Emma G

Whilst I've never felt vengeful or rage as a symptom of emotional neglect: I definitely learned to swallow my emotions, and not value them. I think that's why I turned to songwriting. It was the best way I found to put words to my feelings and have them both heard and honored.

By age 12, I'd had 10 brain surgeries. I'd also written around 500 original songs. Music helped me find words when I didn't know how to explain what I was experiencing. One of my 1,000+ songs is “Puppet,” written at 23 and finally releasing Nov 8. Your voice matters. 🎶

Try writing three sentences: Right now, I'm feeling... What I wish people understood is... What I need to remind myself is... You might have just written the beginning of a song.

You don't need to fix everything right now. Sometimes being “the strong one” becomes another role we feel pressured to perform. That's one connection to my song Puppet: questioning who we're expected to be. Out Nov 8: emmagmusic.hearnow.com/puppe…

Confidence isn't always loud. Sometimes it's singing one line without apologizing. Sometimes it's saying what you mean. Sometimes it's allowing yourself to be heard.

Eli Lev: “I don't have an accent.” Me: “You have an AMERICAN accent, sir.” 😂 Mine's a mashup of NZ, Fiji & 11 years in the US. And I wouldn't change it. Being yourself doesn't mean fitting into one box. That's part of why I wrote “Puppet.” 🎶 Nov 8.

Who gets to write our story? Our past? Our circumstances? Other people's expectations? I wrote “Puppet” at 23 because I was tired of being told who to be. Now I help young people find their own words through songwriting. Different stories. Same belief: our voices matter. 🎶 Nov 8

When did singing become something we had to be GOOD at to enjoy? You don't need perfect pitch, a record deal, or an audience. Sometimes you just need to SING.

Are you stressed, or just good at hiding it? Sometimes the mask we wear isn't about pretending to be someone else. It's about pretending we're okay. That's one connection to my song Puppet: the pressure to become who others expect. Out Nov 8 : Puppet

By age 12, I'd had 10 brain surgeries and written around 500 original songs. I didn't start songwriting to build a career. I started because I needed a way to express what I was going through. Today, I've written 1,000+ songs. Music became my voice. 🎶❤️

10 brain surgeries. 24 surgeries total. Those experiences shaped me, but they don't define everything about me. That's cognitive reframing—and part of why I wrote Puppet, a song about refusing to be reduced to other people's expectations.

Almost a decade ago, Eli Lev and I met playing “Stand By Me” at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in DC. 🎶 Fast-forward to 2026, and we've released our own song, “The Only Way Outta Here”! Then Eli surprised me with THIS throwback during his Folk Friday livestream.

What did you LOVE doing as a kid that you stopped doing because you weren't “good enough” at it? Who decided enjoyment had to be earned through achievement?

Under pressure? Try asking: What's actually happening? What am I assuming? What's one constructive next step? Sometimes the most useful thing is creating a little space before reacting.

When Was the Last Time You Did Something Just Because It Was FUN? emmagmusic.substack.com/p/wh…

At 23, I was a rock singer, youth worker, music teacher, weightlifter AND auto-mechanics student. Apparently I was supposed to pick one lane. I wrote a song about that feeling. “Puppet” comes out November 8. 🎶

When was the last time you had a genuine conversation with someone you disagreed with—and walked away understanding them better? We need more curiosity and fewer assumptions.

Have you ever felt like people only know one version of you? The professional one. The responsible one. The one who has everything together. Meanwhile, there's a whole other person they haven't met.

Musicians: what's the most ridiculous thing that's ever happened to you on stage? I feel like this could get interesting. 😂

One of the strangest things about being a songwriter is realizing that a song you wrote about something deeply personal can mean something completely different to someone else. And somehow, both interpretations can be right.

What’s bringing YOU joy today?!