Journey of a Song

"Welcome to level one, might seem impossible..." 

Is love an impossible endeavor in a largely digital age? How can we "level up" in a world that seems to suggest that finding a romantic connection is all about playing games? Can a songwriter keep a theme consistent through an entire 3-minute song?

Dallas-based singer-songwriter Ren tackles these questions and more in the latest episode of Journey of a Song, featur...

"You're bruised, you're hurt, but you put it on me." 

How do you find the courage to identify and walk away from a toxic situation? Does every song have romantic undercurrents? How vulnerable is TOO vulnerable in songwriting?

In this episode, Emmeline sits down with the phenomenal R&B songstress Rosy L to tackle these questions and more. They also discuss their shared love of live music--especially intimate, a...

"Tired of running for the heights and always wasting what is mine."

How long should we "put in our dues"? How much sacrifice is good sacrifice, and when does self-sacrifice become toxic?

In this episode, through the lens of singer-songwriter Carly Carroll's beautiful debut single, "Until It Goes Away," Emmeline and Carly tackle these questions and more. Carly (an alumna of Jour...

"Take his wounds and mend his heart so he can learn to trust again."

How can we use music to make sense of the things in the world that harm us or others? How can we use music to bring necessary, compassionate awareness to social problems?

Can we do all of this with our music and still make music fun?

In this episode, Emmeline sits down with Mason Adams of Mason Adams Project to answer these qu...

"This year, I'll pay attention to the weather, and feel the wind as it moves through a feather."

Getting older is a real, relatable feeling--but how do we make peace with it? How do we learn to let ourselves off the hook, to worry less and care more, to be less restrictive and more exploratory? As we grow up, how do we keep that feeling of awe and discovery that we had as kids?

In "Through A F...

"But I can't even ask if you think about me as much as I think about you."

How can you process present absence? How do you handle the ambiguous end of a friendship? Is navigating the loss of someone you love a one-song or multiple-song journey? In her new song, "Think About You," the young, independent, country-folk artist Haven Victoria explores these themes and more!

In this episode, Em...

"Me pregunto dónde fue que yo fui mal?"

Which serves a song better: spontaneity or meticulous planning? Straightforward or poetic lyrics? Layers of instrumentation or a sure and steady guitar?

In this episode, Emmeline sits down with independent Latin pop artist Alex O'aiza to tackle these questions and more through the lens of his newest single, "YNMA." Alex shares his collaborative proce...

"California dreaming of my Texas hill country."

How far should we go to chase a dream? Do we really need to run away to find ourselves? Where do we belong, and how can we truly find home?

Independent, country-tinged singer-songwriter Paige Hill tackles these questions and more in her beautiful song, "Go West."

In this episode, Emmeline sits down with independent, country-tinged, singe...

"If I got money every time you're on my mind, I swear I'd have more money than a single dime."

Do lyrics need to rhyme? Can a song be both funny and profound? Is there a right way to build a composition?

In this episode, Emmeline sits down with urban boy band, The Kid Brothers (TKB), to tackle these questions and more through the lens of their brand new single, "Divine." Comprised of ...

"Thick skin, now healed."

Midway through this episode of Journey of a Song, Cari Smith of Late to the Station leaned back on her stool and said, "The price I was paying internally [not to make music] became too high. I am here for a reason, and if I think this is it, to not do it would be an absolute waste."

Emmeline invites you to scribble that down on a Post-It and tape it to your bathroom m...

"I love how it feels to be wild."

Can you really package a deep, meaningful message about the perils of conforming to social convention in a slick, spooky Halloween jam? Genre-bending, independent, Denton-based musical artist Brian Lambert says yes.

Back for his second appearance on Journey of a Song, Brian chats with Emmeline about how an exploration of major chords turned into a well-crafted werewolf ...

"Eyes of burgundy..."

This line was in Dorian Marsh's head from the inception of his collaboration with guitarist Ian Ross Cohen. He liked something about the turn of phrase, something about the concept of elusive, alluring eyes that forced him to proclaim, "I love her so."

Dorian didn't choose to sleep on the idea, though; he leaned into the unknown and went with it.

In th...

"If all I have is you, I'd be the richest girl in the room..."

Sometimes, a song starts as a single idea with a slew of metaphors, laid neatly into a note on an iPhone. You don't need more ideas, or better words; you just need a friend to help you pare it down.

For Americana artist Sarah Johnson, that's how her latest single--a love song, just in time for Valentine's Day--began. In t...

"Is there any love after death?" 

How can we move through grief? How can we honor our lost loved ones without allowing ourselves to be consumed by the past? How can we hold space for the memory of those we've lost and allow ourselves to live full, joyful, and meaningful lives?

For indie rock artist Chloe Clemente, the struggle to answer these questions manifested in the powerful "Love Letters ...

"We're running fast on streets with cracks in 'em."

How do you grow older gracefully? Can you preserve a bit of childhood as adulthood looms? Can you ever run with childlike abandon as an adult? Does progress always come at a cost?

In "Ms. Clavel," the thoughtful waltz from her new album, Wake, singer-songwriter Katherine Paterson poses these questions and more through the lens of a ...

"What a beautiful day out here in the park."

Inspiration for a song can come from anywhere around us is we stay open and curious. There's also a lot to be said for allowing oneself to surrender to a vibe.

In this episode, innovative songwriter and producer Daniel Candiotta sits down with Emmeline to talk about how the gift of breadsticks one fateful day led him to compose an entire EP. He also disc...

"Where does the wind take you?"

Have you ever wanted something so badly, needed something so badly, that despite your best attempts, the need overtook you?  In the atmospheric, immersive "Ikarus," ¿Dónde está Alicia? explores Icarus's narrative from Greek mythology from this perspective of deep yearning.

In this episode, Journey of a Song goes bilingual! Emmeline sits down with Javier Nun...

"Deep in the woods, things aren’t always what they seem..." 

Songs might usually have some sort of emotional impetus, some big feeling that catapults them into being--but not all songs start with a feeling. Not all songs are initially borne from that place deep down inside of us that says, "See me. Hear me. Know me."

Some songs start, quite simply, with a prompt.

In this episode, folk and Americ...

"You were the spark that set my world on fire."

The best thing about songwriting is that it's honest. When we dig deep down to write from an authentic emotional place, songwriting always tells us the truth. Sometimes, it helps us find elusive truths.

In Episode #36 of Journey of an Artist, Tony Mendoza shared the beautiful story of the magical love he shared with his wife, Angela. In this episode ...