EMMA G ON CREATING A MUSIC EMPIRE
WITH LOVE + EMPOWERMENT
WORDS BY M.K. KOSZYCKI
Emma G is everywhere. She’s always up to something creative and empowering: releasing a new single every six weeks, running a conversation series encompassing relevant issues and coaching young people on how to use music to express themselves, just to name a few. She’s also the founder, director and managing member of local artist incubator and collective Capitol Groove Collective. Although quarantine has given her time to reframe her ideas and work while helping others do the same, she’s shown no signs of stopping. Rather, she’s readjusting to her new circumstances. We spoke to the musician and total creative about her life and work. District Fray: When did you know you wanted a life that revolved around music? Emma G: I was 4. They say whatever your passion is when you are 5 years old, apparently that’s meant to be your life calling. I was born with a health condition called hydrocephalus. I’ve 70 | SEPTEMBER 2020
had 10 brain surgeries in my life. My first brain surgery was at 4 months old, so I was always a super weird chick. Music has always been that thing to help me stay sane, connected with myself and connected with other people who looked at me like, “You’re a weirdo. We don’t know how to deal with you as a weirdo.” Your music has been described as goddess rock. What does that mean to you? I’ve always been super nonconformist. I was in a pop rock band for five years. We struggled with being too pop for the rock stations [and] too rock for the pop stations. Now that I’m [in D.C.], and my sound has diversified even more, it just made sense to me. I’m a true believer that [in] every human being, there’s an inner goddess and an inner god. We are perfect in their image. I’m all about self-empowerment. I’m all about love. I’m all about equality. That’s where the goddess comes in. Photos by Alexander McSwain.
