Retrospective: Alt-R&B artist Emeryld reflects on her life & career in 2020

This article is one in a series, we asked artists to reflect on their life and career in 2020 and share what they were able to accomplish during this incredibly challenging year. Read on to find out what each artist had to say.

Emeryld is an R&B singer-songwriter currently based in New York City. Last month she released a heart-wrenching music video for her single “Right There” – a song in which she openly explores her journey with mental health and battles with post-breakup trauma. This track is the first single from an upcoming mixtape to be released early this year.

Quip: How has 2020 been for you?

Emeryld: Oh Jesus um… A fucking rollercoaster, like everyone else I’m sure. haha – Had a rough breakup with a partner I lived with to kick it off, got COVID, and was couch surfing for most of the year. That’s just like 5% of it though haha. I will say, I learned more about myself than ever before and I feel I really have a deep understanding of who I am now and what I want. I learned that music isn’t the only expression outlet I want to explore and I’ve been sharpening other skills. I learned boundaries for myself and what I needed mental health-wise and really want to get involved in the mental health space in a huge way, I started speaking on virtual panels, etc. talking about it and sharing my story to spread awareness which has been fulfilling. 2020 has inspired my spirituality and my love for connecting with strangers. The solitude really forced me to face my emotions head-on, things I ran away from in the past, and heal which was a blessing. I made the decision to move to NYC which has always been a dream and I couldn’t be happier about the decision. I don’t think any of this would have happened without the confines of this year. Lemonade out of lemons for sure.

Q: Have you learned anything about yourself, your fans, or the industry?

E: I touched on it above, but I’ve also learned that I have so many different forms of art I love and want to utilize. I love interior design, creative direction, comedy writing, and acting. As for fans, they’re really friends. I’ve had the time to talk to a lot of them and we’ve been supporting each other as a community throughout this time and they send me cool shit that’s inspiring. I’m grateful. I also learned that the industry is ever-changing and flowing and is so reliant on the current worldly state, you just need to do what you love and not worry about hopping on trends, etc. because it changes so fast you can’t keep up if you’re chasing that.

Q: What have you been missing most?

E: Live shows, Celebrations, and Benihana !!!

Q: What new music have you made?

E: A ton, I’ve been experimenting a bunch with my sound and it’s been super fun to play for the sake of playing. Soon come 😉

Q: Where was it made, did you collaborate with anyone?

E: Mostly made from my home, I’ve been doing Zoom sessions and then recording alone or (safely) meeting up with friends who are collaborators (Los Hendrix, Nascent, Mvjors, Cecil)

Q: Do you have any live streams to share?

E: I just had one on the 22nd! My favorite one was with SoFar Sounds up on their channel. I plan on doing more.

Q: Anything you’d like to share with your fans?

E: Let’s stay as involved as possible for pressing and inclusive causes, taking steps every day towards fighting justice into the new year. Be there for each other and practice kindness. Also – Check out my new video and single “Right There” out now!!

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