Interview with Emma Moore

Here at Belles and Gals we are delighted to introduce our first interview and even more delighted with the subject of the first interview! Emma Moore is someone we came across just a few weeks ago and her first song made an immediate impact – so much so in fact, that she has become Belles and Gals tip for the top. Last week we had a chat with Emma and this is how it went (she even gave us an exclusive!).

Hi Emma. At Belles and Gals we first came across you on Twitter, when you posted a YouTube video of a song called ‘Paper Roses’, a song that you wrote and recorded just the day before on Valentine’s Day. How did that song come into being?

I love lyrics with a timeline, where you feel like you get the whole story rather than a snapshot of someones life – and I had a note written down about “building a life” and how I wanted to make that saying more literal and explore it in a song. So the basis of the story had been around for a while, then when I was sat playing my guitar I got the melody and had an image in my head of roses left on a front porch. “You left me paper roses at the door” just came out and so I went from there. I like the progression of making a gift, a relationship, a home and then family.

So, what was it that got you started on your music career? Was there a Eureka moment, or has it been a long term ambition?

It’s been a long time coming! I’ve wanted to work in music since high school and started taking it seriously when I started college at 16. However, it took a while for me to find my place. I grew up on Country music, and it was always so special to me but I had no idea there was a UK Country Music Community at all. I guess the most important “eureka moment” was when I posted some country demos I had recorded (just vocals to backing tracks) in a couple of UKCM groups on Facebook and got an amazing response. I then discovered UK artists writing their own Country music and it was like a switch – everything started falling in to place.

It’s an exciting time in the UK when it comes to country music right now. What is it that particularly attracted you to the country scene?

I didn’t pick up my guitar to write a Country song, I just wrote what I was thinking or feeling and sang it how I liked the sound. Turns out it’s a very Country orientated sound. The scene itself is full of so much talent, and some incredible music it’s just a pleasure to be even a small part of. The support is incredible and it’s amazing to see it rising in popularity.

I’m always intrigued as to how an artist goes about the writing process. Do you come up with the lyrics and then write the music around it, or does the music come first? Or is it a bit of both?

It’s usually both together for me, probably 9 times out of 10. But I carry notebooks with me everywhere and have them all over the house in case I get an idea, so I have pages and pages of thoughts, phrases, even full sections of lyrics that I go to when I get time to write. And my phone is full of melodies I’ve sung to myself when I’ve been inspired out and about, or more likely at 4am and I’m trying to be as quiet as I can without losing the idea.

Everyone has an embarrassing first album or song they ever bought. What’s yours?

Oh no! The first single I bought was ‘Baby One More Time’ by Britney Spears. I have no words, haha! I can’t remember the first album I bought, but I know the first two I knew all the words to.. They were ‘Wide Open Spaces’ by The Dixie Chicks and ‘Come On Over’ by Shania Twain.

And what was the last album you listened to?

I have music on constantly, unless I’m writing, but today has been filled with ‘Here We Go Again’ by Jess And The Bandits, ‘Pageant Material’ and ‘Same Trailer Different Park’ by Kacey Musgraves and ‘Traveller’ by Chris Stapleton.

What plans are in store for Emma Moore in 2016?

I’m releasing my debut EP in JUNE 2016! (And you are the first to know) I absolutely cannot wait to get my music out for people to hear, and I’m hoping that will lead to more gigs and travelling further afield. I’ve been lucky enough to interact with fans from all over the UK and I’d love the chance to perform closer to them. The album ‘Good For You’ by the Ash Cooper Band will also be released which is an album I’ve recorded a track for which is so exciting. It features a lot of UK talent so it’s definitely something you’ll want to look out for.

Interview was conducted by Nick Cantwell