Interview by Carol Wright | Photos Courtesy of Emily Henry
We got to chat with musician Emily Henry about her song “I See The Light” and working on her sophomore album.
When did you discover your singing voice and passion for creating music?
I’ve been singing ever since I was a little girl. My mom remembers me doing full renditions of “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid in my car seat. I wrote my first “official” song on guitar in middle school, but before that I would sing melodies to poetry I found or write my own.
Prior to writing music did you have an interest in creative writing?
Yes, absolutely! I’ve always been a huge fantasy fan and when I wasn’t spending time in someone else’s fictional world, I was creating my own, whether it was a story or pages and pages of worldbuilding or a song. I still write prose fiction!
Tell our readers about “I See The Light.” What inspired the lyrics?
I was going through an emotional time when I wrote “I See The Light”, and I wanted to write something hopeful that didn’t pretend everything was okay. It’s about being in the thick of it, but knowing that you will make it out eventually.
The song touches on finding your way out of depression and dark times. Did it feel cathartic to work on “I See The Light?”
I wrote it on acoustic guitar, so the process of taking the song to my producer, Austin Bello, and building up this atmospheric, dark, dreamy production around the emotions I was writing about was very satisfying. It really felt like the feelings came to life.
You’re gearing up to release your sophomore album. Do you have a favorite track? (if you can share)
I’m not sure you’re supposed to have a favorite song off of your own release, but I do! My favorite is “Reach Out”, which will be the third single off the new album. It’s inspired by one of my favorite pieces of fiction, the fantasy podcast “The Adventure Zone”, and it’s very close to my heart.
What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?
Ask other musicians for advice whenever you need it! Almost everybody I know is happy to help emerging artists, and there’s no need to reinvent the wheel when veteran musicians can tell you what worked for them. A rising tide lifts all boats!