Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
One more time show some up to.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
So nine Lives, nine Lives only the second time we
performed that. What was the songwriting process behind that song?
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Oh my it.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
We talked for like four or five hours before we
started writing, which was a lot, and both me and
the writer live started crying at one point, started talking
about like dead people.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
It was like a whole thing.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
There was like a lot of layers that we went
until we were like, we're gonna write about.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Like George Washington, dead people are like family members.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
Like family members, and just like it was a little dark,
but it was also like then we came out of
it and Matt who's the producer on the track, started
playing this beautiful guitar part and we just started humming
on it and then yeah, and then it ended up
being what it was. But we wrote it like three
years ago, like it was a long time ago, and
it's been sitting there and it just hasn't fit exactly right.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
And this project it was waiting for it.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
So the EP is dropping in November. Yeah, that's exciting.
And then, as we said as of today, that is
when we announced the full blown tour True Q one
of twenty twenty five essentially, and then you're coming to
Irving Plaza in March. Is there any show any cities
that you visited on tour that surprise you with the
amount of love and the reaction that you got.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I think there's there's three top cities. In my head.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
I'm like, Berlin was insane. Didn't expect that. That was
probably one of the best nights of my life.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Is there a specific reason why Germany popped off for you?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Germany?
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Well, first of all, I was incredibly hungover, So I
don't know if that, like, you know, like added to
it or what, but I was like, this show is
gonna be tough.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
I slept like four hours. I'm so tired. I need water.
And then we.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Went into it just like not expecting something crazy, and
they were just like the craziest crowd ever. I was
just I was shocked. They wouldn't let me off stage.
It was like I was on stage and they wouldn't
let me off.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
That's a good problem to have.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
It was really awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Knows you needed those that endorphins.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
It was yeah, I was like, I need your help, guys,
Like it was really fun.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
But yeah, and then recently Brisbane was like really fun,
which I also.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Didn't expect Australia for those it was like, honestly, never mind,
not like but it was very, very fun and it
was very sweaty, and I always love a sweaty show.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
So yeah, it was one of those you said three
cities and.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Oh yeah in Chicago, okay, yeah, any specific reason why Chicago?
Chicago was also that was my first tour ever in
November of last year, a year ago. Wow, it's crazy
a year ago. And yeah, it just popped off as well.
I didn't expect it to, and it was just I
think I have low expectations. I kind of go into
(02:47):
it being like, I'm just gonna have fun. So if
the crowd has fun, great, but I'm gonna have the
most fun.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
So do you have a college degree?
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I do?
Speaker 1 (02:57):
And where did you get it from?
Speaker 3 (02:58):
I went to Yale.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Why are you in music?
Speaker 4 (03:02):
Dog?
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Why am I?
Speaker 4 (03:03):
My parents ask me this every day, you know, but
why am I in music?
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Honestly?
Speaker 4 (03:09):
I studied cognitive science, super unrelated, incredibly unrelated, But I
always did want to just do music, and I felt
like Yale was more so just because I'm you know,
my parents are Chinese immigrants and education was like a
huge thing in my family. They came to America because
of education, so they were always like college, college, college,
and I think when I was a kid, it was like,
(03:30):
my first goal is getting into college. My second goal
is playing a sold out tour.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, you know what, you got number one already that
you got the Ivy League degree, and number two we
need your help exactly to make number two.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
So why did you get the degree in cognitive science?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I just like took intro to COGSI and was like,
this sounds cool.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
What no, no, don't clap hold on a second, no, no, no, no,
that's right. Cognitive science at Yale sounded cool. At an
Ivy League school sounded cool.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
It was just like they started talking about like animals
and their brains and how similar they're to ours, and
I was like what And then they started talking about
it was just like a fun facts course.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
I shouldn't say that, Wow, this is such a genius
flex by the way, like she is just flexing her
massive IQ on us right now, Like, yeah, you know
what sounds cool? Marketing at Baruk in Brooklyn, that's what
sounds cool, like, not Coggsie at Ivy League.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
It was fun though I can't lie like it.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
It was a good like all the classes I took
were awesome, but COVID happened in the middle of it,
so cut short unfortunately.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
But I don't know how to transition. No, And you
know what's the wildest part. I actually like there was
another artist here a couple months ago. There was also
an IVY League student, but she was going to a
freshman year. So it's just fascinating to me how people
go from Like, from an educational standpoint, one of the
highest ties you can have is being at an IVY
League school. And that's why it stood out to me
because I think that is so badass. All jokes aside,
(05:06):
that is fucking dope, okay, to go to go to
a IVY League school, to graduate from an IVY League school,
to be a badass bitch, and then turn around and
then have a tour like it ain't like, it ain't nothing,
you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
So I just wanted to give your flowers on that.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
But also I'm a hater because I dropped out of
the College of Staten Island, so I'm a hater. But uh,
you you were born where in.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
New Jersey, in Jersey, in Princeton, New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
So then, so let's talk about your upbringing a little
bit from a musical standpoint.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
What were you into when you were like elementary school,
middle school?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Honestly, like a lot of musical theater, a lot of jazz.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
I sang a lot of classical music as a kid too,
so I was doing that thing.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
But musical theater was like ingrained in me.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Favorite Broadway show of all time Wicked.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Okay, I think that's an easy answer.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
That's a cop out, that's right.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
It is kind of a gopba, but objectively it's the best.
I'm sorry, but yeah, Wicked is amazing. I just saw
it in London too because I had to. But I
do think because I grew up in New Jersey, I
went to so many shows in New York growing up
that that was like a big part of like my
musical upbringing as well. And then I also like Sarah burrellis,
Ingrid Michaelson, like a lot of like pop girls, Taylor Swift,
(06:20):
also Selena Gomez. Like when I was Selena Gomez in
the scene, I think that was like my first CD
I ever got.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
I was like, mom, look, it was awesome.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
So do you do you feel like you incorporate any
sort of like Broadway energy into your music now?
Speaker 1 (06:34):
And how so?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
I think yes for sure.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
But I also think, especially in my shows, like I
eventually eventually want like act one, Act two, Act three,
Like I think that'll be like really fun to be
just so theatrical with everything.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
So, yeah, do you.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Think you would ever cover a Broadway song on tour?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
And if so, do you have any songs at least
at least soundtracks to dabble in to maybe think about it?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Maybe not a specific song, No, that's too much on
the spot.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I know. I was like, there's so many. Honestly. The
thing is, I feel like part of your World is.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Like one of my favorite songs, like Little Mermaid for
those gen zers who are just too young to know
about the good Disney movies.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Fact, part of your World is very good. I just
sang so much of it growing up Wicked popular. Have
you guys heard the Ariana Grande version with me? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (07:27):
So good?
Speaker 2 (07:28):
And that my favorite musical of all time? Because I
know you were thinking it is Rent.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Rent is amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So there's so many songs off Rent that could be that.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
You can have fun with so many and their iconics
you can have fun with, like crowd interactions.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
I did a choir version of Seasons of Love when
I was.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Like eleven, and I like got the got the solo
is a really shining moment for me, very shining moment.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I don't see why it would keep it in my brain.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yees, yeah, it's a highlight.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
So maybe one day we'll see there you go.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
So the EPs drop it in November?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yes, do you have any plans to celebrate on that
day of the release?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Nope?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
I like do I what type of nerves go into
like that week, like the week of the final week?
Like right now there's enough time to strategize, to plan
marketing ideas.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
It's a lot of I always try to celebrate to clarify,
but I just I don't have the brain capacity that
week to ever like plan a whole thing. So for me,
I'm always like I have champagne, I pop it. I
have like two friends at my house, maybe we watch
a show like that's the vibe, you know. I try
to keep it like really low key, but in regards
(08:35):
to like leading up to it, I'm always like a
nervous wreck, but I'm also so like busy normally that
week because like I'm thinking about what I need to
be doing, what I need to say, like the things
that I want to be pushing everything, so that that
week is just kind of frenzied anyway.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
So it's just like chaos. But the moment it stops,
I like to be with like my closest friends.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
I believe Spotify named you is like one of the
artists to watch, which is a pretty damn big flex
crazy Now. I just want to say, for the record,
Spotify didn't get you here. It was iHeartRadio and your
local radio station.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
I got you here.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Fact.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
That's right, thank you.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
However, still kind of cool that Spotify was like, hey,
check this girl out. When you find that out that
you're gonna be part of this list, what's like the
first thought that runs through your mind?
Speaker 4 (09:25):
I was just like, what that was the first thought
that came through my mind?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
I think I saw it, and I was like.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
No way.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
I was just like I feel like every day I
am very like I think it's for my mom, like
very like head down, just like working working and working
like work hard.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
That's like the whole thing.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
And so I'm sitting down work and working, and I
don't really put my head up often, Like I don't
look around often, I'm just like head down. And those
that was one of the moments where I was like, WHOA, Like,
if you look at like how far I've come from
when I started releasing music, It's like, WHOA, Like you
just forget to like look up and appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
And so that's that was one of those moments.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Stopping and smelling the roses, I think is a huge
issue that a lot of us have in this room.
I know I'm guilty of it. You just said you
are from a mental health standpoint. Is there anything that
you do to try to make sure that you are
kind of embracing the positivity that comes into your life?
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Because there was a.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Lot, Oh for sure.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
I mean I sometimes, okay, I do a lot of things. Actually,
so I write like lists of grateful things, you know,
things that I'm grateful for often, especially when I'm like
feeling like anxious or all that. But one of the
things that is actually like incredibly helped me recently, like
in my work is before going into sessions, I will
(10:39):
literally talk out loud, like affirmative things to myself because
I think I went through a little bit of a
writer's block, like earlier this year, and going in I
was always like dreading it in a way that wasn't
positive anymore. And then I changed my mindset and now
I go into my sessions and I'm like, I can
follow my intuition.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
I'll be like today is gonna be a great day.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
I'll be like, today I'm going to write a fun song,
like a fun so I'm gonna have fun. And I
just say all those things and then I actually do
have fun.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
So we all need to take like that mental note.
By the way, if there is anything that you take
from this interview, and I mean this because we all
have our trauma, we all have we all have our issues.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
But something like that I think is extremely helpful.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
It is because if you're looking at someone like her,
who you admire, look up to, enjoy, are a fan of,
and she's kind of saying like this is simple, y'all
could do it too.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
I think we should all try to do it.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Simple is a hard is a hard word.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Saying it out loud is simple. The believing of it.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
It is very much like I feel like affirmations in
my head.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Is just like training your brain to be nicer to
yourself basically, and so yeah, it's helped.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Me a lot.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
So from a writing standpoint, have you ever written a
song that on your own time where you look at
it and you're like, I don't think I'm ready to express.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
This just yet.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Yes, often I would say yes those.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
However, they always come out like later on, Like I
think nine Lives is an example. Like I wrote nine
Lives and I was like, Wow, this is a really
honest song. And then it sat there for a while
and I was like, I don't I don't really do
acoustic ballads, like I haven't done that, and so I
just sat with it for a while and then this
(12:24):
time I was just like I've loved the song for
like years at this point, and it just felt right.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
So that's an example of one for sure.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
So the term scatterbrain is that like kind of just
a one word way to describe you. Yes, okay, because
you left a whole last suitcase in Boston and I'm
just trying to rap, I'm trying to wrap my head,
like leaving a phone charger, okay, leaving your wallet because
you left it on the nightstand, maybe, but like.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
It was huge.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
It was a fifty pound checked back, like with all
of my show stuff. I'm playing a show tomorrow, so
all of my show stuff like everything I ever need
for life. And my sister just texted me like I
got to New Jersey already drove five hours and she
texted me a picture of it and goes, emmy dot
dot dot.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Wait time out. So you didn't even know.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
See.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
I thought it was one of those things because I
was recently in Boston and that's a that's like a
four hour is tribe.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
It's pretty quick if you do it early in the
morning or whatever.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
I thought maybe like you were in Connecticut and you're like,
it's too late to go back, let's just try to
fit dead ass dog.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I was in the grocery store. I was like, la,
la la, I'm gonna get some eggs. I'm gonna get
some and then I get the text and I'm like,
no way, no way.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
She didn't have anxiety at stopping shop on her Friday
Bingo card.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
So you got this, You're getting this, are you ready?
Speaker 4 (13:44):
This was in this These everything I'm wearing right now
was in the suitcase.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
So first off, give her a pause.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
That's that's out by proxy, you're actually applauding her sister.
By the way, was there a plan in place if
it didn't come in time for you to Oh?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Yeah, well, I mean kind of. I was kind of like, wow,
we'll figure it out.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
You know what, God invented credit cards. We're right by
Fifth Avenue. There's a bunch of stores.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
It's fine.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
I was like, I'm sure I have something at home
that I can pull together. But I really I didn't
make a plan to clarify. I was like, please please
come in time, and it did. So we're good.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Because your thoughts become things and affirmations are real. That's right.
That is the moral of today's story.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
So before we wrap things up, just a little more
about the upcoming EP.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Yeah, what's your favorite song off the EP right now?
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Which, by the way, it could change by the time
the EP comes out, so don't hold her to this answer.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Battle what's your favorite song right now?
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Okay, I'm going to say a little bit about the
EP and then I'll end with that. I was gonna say,
so the EP is pretty inspired by Alice in Wonderland.
My sister's name is Alice, so that was part of
it as well. And the whole EP is a transition
into a hole and then out of a hole. And
(14:58):
so it starts with rabbit Hole, which is like, oh,
I'm falling in all these kids is like the Red
Heart Queen who is like rah, you know, you come
in and you're like, what is happening? And then the
next song, well, I can't say which song it is,
but anyways, the next song is like la la la.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
So it's song for song four.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
Is and then it's a song it's like a tea
party vibes. And then the last song is my favorite song.
And the last song is like the ascension out of
the hole. It's like growing up. It's like now I'm
coming out of the hole and I'm gone through this
like transition, and so that's what the EP is. It's
it feels like a transitional growing up EP for me
(15:45):
because get ready for more.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
There's so much more, including the tour.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Like we mentioned a little earlier, is there any cities
on the tour that you're looking forward to aside from
New York City, which is the greatest city on the planet,
of course New York aside from US Aside, there's many
I can't.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
That's that's too hard.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
I would say, I am excited to go back to Berlin,
but I that's a little bit of a high bar
because last time was so much fun.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
So and this is a dead serious question. I'm not
even trying to be cute. Do you try to get
shitty the night before to emulate that same energy? No?
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Okay, But the thing is, the thing is, this is
what I like to tell myself and my band. We
do okay, we do a big pep talk a part
of my affirmations. We do a huge pep talk before
I play shows every night.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
And it's ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
It's me always being like, this is gonna be the
best night of bird Loves. Every night I say the
same thing, and I'm like, there's magic in the air.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Oh my god. I'm always doing this.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
And I do actually think the nights that we have
felt weird or off have been the better nights. And
I wonder if it's the affirmations because I go harder
on it. Like I had a really bad stomach ache
in London, and I was like, I have a stomach ache,
but that means we have extra good luck, you know,
Like y'all say like something like that, I'll be like Karma.
(17:00):
It's like in my head, I'm like, when you are
dealt bad cards, then you're also gonna be dealt good
cards somewhere else. So when I'm feeling kind of bad,
I'm like, well.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Just wait, the show's gonna be really good.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
I am a firm believer that everything evens out.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
I think everything evens up. I do. I do.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
So before we wrap things up, this is the Dunkin
Music Lounge is so, I want to put you on
the spot. If you were able to sit at a
duncan for sixty minutes with one artist dead or alive,
who are you kicking it with.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
Dead or alive? That's that's a large span of people. Man.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Who Okay, wait, hold hold, let me think someone just
asked me this the other day.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Specifically about a duncan too.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
By the way, I'm gonna say, that's so hard. Okay,
I'm gonna say, Freddy Mercury, is that this second?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Freddy Mercury this week? That is right? We just week
this week? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Who else said it?
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Who was it? Somebody said Freddy Mercury this week?
Speaker 3 (18:06):
This Spencer?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
No, no, no, he said, he said Elvis he said Elvis,
which was a We had an artist yesterday named Spencer
Southerland in and it was the first time that I
ever didn't have the artist answer, but rather had the
crowd answer because he makes it known how much he
loves Elvis.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Oh really, Devin Cole from Canada.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah, she's lovely too, she said.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Freddy Mercury is Freddy Mercury. That's the second Freddy Mercury
that we got this week.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
I just think that, like, I really respects people who
have like the best live shows ever. I think live
shows are my favorite part of all this and it's
so impressive when when I go to a show and
I'm like, whoa, you know, and I wish I could
see him live, Like that would be so awesome. So
I think that, like, yeah, for me, it's like the
(18:50):
people who are like masters of the live show.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
I'm a huge fan and you know what, you get
to see her live in March in Irving Plaza. All
the information came out today. How can they follow you
on socials?
Speaker 3 (19:00):
It's dot M A E M E I.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Simple and easy. One more time, Les Chow some love
to m A.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for listening,
One more time show some up to.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
So nine Lives, nine Lives only the second time we
performed that. What was the songwriting process behind that song?
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Oh my it.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
We talked for like four or five hours before we
started writing, which was a lot, and both me and
the writer live started crying at one point, started talking
about like dead people.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
It was like a whole thing.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
There was like a lot of layers that we went
until we were like, we're gonna write about.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Like George Washington, dead people are like family members.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
Like family members, and just like it was a little dark,
but it was also like then we came out of
it and Matt who's the producer on the track, started
playing this beautiful guitar part and we just started humming
on it and then yeah, and then it ended up
being what it was. But we wrote it like three
years ago, like it was a long time ago, and
it's been sitting there and it just hasn't fit exactly right.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
And this project it was waiting for it.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
So the EP is dropping in November. Yeah, that's exciting.
And then, as we said as of today, that is
when we announced the full blown tour True Q one
of twenty twenty five essentially, and then you're coming to
Irving Plaza in March. Is there any show any cities
that you visited on tour that surprise you with the
amount of love and the reaction that you got.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I think there's there's three top cities. In my head.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
I'm like, Berlin was insane. Didn't expect that. That was
probably one of the best nights of my life.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Is there a specific reason why Germany popped off for you?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Germany?
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Well, first of all, I was incredibly hungover, So I
don't know if that, like, you know, like added to
it or what, but I was like, this show is
gonna be tough.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
I slept like four hours. I'm so tired. I need water.
And then we.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Went into it just like not expecting something crazy, and
they were just like the craziest crowd ever. I was
just I was shocked. They wouldn't let me off stage.
It was like I was on stage and they wouldn't
let me off.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
That's a good problem to have.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
It was really awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Knows you needed those that endorphins.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
It was yeah, I was like, I need your help, guys,
Like it was really fun.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
But yeah, and then recently Brisbane was like really fun,
which I also.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Didn't expect Australia for those it was like, honestly, never mind,
not like but it was very, very fun and it
was very sweaty, and I always love a sweaty show.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
So yeah, it was one of those you said three
cities and.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Oh yeah in Chicago, okay, yeah, any specific reason why Chicago?
Chicago was also that was my first tour ever in
November of last year, a year ago. Wow, it's crazy
a year ago. And yeah, it just popped off as well.
I didn't expect it to, and it was just I
think I have low expectations. I kind of go into
(02:47):
it being like, I'm just gonna have fun. So if
the crowd has fun, great, but I'm gonna have the
most fun.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
So do you have a college degree?
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I do?
Speaker 1 (02:57):
And where did you get it from?
Speaker 3 (02:58):
I went to Yale.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Why are you in music?
Speaker 4 (03:02):
Dog?
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Why am I?
Speaker 4 (03:03):
My parents ask me this every day, you know, but
why am I in music?
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Honestly?
Speaker 4 (03:09):
I studied cognitive science, super unrelated, incredibly unrelated, But I
always did want to just do music, and I felt
like Yale was more so just because I'm you know,
my parents are Chinese immigrants and education was like a
huge thing in my family. They came to America because
of education, so they were always like college, college, college,
and I think when I was a kid, it was like,
(03:30):
my first goal is getting into college. My second goal
is playing a sold out tour.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, you know what, you got number one already that
you got the Ivy League degree, and number two we
need your help exactly to make number two.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
So why did you get the degree in cognitive science?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I just like took intro to COGSI and was like,
this sounds cool.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
What no, no, don't clap hold on a second, no, no, no, no,
that's right. Cognitive science at Yale sounded cool. At an
Ivy League school sounded cool.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
It was just like they started talking about like animals
and their brains and how similar they're to ours, and
I was like what And then they started talking about
it was just like a fun facts course.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
I shouldn't say that, Wow, this is such a genius
flex by the way, like she is just flexing her
massive IQ on us right now, Like, yeah, you know
what sounds cool? Marketing at Baruk in Brooklyn, that's what
sounds cool, like, not Coggsie at Ivy League.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
It was fun though I can't lie like it.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
It was a good like all the classes I took
were awesome, but COVID happened in the middle of it,
so cut short unfortunately.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
But I don't know how to transition. No, And you
know what's the wildest part. I actually like there was
another artist here a couple months ago. There was also
an IVY League student, but she was going to a
freshman year. So it's just fascinating to me how people
go from Like, from an educational standpoint, one of the
highest ties you can have is being at an IVY
League school. And that's why it stood out to me
because I think that is so badass. All jokes aside,
(05:06):
that is fucking dope, okay, to go to go to
a IVY League school, to graduate from an IVY League school,
to be a badass bitch, and then turn around and
then have a tour like it ain't like, it ain't nothing,
you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
So I just wanted to give your flowers on that.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
But also I'm a hater because I dropped out of
the College of Staten Island, so I'm a hater. But uh,
you you were born where in.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
New Jersey, in Jersey, in Princeton, New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
So then, so let's talk about your upbringing a little
bit from a musical standpoint.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
What were you into when you were like elementary school,
middle school?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Honestly, like a lot of musical theater, a lot of jazz.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
I sang a lot of classical music as a kid too,
so I was doing that thing.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
But musical theater was like ingrained in me.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Favorite Broadway show of all time Wicked.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Okay, I think that's an easy answer.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
That's a cop out, that's right.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
It is kind of a gopba, but objectively it's the best.
I'm sorry, but yeah, Wicked is amazing. I just saw
it in London too because I had to. But I
do think because I grew up in New Jersey, I
went to so many shows in New York growing up
that that was like a big part of like my
musical upbringing as well. And then I also like Sarah burrellis,
Ingrid Michaelson, like a lot of like pop girls, Taylor Swift,
(06:20):
also Selena Gomez. Like when I was Selena Gomez in
the scene, I think that was like my first CD
I ever got.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
I was like, mom, look, it was awesome.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
So do you do you feel like you incorporate any
sort of like Broadway energy into your music now?
Speaker 1 (06:34):
And how so?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
I think yes for sure.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
But I also think, especially in my shows, like I
eventually eventually want like act one, Act two, Act three,
Like I think that'll be like really fun to be
just so theatrical with everything.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
So, yeah, do you.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Think you would ever cover a Broadway song on tour?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
And if so, do you have any songs at least
at least soundtracks to dabble in to maybe think about it?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Maybe not a specific song, No, that's too much on
the spot.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I know. I was like, there's so many. Honestly. The
thing is, I feel like part of your World is.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Like one of my favorite songs, like Little Mermaid for
those gen zers who are just too young to know
about the good Disney movies.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Fact, part of your World is very good. I just
sang so much of it growing up Wicked popular. Have
you guys heard the Ariana Grande version with me? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (07:27):
So good?
Speaker 2 (07:28):
And that my favorite musical of all time? Because I
know you were thinking it is Rent.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Rent is amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So there's so many songs off Rent that could be that.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
You can have fun with so many and their iconics
you can have fun with, like crowd interactions.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
I did a choir version of Seasons of Love when
I was.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Like eleven, and I like got the got the solo
is a really shining moment for me, very shining moment.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I don't see why it would keep it in my brain.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yees, yeah, it's a highlight.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
So maybe one day we'll see there you go.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
So the EPs drop it in November?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yes, do you have any plans to celebrate on that
day of the release?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Nope?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
I like do I what type of nerves go into
like that week, like the week of the final week?
Like right now there's enough time to strategize, to plan
marketing ideas.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
It's a lot of I always try to celebrate to clarify,
but I just I don't have the brain capacity that
week to ever like plan a whole thing. So for me,
I'm always like I have champagne, I pop it. I
have like two friends at my house, maybe we watch
a show like that's the vibe, you know. I try
to keep it like really low key, but in regards
(08:35):
to like leading up to it, I'm always like a
nervous wreck, but I'm also so like busy normally that
week because like I'm thinking about what I need to
be doing, what I need to say, like the things
that I want to be pushing everything, so that that
week is just kind of frenzied anyway.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
So it's just like chaos. But the moment it stops,
I like to be with like my closest friends.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
I believe Spotify named you is like one of the
artists to watch, which is a pretty damn big flex
crazy Now. I just want to say, for the record,
Spotify didn't get you here. It was iHeartRadio and your
local radio station.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
I got you here.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Fact.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
That's right, thank you.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
However, still kind of cool that Spotify was like, hey,
check this girl out. When you find that out that
you're gonna be part of this list, what's like the
first thought that runs through your mind?
Speaker 4 (09:25):
I was just like, what that was the first thought
that came through my mind?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
I think I saw it, and I was like.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
No way.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
I was just like I feel like every day I
am very like I think it's for my mom, like
very like head down, just like working working and working
like work hard.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
That's like the whole thing.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
And so I'm sitting down work and working, and I
don't really put my head up often, Like I don't
look around often, I'm just like head down. And those
that was one of the moments where I was like, WHOA, Like,
if you look at like how far I've come from
when I started releasing music, It's like, WHOA, Like you
just forget to like look up and appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
And so that's that was one of those moments.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Stopping and smelling the roses, I think is a huge
issue that a lot of us have in this room.
I know I'm guilty of it. You just said you
are from a mental health standpoint. Is there anything that
you do to try to make sure that you are
kind of embracing the positivity that comes into your life?
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Because there was a.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Lot, Oh for sure.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
I mean I sometimes, okay, I do a lot of things. Actually,
so I write like lists of grateful things, you know,
things that I'm grateful for often, especially when I'm like
feeling like anxious or all that. But one of the
things that is actually like incredibly helped me recently, like
in my work is before going into sessions, I will
(10:39):
literally talk out loud, like affirmative things to myself because
I think I went through a little bit of a
writer's block, like earlier this year, and going in I
was always like dreading it in a way that wasn't
positive anymore. And then I changed my mindset and now
I go into my sessions and I'm like, I can
follow my intuition.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
I'll be like today is gonna be a great day.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
I'll be like, today I'm going to write a fun song,
like a fun so I'm gonna have fun. And I
just say all those things and then I actually do
have fun.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
So we all need to take like that mental note.
By the way, if there is anything that you take
from this interview, and I mean this because we all
have our trauma, we all have we all have our issues.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
But something like that I think is extremely helpful.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
It is because if you're looking at someone like her,
who you admire, look up to, enjoy, are a fan of,
and she's kind of saying like this is simple, y'all
could do it too.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
I think we should all try to do it.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Simple is a hard is a hard word.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Saying it out loud is simple. The believing of it.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
It is very much like I feel like affirmations in
my head.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Is just like training your brain to be nicer to
yourself basically, and so yeah, it's helped.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Me a lot.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
So from a writing standpoint, have you ever written a
song that on your own time where you look at
it and you're like, I don't think I'm ready to express.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
This just yet.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Yes, often I would say yes those.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
However, they always come out like later on, Like I
think nine Lives is an example. Like I wrote nine
Lives and I was like, Wow, this is a really
honest song. And then it sat there for a while
and I was like, I don't I don't really do
acoustic ballads, like I haven't done that, and so I
just sat with it for a while and then this
(12:24):
time I was just like I've loved the song for
like years at this point, and it just felt right.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
So that's an example of one for sure.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
So the term scatterbrain is that like kind of just
a one word way to describe you. Yes, okay, because
you left a whole last suitcase in Boston and I'm
just trying to rap, I'm trying to wrap my head,
like leaving a phone charger, okay, leaving your wallet because
you left it on the nightstand, maybe, but like.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
It was huge.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
It was a fifty pound checked back, like with all
of my show stuff. I'm playing a show tomorrow, so
all of my show stuff like everything I ever need
for life. And my sister just texted me like I
got to New Jersey already drove five hours and she
texted me a picture of it and goes, emmy dot
dot dot.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Wait time out. So you didn't even know.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
See.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
I thought it was one of those things because I
was recently in Boston and that's a that's like a
four hour is tribe.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
It's pretty quick if you do it early in the
morning or whatever.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
I thought maybe like you were in Connecticut and you're like,
it's too late to go back, let's just try to
fit dead ass dog.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I was in the grocery store. I was like, la,
la la, I'm gonna get some eggs. I'm gonna get
some and then I get the text and I'm like,
no way, no way.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
She didn't have anxiety at stopping shop on her Friday
Bingo card.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
So you got this, You're getting this, are you ready?
Speaker 4 (13:44):
This was in this These everything I'm wearing right now
was in the suitcase.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
So first off, give her a pause.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
That's that's out by proxy, you're actually applauding her sister.
By the way, was there a plan in place if
it didn't come in time for you to Oh?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Yeah, well, I mean kind of. I was kind of like, wow,
we'll figure it out.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
You know what, God invented credit cards. We're right by
Fifth Avenue. There's a bunch of stores.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
It's fine.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
I was like, I'm sure I have something at home
that I can pull together. But I really I didn't
make a plan to clarify. I was like, please please
come in time, and it did. So we're good.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Because your thoughts become things and affirmations are real. That's right.
That is the moral of today's story.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
So before we wrap things up, just a little more
about the upcoming EP.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Yeah, what's your favorite song off the EP right now?
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Which, by the way, it could change by the time
the EP comes out, so don't hold her to this answer.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Battle what's your favorite song right now?
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Okay, I'm going to say a little bit about the
EP and then I'll end with that. I was gonna say,
so the EP is pretty inspired by Alice in Wonderland.
My sister's name is Alice, so that was part of
it as well. And the whole EP is a transition
into a hole and then out of a hole. And
(14:58):
so it starts with rabbit Hole, which is like, oh,
I'm falling in all these kids is like the Red
Heart Queen who is like rah, you know, you come
in and you're like, what is happening? And then the
next song, well, I can't say which song it is,
but anyways, the next song is like la la la.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
So it's song for song four.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
Is and then it's a song it's like a tea
party vibes. And then the last song is my favorite song.
And the last song is like the ascension out of
the hole. It's like growing up. It's like now I'm
coming out of the hole and I'm gone through this
like transition, and so that's what the EP is. It's
it feels like a transitional growing up EP for me
(15:45):
because get ready for more.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
There's so much more, including the tour.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Like we mentioned a little earlier, is there any cities
on the tour that you're looking forward to aside from
New York City, which is the greatest city on the planet,
of course New York aside from US Aside, there's many
I can't.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
That's that's too hard.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
I would say, I am excited to go back to Berlin,
but I that's a little bit of a high bar
because last time was so much fun.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
So and this is a dead serious question. I'm not
even trying to be cute. Do you try to get
shitty the night before to emulate that same energy? No?
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Okay, But the thing is, the thing is, this is
what I like to tell myself and my band. We
do okay, we do a big pep talk a part
of my affirmations. We do a huge pep talk before
I play shows every night.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
And it's ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
It's me always being like, this is gonna be the
best night of bird Loves. Every night I say the
same thing, and I'm like, there's magic in the air.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Oh my god. I'm always doing this.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
And I do actually think the nights that we have
felt weird or off have been the better nights. And
I wonder if it's the affirmations because I go harder
on it. Like I had a really bad stomach ache
in London, and I was like, I have a stomach ache,
but that means we have extra good luck, you know,
Like y'all say like something like that, I'll be like Karma.
(17:00):
It's like in my head, I'm like, when you are
dealt bad cards, then you're also gonna be dealt good
cards somewhere else. So when I'm feeling kind of bad,
I'm like, well.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Just wait, the show's gonna be really good.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
I am a firm believer that everything evens out.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
I think everything evens up. I do. I do.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
So before we wrap things up, this is the Dunkin
Music Lounge is so, I want to put you on
the spot. If you were able to sit at a
duncan for sixty minutes with one artist dead or alive,
who are you kicking it with.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
Dead or alive? That's that's a large span of people. Man.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Who Okay, wait, hold hold, let me think someone just
asked me this the other day.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Specifically about a duncan too.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
By the way, I'm gonna say, that's so hard. Okay,
I'm gonna say, Freddy Mercury, is that this second?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Freddy Mercury this week? That is right? We just week
this week? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Who else said it?
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Who was it? Somebody said Freddy Mercury this week?
Speaker 3 (18:06):
This Spencer?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
No, no, no, he said, he said Elvis he said Elvis,
which was a We had an artist yesterday named Spencer
Southerland in and it was the first time that I
ever didn't have the artist answer, but rather had the
crowd answer because he makes it known how much he
loves Elvis.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Oh really, Devin Cole from Canada.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah, she's lovely too, she said.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Freddy Mercury is Freddy Mercury. That's the second Freddy Mercury
that we got this week.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
I just think that, like, I really respects people who
have like the best live shows ever. I think live
shows are my favorite part of all this and it's
so impressive when when I go to a show and
I'm like, whoa, you know, and I wish I could
see him live, Like that would be so awesome. So
I think that, like, yeah, for me, it's like the
(18:50):
people who are like masters of the live show.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
I'm a huge fan and you know what, you get
to see her live in March in Irving Plaza. All
the information came out today. How can they follow you
on socials?
Speaker 3 (19:00):
It's dot M A E M E I.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Simple and easy. One more time, Les Chow some love
to m A.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for listening,
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