Emily Daniels
Feed the Band
Feed the Band
Emily Daniels
Patrick L.
Feed the Band has always been about more than music and food. It about people. I would like to think by now I have a firm understanding of the people who make up our family. For the most part, I do. That even goes for understanding myself as well. I know my limits, though most times it took me learning them the hard way. Six months ago, I found someone who has me beat. Country Music artist Emily Daniels is the queen of hearts. She knows hers and will want to know yours just the same. For this reason, she is our next artist to join the Southern Fellow family.
On the outside, Emily Daniels is very put together. She loves red just as much as I do, but wears it better than I ever could. Emily is quick to pull a smile from you, and when you talk, Emily actively listens. She turned the table on our interview a time or two and put on the hot seat. It was no surprise when she mentioned that she was a psychology major. Emily Daniels truly has a knack for knowing people.
There is more to a cake than icing, and like most of us, Emily comes with layers. Just like a baking show, she makes the complicated look simple. I have only had a small slice of Emily Daniels but could pull a few things from it. What makes Emily stand tall is two-part. First, Emily is willing to face the truth, no matter if it’s good or bad. This point is on full display in her new single “My Last Name”. In this song, she faces a gut-wrenching truth about her father. Secondly, she can adjust to be what the situation needs without changing who she is at her core. These two things make for a great artist and an even better person.
Emily is someone you want to know. Before we get to the interview, be on the for the Classic Meatballs with a Smoked Tomato Marinara recipe she inspired. (We had to do something in red.) Also, be sure to enter our giveaway at the bottom. Here is our interview with country music artist Emily Daniels!
Tell us about your road to the Nashville music scene.
I’m actually a Nashville native, but I went to college in Los Angeles and moved back home three years ago to pursue music. My hometown changed a lot while I was gone, but so did I, and I was ready to get back and chase after my dreams.
How would you describe your music to someone unable to hear?
I’d say my music is warm like sunshine, strong but sweet like a bear hug, and vulnerable like crying in front of someone you love for the first time.
What is the funniest thing that has happened during a live performance?
One time, a mom brought her baby to the front of the stage while I was singing and motioned to take a picture with me. I walked up (while still singing) and took a selfie with them…and then she handed me her baby to hold so she could get one of just the two of us! I was shocked, to say the least, but it was a really sweet moment!
If life gave you lemons, what kind of lemonade would you make?
I’d add some sweet tea and make it an Arnold Palmer
Connect with Emily
We are always developing recipes here at Southern Fellow; when writing music, what recipe do you use?
Like any recipe, I adjust as needed, but I like to start with a good story, add a heaping cup of truth, a dash of sass to spice things up, and then I’ll mix in a feel-good melody that enhances the flavor that’s cooking up. In the end, I’ll usually add some melted butter on top for a smooth, rich effect and sometimes a pinch of sugar because I have a sweet tooth.
What Disney Princess do you identify with?
These days, probably Rapunzel in the movie Tangled because she lives in the kingdom of Corona (hello, 2020), is locked in a tower (quarantine), and prays for the day she can travel the world and sing with strangers in bars (can I get an amen?!).
What is your first fond memory of food?
I specifically remember coming home from kindergarten almost every day and having an after-school snack of nachos made with Cool Ranch Doritos and cheddar cheese and my grape Kool-Aid Burst (the ones with the twist-off top – iconic) while watching an episode of Arthur with my siblings. Life was good.
There are many young women that may not feel they fit a particular mold when they dream of being a music artist. What advice do you have for these women?
I truly think there’s room for everyone; music listeners don’t all fit one mold, so artists don’t have to either! Be yourself and people will be drawn to your authenticity!
Try this inspired recipe!
“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.
