Get to Know Emily Frith!

This year Belles and Gals will be sponsoring three fantastic UK artists. Last week we announced our second sponsored artist – Emily Frith, so today we thought we’d have a chat with the lady herself!

Hi Emily! Can you give us an insight into how you got involved in the music industry and has singing always been a dream of yours?

Hey! It’s a pretty funny story actually. I got a guitar when I was about 6 or 7. However, even though I had a kids sized guitar, my fingers just didn’t fit around the fretboard and I didn’t have enough passion to want to learn how to play it, so the guitar sat in my bedroom until I was about 12 years old. When I was 12, I had 2 best friends who were really involved in performing arts, so they were always rehearsing for school concerts & one day, one of them asked me if I could play the guitar for her in the show – so I did, and I haven’t stopped performing since! Before the age of 12, I had no interest in music at all! It’s so weird. I used to be so incredibly shy, and I think I actually wanted to grow up and have my own sweet shop!

How would you choose to describe your sound to those who may not have heard your debut EP ‘One Day’?

I like to call myself a country-pop singer, but due to the diversity in the music I listen to, my sound is very acoustic driven / folky / country / pop. My songs aren’t super up-beat, but I’m known to write a catchy melody. My lyrics tend to focus on the emotional ups and downs that come alongside love, relationships and growing up.

Which artists have had the biggest influence on you and your music? And which artists are you listening to at the moment?

My music taste changes every day, depending what mood I’m in. But I’m currently obsessed with Jillian Jacqueline, Sara Bareilles, The Milk Carton Kids and George Straight! The artists that have had the biggest influence on my music would have to be Taylor Swift, Maren Morris, Lennon Stella and Jacob Whitesides.

What would you say has been the highlight of your singing career so far?

Releasing my own music for sure! That was a dream of mine since I started writing songs. And pretty recently, I’ve had those songs played on BBC radio – so that has definitely been surreal and an unforgettable highlight too!

You’re stranded on a desert island, which celebrity would you like to be stranded with and why? If you could also choose one item to take with you what would it be?

This is actually pretty hard to answer – But I think I’d want to be stranded with Dolly Parton. I just feel like we would have some incredible conversations, which would make the whole situation pretty fun! And I have to be cliché but I’d probably take my guitar because then Dolly and I could write a song together or just provide our own entertainment until someone comes to take us home again! (Also I cannot live without my guitar for a long period of time).

As you’re currently a student, do you find that music helps you to escape from the stresses of student life?

Oh definitely! It’s nice to have that escape too. I came home the other day, after a long day at University, to have my housemate tell me that a family friend of hers had heard my music on the radio! It’s pretty surreal to be able to live two completely different lives, but it is refreshing to know that I have 2 different career paths in my life that I love equally.

Tea or Coffee?
Tea all the way!!! I’m a huge tea fan, and jasmine green tea is my favourite, so I definitely recommend you try it if you haven’t already!

Breakfast or lunch?
If you asked me this question about 2 weeks ago, I would have said lunch because I never used to eat breakfast, but I’ve been having breakfast pretty recently, and I love it! Having yogurt and granola by the window as the sun has just risen is a pretty refreshing way to start the day!

Cats or dogs?
Honestly, this is the hardest question to answer of them all. My dog, Frankie, brings so much happiness and love into my life so I guess I’m going to say dogs!

Finally, to finish tell us about your hopes, plans and what you’re excited about for 2018!
I’m still trying to figure out exactly what I want to do this year, but I would love to release more music! I’m currently writing a lot of new material, so releasing that would be great. I am also thinking about releasing it in stages, rather than all at once in another EP, but we’ll see!! I’m super excited about performing though, last summer I performed in countless festivals and venues, so I would love to do that all again if I get the chance!

Interview conducted by Liam Lewis (twitter.com/liam0324)