Emma Noren On Titanic, Their EP Good Dream, And Moving To LA
According to Emma Noren’s own definition, the 20-something-year-old singer-songwriter from Northern California is many things: a morbid introvert, a Libran chameleon, and even (much to the chagrin of everyone rooting for an Emma Noren Terminator timeline), a “certified human being.” Their first single, ‘Cigarette,’ was released in July 2021 and forged a sonic coalescence between the typical traditionalism of Americana folk-rock and the youthful modernity of the indie-pop scene, while also managing to ruin the diets of listeners everywhere with their mouth-watering single cover. Noren’s debut and most recent EP, Good Dream, only furthered their propensity for confessional, acoustic lyricism and was released in August of 2021.
Editor Caitlin Andrews had the lovely chance to speak with Emma Noren about the correlations between songwriting and keeping a journal, the need for queer representation in the modern music industry, and the pre-adolescent music they wrote inspired by the movie Titanic.
Caitlin Andrews: It’s so nice to meet you, Emma! How are you feeling?
Emma Noren: “I’m feeling great. Thank you so much for having me! I feel super honored to be featured. It’s been a really lovely past few months playing live shows again and slowly getting back out there, so I’ve been kind of floating on all the feelings that come from performing, and it’s pretty wonderful.”
CA: In relation to your love of “diary-like phrases,” what first got you interested in writing music? How have you changed as a person since your first time picking up an instrument or noting down lyrics?
EN: “My dad has played music for as long as I can remember, and as a kid I thought it was the coolest thing that songs are things you can create. I grew up listening to him write lyrics and mess around on the guitar, and he helped me write my first song when I was 7, which was about friendship. I slowly picked up the guitar around age 11 and started writing about everything—books I was reading, my cat, puberty, crushes; sort of inconsequential things in the grand scheme, but when you’re young, it feels like the whole world. I have changed and grown a whole bunch, but if I’m being totally honest, I do still like to write about crushes and pets :).”
CA: Back in August 2021, you released your first ever single, “Cigarette”! Did the production and release of this track live up to your expectations of what releasing your first track would be like? How did witnessing the public response to your music make you feel?
EN: “The production part of the experience was a blast. My friend (and fellow musician) Colin Jones produced ‘Cigarette’ with me, and we ended up changing the arrangement of it quite a bit. It started off as an acoustic indie folk song, but we realized pretty quickly it needed to be much grungier, so we made it a rock song, and that made everything click. My partner Becky Free played drums on it and together the three of us kind of rebirthed the song to what it is now—I call it a summer driving song; indie rock’n’roll with distorted guitar and heavy bass and a beat you can dance to. When it came to the release, I had no idea what I was doing, so I accidentally put it out a week early, but overall everyone was so supportive and kind, which could not have been more affirming and appreciated. It’s such a vulnerable thing to release music, especially the first song ever, so I felt really honored that the people around me liked this thing that I made.”
CA: You’ve previously described your own music as having a “lyrical emphasis on failed relationships, general phobias, and the human condition.” What do you think motivates you to write music about these topics specifically? Do you consider the topics to be reflective of who you are as a person?
EN: “To be totally honest, I’m generally a pretty anxious person, so I think one of the main reasons I adore songwriting and gravitate towards certain themes is because it gives me a feeling of control over my own life that I think I’m always craving. It sort of feels like I am writing diary entries to myself that I then end up sharing with everyone I know. What I write about is 100% a reflection of who I am as a human and my experiences. I am so envious of artists who are able to write about fictional characters or made-up things, because that’s not a skill I’ve been able to master yet. If I put it in a song, you can assume that it’s pulled directly from my life, no matter how soul-baring.”
CA: From releasing “Cigarette” to releasing your latest EP “Good Dream” later in the same year, how do you think your music developed during that time? Do you have any hopes of coming out with a full-length album in the future?
EN: “The experience of recording and arranging ‘Cigarette’ and the EP songs was amazing because it helped me figure out exactly what I wanted my music to sound like. Going into it, I don’t think I totally knew what my sound was, and a lot of the songs started off as softer acoustic songs with just vocals and an acoustic guitar. Through the production process, we realized that they were actually rock songs that sounded best electrified with a full drum kit, synths, and a lot of reverb, so it’s been quite the evolution as far as genre and style go. I’m planning to record another EP this summer, and this time around I feel really confident in how I want to sound and how I want the songs to land, so I’m really excited. And yes! A full-length album is for sure a goal of mine and is definitely in the works, but there is no solid timeline for it yet. Maybe 2023 :).”
CA: If you were not pursuing a career as a singer-songwriter, what do you think you would be doing instead? Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of writing music?
EN: “I do have other hobbies, but I would say I’m a dabbler in all of them; music stole my heart and free time pretty early on. I love painting and photography, but recently I’ve been more interested in the cinematic side of things. Film is such a cool medium and can be so stunning when it’s done well. I have so many ideas for music videos living inside of my head, and I would love to have the skillset to make short films, so if I wasn’t doing music, I’d potentially point my full focus towards that. I’m really lucky to know and have amazing artists as friends, though, so I don’t have to stumble through learning it all and we can just make art together. Collaboration always feels more fun anyway.”
CA: As a queer artist, what do you think are the best and worst parts of being a part of the music industry? Are there any changes you would like to see made to help support the LGBTQ+ community?
EN: “Music is my favorite thing to do/create/experience in the whole world, but it’s not an easy industry to exist in. There’s definitely this feeling (at least for me) of competition and urgency as someone who’s sort of just starting out. It’s tough to make money and it’s tough to avoid comparing myself to all of the amazingly talented folks out there. It’s a difficult mindset to shake, but comparison is such a creativity killer, and it’s something I’m working on letting go of. On the flip side, my absolute favorite part of it all are the incredible artists and folks I’ve met each time I play a show. I’m an introvert and it’s truly such a high to connect with people through music, whether it’s playing with or performing for people. It’s the coolest thing, and I wish I could do it every day for the rest of my life. As far as changes that would be really cool to see that would support the LGBTQIA community, I think the biggest thing is just more amplification of queer voices, particularly queer BIPOC voices. There can never be too much queer representation in any industry, but the arts are where people turn to to learn and feel seen and get inspired and feel less alone, and the more queer folks that are seated at the table, the better.”
CA: Based on your love of confessional songwriting, are there any fun confessions you’d be willing to make? Tell us something unexpected about yourself!
EN: “One of the first songs I wrote was right after seeing Titanic for the first time when I was 12. I was obsessed with that film and was completely captured by how tragic it was, and I was convinced I could write a song about the voyage of the ship (not even the love story) that could stir the same kind of emotion in my listeners (which didn’t exist at the time). I added a ton of historical facts about the ship and the details of its sinking, and literally pieced together random bits of info pulled straight from Wikipedia. In the end, I thought the song was very deep and highly emotional, but in reality it was genuinely so bad. My songwriting has improved since then, but I remember being so proud of that song and thinking it would be the one to make me famous.”
CA: What’s next on the musical horizon? Do you have any upcoming releases or venues scheduled for 2022?
EN: “I actually just moved to LA this month, so I’m in the process of booking some LA shows and am really looking forward to getting out and playing around here. I am also playing an opening set for Frau Eva at Soda Bar in San Diego on July 8th that I’m really excited about. Otherwise, I am looking to release another single this summer that I’m not quite ready to officially announce yet, but it’s a dreamy, drippy synth-pop song about queer love and lust, and the idea of renouncing God as a figure to worship in favor of worshipping women and queer humans instead. I wrote it a few years back, right after coming out, and it’s full of angst and drama, so keep your eyes peeled for that.”
CA: Where can Periphery’s readers find you?
EN: “I’m trying to get better about being more active on social media, but Instagram is my most consistently updated social media site. You can find me there at @emmanorenmusic and also on my website at www.emmanorenmusic.com. Thank you so much!”
Periphery Magazine thanks Emma Noren for their contribution, and wishes them luck with their future releases! You can find them on social media and streaming platforms here:
Instagram: @emmanorenmusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYk6DEdXDcFsRDVuIDk9wQ
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/59qKHNjYO5R7wlmYmCnvCY?si=TnJcGWtZQsqPUmRbDyNtRw
Website: https://emmanorenmusic.com/