting sessions, and they’ve been really fun. Sometimes they last three hours because we’re just talking the whole time. But I’ve created some really cool songs out of it. Last year, I also set myself the challenge of writing 100 songs, because I am insane and really wanted to do it. I wanted to challenge myself to write about things in different ways and explore more topics. To get through that, I wrote a song every single day for two months. In November, I collaborated with a few people to help make it happen, and it was really fun. I’d definitely do it again.

Going back to the start, did you grow up loving music?

Music has been all I've ever known, really. My house was a musical household; we always had music playing. We had a lot of CDs, and I've been singing since I was born, basically. So yeah, music has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember."

Is that how you first got into music?

Yeah, I grew up loving to sing, especially for family. When relatives visited, I’d perform for them in the living room. Later, I got my first CD, Taylor Swift. After discovering her, I knew I wanted to be a pop star.

Do you happen to remember which Taylor Swift CD it was?

Yeah, it was Fearless. So back in 2008, it was OG Taylor Swift, country Taylor Swift.

Besides Taylor Swift, who else inspired you along the way?

I was inspired by female pop stars like Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, and Ariana Grande. Now I enjoy how songwriters like Lizzy McAlpine and Clairo create music that is relatable and inspiring. I still love all the big pop stars, but I also enjoy Lizzy McAlpine, Clairo, and Olivia Rodrigo. As I've gotten older, I've focused on them and newer pop singers like Sabrina Carpenter. Female pop singers inspire me because I see myself in them, and that's what draws me to their music.

Have you studied songwriting, either formally or informally?

Yes, I’ve studied music. I've taken several songwriting workshops and did two years at Whitireia for a music diploma. That course was more band-focused than songwriting. Last year, I took an artist development course at SOLE Music Academy in Christchurch, where I learned a lot about the industry and collaboration.

What was it like writing songs with others for the first time?

Every Wednesday during the course, we wrote songs together. I was nervous at first, but quickly came to enjoy writing with others and learned a lot. Previously, I struggled to open up in collaborations, but exposure during the course changed that. I now find co-writing fun and valuable.

Is there a turning point in your musical journey where you realised things were starting to happen for you?

It's what I've always wanted to do, but only in the last year has it started to feel real. I've been pushing hard this year, releasing new music and working on the EP. Last week, someone recognised me in public for the first time. That was a special moment. It wasn't a huge turning point, but I realised this is what I've wanted all my life, and it's starting to happen.

What is the story behind this EP?

The EP is called Autumn, and I wrote it over the past year or two. It reflects themes of love, loss, and relationships, which all impact me a lot. Each of the five songs tells a different story. The reason I chose to call the EP Autumn is that, first, there is a track called Autumn on the EP, but also because, as you grow older, things change, kind of like the seasons. You don’t notice it all at once; it happens over time. For me, autumn is a time of change. Especially since my birthday is in autumn. It’s a season where things both good and hard seem to happen, so it felt right to call the EP Autumn. It may not be that way for everyone, but for me it is. It just felt right to write about. And I also love autumn. It’s my favourite season, so there’s a little bit of bias in there. The weather, especially, is really reflective of what you go through as a human in that time. One of the songs on my EP, called Still Here is about my granddad, who unfortunately passed away in May, seven years ago now. It’s weird because he’s not my only grandparent who has passed away in autumn. Both of them who have passed away did. So life always seems to happen for me then. There was a show I did last year where I debuted one of the songs I’d written, No Good at Being Alone, which is basically about moving out for the first time to a city you’ve never been to, with nobody you know there, and realising this is actually really hard. When I played it back in Wellington to my family and friends, the whole room was in tears. It was really hard to get through that song, because I wrote it about everyone in that room.

​New Zealand has a creative culture that's so different from anywhere else. how has that shaped your journey?

There are many devoted fans in New Zealand, and I love seeing people show up for local artists. I went to Newtown Festival and Cuba Dupa recently, and there was so much support for all the local artists. It's special that our country's culture lifts people up for their music. The listeners are very supportive, but the music industry is challenging; you need to know people, and if you're not doing as well as others, you might not get noticed. There's a stigma around that, but the listening base is devoted. People love having a 'secret' artist they support, even if no one else knows them they gatekeep their favourites. I support gatekeeping, but also think it's important to share who you listen to, because otherwise, the artist can't grow. It's great we have that kind of support here.

Do you have advice for young creatives on networking?

Networking is essential, and you can’t get far without knowing anyone. But if you keep showing up, commenting, reaching out, and being present at gigs, people notice. The most important thing is to put yourself out there and not be afraid. It will be scary, so you might as well try. If you don’t try, you won’t get results. Message people; if they don’t reply, try someone else. Not everyone will respond. You’ll face rejection, but it can motivate you to try again and find new opportunities. Sometimes the person who rejected you will come back when someone else says yes and helps you. Don’t be afraid to reach out. Even just asking people how they got onto a certain radio station helps. There's a lot of information in the music industry that isn't shared, so without connections, you have to figure it out on your own. Ask questions, keep asking, and get to know people. Then people learn your name and get interested in what you do. Hopefully, it leads to bigger things.

What do you hope people take away from the message of your EP?

I would love to find people who relate to it and relate to my story. It’s nice to have that community and know other people feel things the same way you do. But at the end of the day, I also really hope people find and love my music, because that fuels me to create more. Music is the thing I love doing most in the world, so if I can find people who share that love and appreciate what I do, that is everything to me.