“My Last Name” is a very personal song for you. Tell us about it.
I’ve shared the full story on my website (https://www.emilydanielsofficial.com/b-l-o-g), but basically, “My Last Name” tells my story without trying to sugar-coat things. My co-writers Kelly Seidel and Hailey Verhaalen helped me share the details of my childhood with my estranged father and why I ultimately decided to change my last name to shed the painful memories attached to it. My stepdad Daniel has been a huge part of my adult life, and I wanted to honor him with my new last name Daniels.
If you found a winning scratch-off for $50, what would you buy with it?
I’d buy wine and pizza for my friends – I love any excuse for a good girls’ night!
Where would you like to be five years from now?
Five years from now, I’d like to have released an album, be touring around the country, and have sung at the Grand Ole Opry. I know it will take a lot to get there, but I’m determined to keep pursuing my dreams, even when tornados or pandemics try to get in the way.
What is important to you, and how do you think it has molded you as a person?
My faith is the most important thing to me. It’s given me strength my whole life, and I don’t know where or who I’d be without it. It’s taught me to be more patient, kind, loving, and understanding, even when I don’t understand a situation. I don’t know for sure where life is going to take me, but I’m confident that Jesus will be with me every step of the way, which makes me excited for the future.
If you could write with anyone, living or who has passed on, who would that person be?
I have a long list of songwriters who I admire, but at the top is Hillary Lindsey; I just love the way she crafts songs and have been a fan of her work since I was a little girl singing along to Martina McBride’s “Blessed,” so it would be an absolute honor to be in the room with her one day.
If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Hmm…probably “Anyway” by Martina McBride. It’s always been a special song to me throughout the years, and I think it has a powerful message that can apply to many situations in life. It’s encouraged me time and time again, and it also happened to be the song I unknowingly sang in front of Simon Cowell right before moving back to Nashville to pursue music.
Is there anything else you want your family at Southern Fellow to know?
I hope everyone out there is staying safe, and I can’t WAIT to get back to playing live music regularly!
That is Emily Daniels. She is an artist you need to watch, and you can on the show Sing On! On Netflix. She is a rising star, and it’s been amazing watching her grow as a person and musically. You can get all of her music on your favorite streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and YouTube. After you add all of her music to your playlist, try that recipe for Meatballs with a Smoked Tomato Marinara. Thank you for reading this interview. We have more music and recipes on the way.