Emma Salisbury: "New York" (Exclusive Interview)
What made you want to write a song about New York?
The first time I thought about going to New York, I was pretty depressed. I was in the middle of my music degree back home in Australia, starting to not enjoy the thing I love the most – making music. Attending this prestigious university was an incredible opportunity but being tasked to create such a dense body of work in a short amount of time and turning in music I wasn’t happy with to be graded just took the love out of it for me and left me feeling lost. New York provided me with fresh energy, I’d never seen anything like it. The diversity, the hustle, and the uniquely motivating energy of the city were captivating and gave me a reason to go home, finish my degree and move to New York.
What was the hardest part of making this song?
I wrote and recorded ‘New York’ when I was 18 years old, so 7 years ago now. The hardest part was for sure biting the bullet and releasing the track all these years later, with a sense that my voice, artistry, general creative direction, and influences have all evolved so much since then, it almost made me cringe that anyone was going to hear it. But folk music was what I originally gravitated towards in terms of tone, my voice naturally lends itself to that vibe, so in deciding to release this track, it not only demonstrates my malleability as a cross-genre artist in response to the release of my debut single ‘Friction’ (an Afrobeat/Tropical House track) but also allowed me to embrace all parts of myself.
What was the most enjoyable part of making this song?
The most enjoyable part was the feedback. So many unexpected people have said that this is their favorite track of mine and I wasn’t even going to release it last minute. It was comforting to come to the conclusion that no matter how much self-doubt creeps in, we’re all human and we all experience the same range of emotions even if you don’t feel one of your tracks on a certain day, it may be someone else’s solace.
What is one feeling you want to leave listeners with?
Hope, for sure. I wrote this song having just found a reason to move forward and intend for the raw vocals, lyrical content and genuine New York City sounds to inspire people to seek their own happiness. There are so many ways to skin a cat. If you’re not happy in a job, a home, a relationship, or a city, you can literally pick yourself up and create an infinitely different life for yourself.
