Advertise on podcast: Journey of a Song

Send us a text "He just did it for love."  Not all songs have to be serious. Not all songs have to be deeply probing--but they might be unintentionally! In this episode, Emmeline sits down with dedicated musician and open mic host Will Stegall (A.K.A. Wild Man Willy) to talk about the surprising origins of his brand new rock song, "Dead Ahead." Thrashing guitars and thoughtfully produced vocals lend this track an air of reflection and soul-searching, but Will talks about the real inspiration behind its writing. Emmeline and Will chat about the importance of community in songwriting, the necessity of open mics as a springboard for a career in music, and why, sometimes, you need a friend to say, "Hey, this song needs to be recorded!" before you consider jumping into the studio. They also bond over their mutual love of stop animation and creative music videos! To learn more about Will, or to follow his musical journey, find him on Instagram. You can also catch WIll hosting the Wednesday night open mic at Guitars & Growlers in Richardson, TX or the Friday night open mic at Breaking Brew. For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "Don’t be slow to bring your wounds to the salt and to the sun."  How do we strike a balance between being open-hearted and preserving our sense of self? Between being hardworking and being present? Between being intentional and being receptive? In "Wandering One," Fort Worth-based folk artist Mollie Danel seeks to tackle these questions and more, offering the wisdom she's acquired about how to hold onto herself in a world that constantly seeks more permeable skin. In this episode, Mollie and Emmeline talk about the creative process that brought "Wandering One" into the world, from its beginnings on Mollie's guitar to its moments in the studio with her producer, Paul Demer. They also talk about how great artists influence a songwriter's musical journey, and how there's no wrong way to write a song--even if it takes years. Mollie even discusses how collaboration helped to start and continues to inspire her creative journey--from music to visual art with the "Wandering One" cover. To learn more about Mollie Danel, or to follow her musical journey, visit her official website, follow her on Instagram, and check out her tunes on Bandcamp. For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "This is the last time that I say the last time."  We all know that music can be healing. Music can be reflective. Music can help us mark transformational chapters in our lives--and document our perspective as it changes. In the beautiful track, "La Última Vez," AMANDA reminds us of all this and more. In this episode, AMANDA sits down with Emmeline to talk about creating music as a form of catharsis, songwriting in Spanish, and finding the language of her heart. She also shares the process by which she found her true voice as a songwriter--and talks about how writing helped her through the ending of an important relationship and into the beginning of a brand new musical era. They also talk about their mutual love for Opening Bell Coffee, acoustic covers, and deep, emotional music. To learn more about AMANDA, or to follow her musical journey, follow her on Instagram. For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "In the insane asylum, this is my new home."  How do we cope with loneliness? How do we build community? In a world where we feel like we don't fit in, how do we go about finding our people, our tribe?  And what do we do while we're searching? In "Asylum," the debut single from young singer-songwriter Aubrey Riddle, Aubrey tackles these questions in a thoughtful, resonant, piano-accompanied reflection on the impact of isolation. In this episode, Emmeline sits down with Aubrey (live and in person!) to talk about walking away from toxic situations, giving yourself grace when you don't fit in, finding chosen family, and what comes next when we finally set good boundaries for ourselves. They also talk about theater and the healing power of horses! To learn more about Aubrey Riddle, or to follow her musical journey, find her on Instagram or stream her songs on Spotify.  For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "I want to cut you with my loveliest knife, feel your insides, see what they're about."  Music. Love. Obsession. Perfectionism. Crunchy chords. Jazz school. At the intersection of all of these things, the indie project Honin was born, and the song "Loveliest" arrived in an ethereal sonic cloud.  In this episode, Emmeline sits down with Honin, an alumna of the prestigious University of North Texas Jazz Vocal program. Honin talks about creating with a vibe in mind, allowing curiosity to guide your art, gravitating toward resonance that feels good, and making every live show a little bit different. She and Emmeline also talk about the importance of collaboration between women in the music industry and why it's so cool that everyone's musical influences are a little bit different. See Honin's homemade lyric video for "Loveliest" here. To learn more about Honin, or to follow her musical journey, follow her on Instagram or stream her music on Spotify.  For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "Always said that I'd get out; well, I'm a lot older now."  In this episode, Emmeline sits down with Dallas-based singer-songwriter Stephen Like. He shares his beautiful ode to nostalgia, “Pass Through Town,” and indulges Emmeline in a discussion of how the “good old days” looked for him and how the idea of retrospection inspired many of the songs on his upcoming EP. He also shares a bit about his upbringing and his unconventional path to recording music. If you’re looking for encouragement as a songwriter, this is a great episode for you! It's never too late to start writing! To learn more about Stephen, or to follow his musical journey, follow him on Instagram! For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "I know that you were kind, and that's more than some can say about their lives." In this episode, Emmeline sits down with the talented Christine Hand to talk about about her beautiful song, "Brother." They talk about the intricacies of grief, the weight of "supposed to," the way songwriting can help us process things that don't make sense, and how--sometimes--the hardest songs to write are the most important and impactful to share. Christine also shares about how mining one's life for song content can be both an intentional and an unintentional process. To learn more about Christine Hand, or to follow her musical journey, please visit her official website or follow her on Facebook! For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text In this episode, Emmeline sits down with Dallas-based singer-songwriter Jeffrey Michael Widman (again!) to get honest and vulnerable about mental health, simplicity in songwriting, and the value of honesty in meaningful art. They also geek out about their mutual love for Matt Nathanson as a songwriter, and Emmeline continues her mission to make sure that everyone in the world knows about the phenomenal Ani DiFranco. Lastly, Jeffrey talks about the importance of music in tandem with therapy as a way to make one's way in the world. To learn more about Jeffrey Michael Widman, or to follow his musical journey, visit his official website or follow him on Instagram. For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "Rescue me from what's inside my head."  Sometimes, the most beautiful songs are the simplest, most honest songs. In this episode, Emmeline sits down with Georgia-based singer-songwriter and poet Thomas Hinds to talk about his sweet love song, "Favorite Hello." Thomas shares the evolution of the song from 4/4 to 6/8 time and even gives us an exclusive glimpse at two separate recordings!  Emmeline and Thomas also discuss the importance of vulnerability in songwriting, the sacred bond between artist and audience, and how every song is ultimately a conversation that helps the art evolve. To learn more about Thomas Hinds, or to follow his musical journey, visit his official website.  For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "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, featuring her song, "GameBoy"! She sits down with Emmeline to discuss their mutual love of wordplay; how "GameBoy" is an ode to her gamer days; and how, when we play games with others, we often end up playing ourselves. Ren and Emmeline also chat about the importance of live shows and open mics for songwriters, and about how difficult it can be to keep the spark of creative passion alive while working an evening job! To learn more about Ren, or to follow her musical journey, visit her official website or check her out on Instagram. For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "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, acoustic shows--and why the moments after a show are as magical as the moments during a show. To learn more about Rosy L, or to follow her musical journey, visit her official website, find her on Spotify, or follow her on Instagram.   For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "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 Journey of an Artist) talks about taking risks in her career and how her new song served as internal motivation to make some hard choices. She also talks about the beauty of alone time, the need for space in one's creative life, and the opportunity to let a song really, truly develop organically. Emmeline and Carly also chat about being voice teachers and their teaching journeys. To learn more about Carly, or to follow her musical journey, visit her official website or follow her on Instagram. You can also stream her new single on Spotify and Apple Music. For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "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 questions and more. They talk about arts education, the things they've seen as teachers, why music is such an uplifting processing tool, and how songs are great outlets! They also discuss the beauty of live gigs and why every Mason Adams Project show is completely and totally unique! To learn more about Mason Adams Project, or to follow their musical journey, visit their official website or follow the band on Instagram. For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "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 Feather," Hylan tackles these questions and more from the warm embrace of the ocean in Panama. In this episode, Emmeline and Hylan talk about how feeling small can be the best inspiration. They also talk about revisiting the places we loved as kids, about the importance of therapy for songwriters, and how music can be a place for us to ask the most pressing questions AND make peace with uncertainty. They also talk about their mutual love for the beach--and that super weird adult sensation of turning into your parents. To learn more about Hylan, or to follow his musical journey, find him on Instagram or listen to his music on Spotify.  For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

Send us a text "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, Emmeline sits down with Haven for a candid, honest discussion about how we, as songwriters, can and often do use music as catharsis. Haven shares the difficult experience that inspired "Think About You"--and a few other songs on her forthcoming project!--and talks about the misconception that all "breakup" songs are about romance. Emmeline and Haven also talk about the cool, collaborative discoveries that can happen in the studio, the importance of leaning on other musicians to empower you and enhance your music, and the beauty of being able to--over time and with careful attention to detail--turn emotions into ear-worms. They also talk about following your own authentic journey as a songwriter--even if that means that your genre evolves! To learn more about Haven Victoria, or to follow her musical journey, find her on Instagram or visit her official website.  For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.