Self-made instrumentalist and songwriter EMM joins us on Close-Up Culture to chat about the release of her new single, LOZER (With A Z).
Hi EMM, welcome to Close-Up Culture.
Hey! Thank you so much for having me.
What was your trigger to write LOZER (With A Z)?
I am always on a quest to eliminate shame. So in my lyrics I try to talk about things that most people would be ashamed of. I think a lot of artists like to look cool and they have that “you can’t sit with us” vibe. One day I was in a meeting and this girl said “Oh I’ll never be as cool as EMM…” and I was like wait, wait, wait. I was NEVER the cool kid. Most of the time the “cool kids” have hated me. I’ve definitely had a ton of moments of sitting alone. I was homeschooled. I’m socially awkward. And I wanted to own that and also acknowledge that I’m totally okay with that. I would rather like myself and be a freak than fit in and be like everyone else. And I hope my fans feel the same way about themselves.
Can you give us insight into the creative process for, and development of, this song?
Sure. I’ve been really inspired by Phonk music so we started with that in mind. That’s where we got the big synth inspo that you hear in the intro, and the sampled “Rather be a freak” section. That part is my voice. We just screwed with it to make it sound cooler. Then Jason had that cool guitar melody for the hook, which we just matched with the same vocal melody for a chorus.
While I was writing I just kept asking myself, what is the most vulnerable shit that no one wants to say? I want to say that… the stuff that most people would be way too embarrassed to admit. And then own it. Unapologetically. And for the lyric video performance I did the same exact thing. I didn’t want to be hot or sexy or dance well. I just wanted to have fun and be stupid and honest and funny in my movement, like I would if I was joking around with my friends or in my bedroom alone dancing in my underwear.
What impact do you hope this single has on listeners?
I hope they love it and play it on repeat like I did when we first made it. I hope they remember that they should never be ashamed of things the world tells them are “cringey.” And that it’s okay not to be one of the cool kids. They can always sit with me.
You’ll be performing at The Roxy in LA in July. How are you feeling ahead of that show?
I’m really honored to get to play such an iconic venue in LA. I’ve put 2 years into developing my show. It’s really theatrical and has a lot of storytelling to it and it’s really not like any other show that I know of.
You are also working on a secret project, titled Genesis. What can you reveal about that?
I can’t say much right now, just that it’s really empowering. And I’ve spent close to two years working on it. And I think it’s going to impact a lot of women in a really positive way and disrupt a lot of things that need to be disrupted. I think it’s probably the most important thing I’ve made.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
World domination!
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