Emma Rae

I have been immersed in music my whole life. My dad is a jazz trombonist, and me and my sister used to fall asleep underneath the drum set listening to my dad’s bands rehearse. My mom played the guitar and was a singer, and I got her musical ear and ability to harmonize with anything.

When I was young, I wanted to play just about every musical instrument. I studied drums, piano, bass and trombone. When a new musical instrument came into the house, I could instantly make music with it. Life at home was musical theater with people frequently bursting into song. In school, I joined chorus, and settled on the trombone to join jazz band, wind ensemble and chamber orchestra. During this time, I toured Europe twice with a symphonic band and choir as part of the American Music Abroad organization. There I developed a real sense of music as a universal language.

Tragedy struck when I was 14. My beautiful mother was hit and killed by a car. I turned to music as an emotional outlet for my grief and began writing my own songs. I followed this passion by studying songwriting at Berklee College of Music, where I graduated from in 2015. At Berklee, I won a songwriting scholarship my senior year for my song Old Oak Heart, which appears as two versions on my EP, one acoustic version and a more fully arranged version.

I have been told that my sensitivity and ability to perceive the details make my songs touch and inspire people universally. My arrangements draw on my talents as a multi-instrumentalist and my ability to incorporate complex vocal harmonies. My style is most influenced by alternative pop and jazz, and my inspiration comes from the wonders, problems and diversity I see in the world around me.

Emma Rae’s debut album features all original songs, written, arranged and performed by her. Be sure to check out her debut music video here for her song You & Me, created by her sister Leah, a film student at The University of Southern California. Emma has been doing commissioned pieces for her sister’s films for some time, so it was a treat for the sisters to collaborate on Emma’s first music video.

Emma is continuing to write songs and perform. Keep your eyes out for Emma performing in New York and Connecticut and get in touch if you would like to book her for a performance. She is also working as a studio singer. Emma has found she can share her love of music by teaching. She teaches privately and at Stamford’s Pop Music Academy where she teaches voice, piano and songwriting. Stay tuned for new songs by Emma Rae and enjoy.