Emma Stevens

Emma Stevens is a UK singer-songwriter whose work sits across country, folk, rock and indie. Born in 1986, she develops a multi-instrumental practice that includes guitar, piano, cello, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, percussion and baritone guitar.

Early musical training

She starts playing guitar at the age of three after being drawn to her mother’s playing. She also takes lessons in cello and piano, joins the Surrey Youth Orchestra and takes part in music clubs inside and outside school. Alongside this, she writes poetry and begins combining words and music as songwriting.

She later studies guitar and performance at the Academy of Contemporary Music, which strengthens her confidence as a performer and supports her development as a songwriter.

Session work and touring

As her guitar playing develops, she works for other artists and bands including fiN., H- Boogie and Ronit. This leads to worldwide touring with The Kooks, Mona, Feeder and Incubus. She performs in arena-sized venues to audiences of up to 20,000, building the live experience that shapes her solo work.

Songwriting and releases

Her songwriting career develops further after she is discovered by manager Bob James. She works with established artists and songwriters in Los Angeles, Nashville and Europe. One of her songs is recorded by the Korean boy band SHINee and appears on an album that sells 100,000 copies in its first week and reaches number one.

She focuses on her own material as a singer-songwriter, with music described as filmic and suitable for television use. Her songs are used by BBC and ITV, and she works with artists including Kate Nash, Passenger and Jenn Bostic, whom she supports on a UK tour.

Personal context and EP series

After her mother dies of cancer in 2012, she turns to songwriting as a response to the loss. She plans a series of four EPs, each with artwork designed by her mother. The four designs are made to fit together like a single larger painting, linking the visual and musical parts of the project.

Labels

Her releases are associated with Emma Stevens Music and Rising Tide Music.