Emily How
Emily How is a musician based out of central Illinois! Emily sings and plays guitar, along with beating on a drum here and there! She is joined by Jacob on guitar and backup vocals, Tyler or Matt on drums, and Brent on bass! Emily started by playing solo shows, and then expanded to performing with a band. She loves to move on stage, and fully uses the space given to her. It is always fun to watch her perform and see what she'll do this time. It's hard not to have fun yourself when Emily is performing.
Emily How released her first EP in 2022, called Flight Behavior. This was an amazing EP, and I remember having a listening party with friends when it dropped. My favorite off of it is "I Miss U Say It Back." Since then, she has released three singles; "I Hope I Die Inside A Fire," "Brain Cells," and "Useless." These songs are so full of emotions, as Emily is very expressive. I just want to scream along and let those feelings overtake for a bit. I highly recommend giving them a listen!
I reached out to Emily How to ask some questions!
How long have you been making/playing music?
Emily: I’ve been singing since I was 7, and started playing guitar when I was 8! So around 15 years (that sounds insane to me lol)!!! I started performing around 10 yrs old at local talent shows and restaurants, I started really taking it seriously around the age of 19 after a long hiatus and much self discovery lol
How would you describe the genre of music you make?
Emily: I would describe the genre as a Frankenstein of lots of genres, lol! A lot of people say it reminds them of 90s grungy-rock, but also indie and some slight folk vibes. I really like using heavier sounds with my voice because the vocals tend to be lighter and more fluttery at some points, but I also love to incorporate heavier sounds, whether it’s in guitar tones or growly/screaming vocals. Usually, I just settle for the term “alternative.”
What inspires you most to make music?
Emily: What inspires me to make music the most is definitely the motive to try and put my own feelings into words that make sense to me and help me understand how I’m feeling. I have always struggled with regulating my emotions and songwriting has given me space to work through things in a healthy and productive way, and it provides clarity. It’s also really cool when other people can relate, and it just forms a sense of community and understanding that I feel is often missing from today’s world
What was performing like when you first started vs now?
Emily: When I first started performing, I was very shy and had little to no confidence in my guitar abilities (I still am overly conscious of that particular element lol). The evolution of my backing band over the past few years has been a really large component of the live performances. Over time finding the right musicians to bring the songs to life has been a really awesome thing, and helped boost my confidence within myself as well! I’ve also stopped being afraid of being honest in my lyrics (honesty is not always pretty).
If you could play in any location, where?
Emily: If I could play anywhere, it would be Red Rocks Amphitheater!
What is your favorite animal?
Emily: My favorite wild animal is definitely a squirrel because they’re fun to watch, but overall I would say cats take the title of being my all time favorite animal. Mostly because I love my cat so much, lol!
You can find Emily How online here. She is most active on Instagram, and I recommend giving her a follow to keep up with upcoming shows and music releases! You can view the band performing “Useless” as a tiny desk submission video below!
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