CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Clarksville native Emmalee will compete on season 19 of The Voice, joining Team Kelly.
Emmalee turned heads and chairs on November 2 at the show’s blind auditions, where she performed Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know.”
The daughter of CHS Principal Bryan Feldman, Emmalee moved to Clarksville at a young age. She has been a regular performer in both Clarksville and Nashville, and released her first EP at 15. She has also served as a worship leader for local churches.
Emmalee spoke with Clarksville Now by phone on her way to Nashville on Thursday.
So, how does it feel to get offers from both Kelly Clarkson and John Legend?
“They were my top two picks, so immediately to see John turn around and Kelly to turn around within seconds was humbling and validating.”
John Legend was the first person to speak up, and had quite a bit of praise for your audition. Why did you end up choosing Kelly?
“I ended up choosing Kelly because, going into it, I wanted to be on Kelly’s team. Being a woman in the music industry, and also being somebody who has been on a show like The Voice, she has a lot to offer. She’s an incredible vocalist and I knew she had a lot that she could teach me about technique.”
Kelly also mentioned that “How Do I Know” was one of her first audition songs. Did you know that beforehand?
“I did not know that, but that was really cool to find out.”
The judges weren’t the only ones with praise. We have gotten email after email and comment after comment from locals who are fans of the show and fans of yours. Do you have anything to say to the Clarksvillians so ready to cheer you on?
“I am so thankful just for the family and the support that I have had in Clarksville. We moved here when I was 8 years old and I have just seen the support grow for my music. Obviously, I have been doing this for a lot longer than The Voice, and those people were there before that. It’s just awesome to welcome more people into that family and that support system. I am just really grateful to those people that have cheered me on and to the people that are just now seeing my music that I hope will be part of my career for a really long time.”
Some would consider Whitney Houston a bold choice for an audition. How did you come to that choice?
“I knew people would say that. I have a huge respect for Whitney Houston. My mom introduced me to her music at a really young age. I knew I had to do something different with the song immediately because I’m not Whitney Houston. Really, I just wanted to cover that song out of respect for her as a musician and a vocalist, as an artist. I would say she is the best female vocalist of all time. So really, it was just out of respect for her, and what she has done. I hope I can be even have the performer that she was.”
Is there anyone else that you particularly look up to?
“I would say that Adele is a huge influence on my voice and on my song writing. I grew up listening to Adele, and she was somebody who I think captivated people with her ability to emote. That’s one thing that I want to be, to be able to communicate exactly what I am feeling through music and to touch other people that way.”
Speaking of style, NBC.com referred to your performance as a “stripped down” version of “How Will I Know,” which feels accurate; however, a lot of your own music “Fearless, Find Your Fire, etc” involve quite a bit of production with multiple harmonies. How would you define your style of music?
“I would define my style of music as singer/songwriter or indie pop, but definitely those songs have a lot of production and I think they’re really fun power ballad, anthem kind of songs. But really, the purpose behind my music is lyrics, and to purvey a message of hope and of encouragement in anything I write, but I would definitely describe myself as a singer/songwriter.”
Another thing I picked up vibes of in your music was gospel music. I saw that you have worked with local churches on their music programs.
“My faith is a really important thing to me, and even if I’m not defined as a Christian artist, I am a singer and a songwriter who is a Christian so that is something that is going to come out in my music. That is something that is really a foundational piece of who I am, not only as an artist but as a person. I have been a worship leader since I was 13 years old and that has been something that God has blessed me with. I’ve been able to learn and grow and foster my craft through worship leaning.”
Do you think we might see any of those types of songs come up on the show?
“You probably won’t see those kinds of things come up one the show, but that is definitely a big part of my story and I hope that that is portrayed on the show.”
What do you hope people take from that story?
“I hope people take out of my story just how loved they are and just how valued they are. Each of us has an individual story. Each of us have an individual purpose and for me, that is played out in music, but each person is valued and has specific gifts and talents. The overall message in everything that I sing and in my story on the show, whatever that looks like, I hope people walk away from that knowing that they are loved.”
On the show, it was great to be able to see your mom an dad rooting for you from home, but I am sure they would have loved to be with you in the audience. How has it been being in the music industry in this difficult year?
“It was a difficult season and we had to jump through a lot of hoops and take a lot of precautions. I would have loved to have had my family there. They are my biggest supporters and I know I can always come back to them and rely on them. It’s definitely an emotional experience not having my family there or really anybody I know there.”
Can you speak to being a musician in a year where live performance is a bit more challenging?
“It has been a difficult year in general for everybody, but I think a lot of musicians, myself included, once COVID hit and everything started shutting down were like ‘What am I gonna do now?’ I am thankful that we live in a digital age and that we can can still remain in contact with our followers and fans. And obviously being on The Voice is a once in a lifetime chance anyways, but to be able to perform on a stage again in the middle of COVID, to be able to reach new people, was a huge blessing especially in the middle of COVID.”
And finally, is there anywhere we should be looking out for new music?
“Yeah! I have new music coming out in December, so be on the lookout for that. And, of course, keep following on my social media and Spotify and all that.”