Interview with Emily Warren

EMILY WARREN

You might not know her yet but Emily Warren is already a worldwide phenomenon thanks to her numerous hits. At only 26, the young songwriter helped writing Dua Lipa’s « New Rules », Jessie J’s « Masterpiece » and even « No More Sad Song » with Little Mix. After several writing credits, Emily is now making her singing debut. With 11 tracks, « Quiet Your Mind » is an impressive first album for such a young artist. Let’s meet Emily Warren!

On The Move: You started out in the business as a songwriter for big artists like Shawn Mendes or Jessie J and now you are releasing your own solo album. So, how was the transition from being a songwriter to a full-time artist?

Emily Warren: It’s been good, it was a lot of work, a lot more than writing songs in the studio. But the payoff is amazing in terms of having stuff out that’s my own vision, my own songs, my own production and my own voice. But it was definitely worth the work. It’s been awesome, a lot of the artists that I collaborated with have been very supportive, which is amazing.

On The Move: How did this love for writing begin?

Emily Warren: My dad is super musical and has a band that he plays with for fun. He was always encouraging me to take instrument lessons and I had a piano teacher who was a songwriter and who basically showed me how to write songs. I just fell in love and have been in love ever since!

« Writing for other people is something that I love and will probably never stop doing »

On The Move: So you decided to just go into it and make it your full-time job?

Emily Warren: Yeah! I mean I started doing it all the time when I was too young to be thinking about a career and it kind of just happened that way, which is lucky for me!

On The Move: Which is pretty cool when you’re making your passion your full time job and everything. And so, how have these experiences with all of these artists shaped the writing of your own album?

Emily Warren: Exactly! I learned a lot that I wouldn’t have learned without writing with other people. I kind of had a craft of pop songs and boiled down what’s most important to talk about instead of having a million lyrics like I used to. And also, I always try to get the truth out of the artist that I’m working with so, when I came to write my album, I had to flip that technique onto myself. It’s been really challenging and scary but awesome!

On The Move: So are the main influences of your album all life experiences? Or do you try to be in someone else’s shoes and imagine stuff?

Emily Warren: Yeah, with this album, definitely. I think that, when I’m writing for other people, I’m imagining things but every single word on this album is a true thing and it’s all like my diary written for everyone to read! (laughs) So yeah, it’s all from actual experience.

On The Move: Did you feel some kind of pressure before the release of this album?

Emily Warren: Yeah, for sure! I think I’ve tried to kind of manage expectations, I feel like I’m proud of the album so whatever happens after this is fine. It’s definitely something pressurizing because people have heard my voice on other things and it’s kinda like what’s my thing... But the responses have been amazing!

On The Move: This is a very great album. I really loved it! So now you have all the spotlights, we can actually see your face as an artist, not just as a writer or a vocalist for another artist. It’s like a new step in your career. What can we expect from you now? Are you planning on playing some shows? What are your next projects?

Emily Warren: Thank you so much! So, we’re doing two dates: one in Los Angeles at the Moroccan Lounge and one in New York. I have a full band and we’re playing the whole album, which will be fun. It’s the first time I’ve done my own headline show, I’m so excited! I can’t wait! People are buying tickets and I’m like « Haaa » (laughs).

On The Move: « They’re coming for me! » (laughs)

Emily Warren: Yeah, literally. (laughs) I mean, I’ve played shows with The Chainsmokers and done festivals and stuff, which is amazing, but it’s like people are there to see them and I’m part of it. Now people come for me, it’s definitely trippy and amazing! But yeah, other than that, I’m still writing for other people, just more songs.

On The Move: Who have you been writing with recently?

Emily Warren: I’ve done stuff with David Guetta, Clean Bandit, Rita Ora, Backstreet Boys... A bunch of stuff! That side – writing for other people – is something that I love and will never stop doing probably.

On The Move: Backstreet Boys, wow! I feel like you go into someone else’s world and you’re just like absorbing their energy, it’s different. What do you think about the songwriting world at the moment, especially for women with the rise of young female songwriters like you or Starrah for example?

Emily Warren: Yeah, it’s different. I think it’s such an awesome time in music, not just for female songwriters but also for a lot of writers who are putting their own music out this year. It’s like the whole climate is changing with everything, what people are saying in pop songs... It’s so cool to watch how positive that change has been, it’s kind of the idea of an artist being this package, putting together things and shifting, which is really cool.

On The Move: Everything is shifting around it with Spotify putting on credits and putting songwriters to the front and not just leaving them in the studio with no one knowing about them. Why did you choose the name « Quiet Your Mind » as the title for the album?

Emily Warren: That’s right, it’s so cool to see. « Quiet Your Mind » is a lyric from the song « The Point ». I’m an overthinker. I think about everything, which is a good thing and a bad thing. It often feels like a bad thing. (laughs) Choosing « Quiet Your Mind » as the title, I knew I would see this a lot and it feels like a reminder to myself to chill out a little bit with my thoughts.

On The Move: I feel you! (laughs) I noticed that you’re still working with one of your songwriting partners Scott Harris. You’ve been working with him for quite a while now so how did you guys worked together for this album?

Emily Warren: So, Scott is the first person I ever wrote a song with, as like another person in the room. He’s incredibly talented, he always pushes me, which is awesome. And, when it came to writing this album, it was like the two songs that I knew what I wanted to go on it, he had written with me. He just set a couple weeks aside and wrote on almost every song. He’s the best, he’s one of my best friends, we’ve kind of grown together with the same managers, it’s awesome to share this with him.

On The Move: This is awesome, working with friends is more fun. How would you describe this album lyrically and sonically?

Emily Warren: Lyrically, it’s all about the lyrics and the stories for me and, sonically, I think the most important is to support the lyrics. The lyrics are true stories, true things that have happened. The production is probably a little different than the stuff I normally do, a little bit more organic maybe, just supporting the songs really.

On The Move: Is there a song that you particularly feel connected to in this album?

Emily Warren: I keep getting this question and it’s hard because I love them all! (laughs) But « Not Ready To Dance », the last song on the album, is the only one that’s acoustic. Scott and I wrote it four or five years ago and I’ve just been holding it and waiting to put an album out to put it on. I love that song, the storytelling in it and the whole structure... I’m really proud of that one!

« Every single word on this album is a true thing. it’s like my diary written for everyone to read »

On The Move : It’s a very good song, I really loved the whole album! On another note, which artists are you listening to at the moment?

Emily Warren: Thank you so much! I’ve been listening a lot to the Teyana Taylor album, the one Kanye produced. There’s been a lot of cool abums like SZA’s album and few others that have come out this year which are kind of breaking from the norm and not necessarily following the pop structure. They’ve been really inspiring.

On The Move: SZA is one of my favourite “new” artists. So, what can we expect from your show at the Moroccan Lounge?

Emily Warren: It will be the first time I’m doing anything like that. (laughs) So, that will be interesting! It’s the whole album pretty much, I’m just so excited to be playing a show. I think it’s going to be really fun.

On The Move: What can we wish you for next year?

Emily Warren: Hopefully, more of the same. I would like to keep writing songs, putting music out and having fun!

INTERVIEW BY PAM CHARBIT WITH COLINE GAILLARD PHOTOS BY JONATHAN BENBARUK EXCLUSIVELY FOR ON THE MOVE