Photos by: Jonathon Sommer / @jsommer_photography
Young Music City is proud to showcase and celebrate dynamic top-tier Nashville talent without limitation every 3rd Wednesday at Music Row’s hottest rooftop. Check out the most recent crop of creatives featured at the March 2022 YMC / Virgin ‘Rooftop Sounds’ show.
Stay tuned for the next event atop Nashville’s Virgin Hotel Pool Club, April 20.
Inspired by International Woman’s day and in celebration of great humans making music - here’s a list of epic female and non-binary Nashville artists you need to know! check them out. Hype them up!
Twelve6 Ent, singer, songwriter Emma Klein infuses early 2000’s and modern-pop influences to bring us her vibey new single “Mood Swing.” Following up her momentum from American Idol and a tour with celebrity radio and TV host, Bobby Bones , “Mood Swing” currently stands at viral status on Tik Tok, with over 5 million views Want to know more? Check out our exclusive Q+A and the official premiere of the “Mood Swing” music video below.
You recently released your single “Mood Swing,” tell us a bit about what inspired it.
In the past few years I’ve started to experience some pretty big mood swings and energy shifts. One day after getting really down on myself about my instability, I wrote down “Mood Swing” in my notes app where I keep my song ideas. I thought it would be fun to write a song called mood swing that would literally swing on the melody of the hook. The day of my session with Kline and McEwan I threw out the idea. As the kids say… they “understood the assignment.” Alex started building an awesome track and McEwan started to throw out really amazing rhythmic ideas. We had an absolute blast chasing it down. A few weeks later I posted it on Tik Tok and within one week it had over a million views… crazy!
It was really important to me that “Mood Swing” found a balance between self-aware, funny, and serious. This song is about something that legitimately debilitates me and many people. I’ve gotten a lot of responses on Tik Tok from individuals with bipolar disorder, other mood disorders, and mental illnesses. I personally have OCD and suffer from a particular theme of it that focuses on relationships specifically. The first line of this song takes the listener through what my brain thinks in a loop in regards to relationships on a daily basis. While I’ve written a few emotional songs that dive pretty deep into this, I had yet to write one that made light of it. Writing this song was like medicine to me. If I ever find myself starting to spiral now, I can think of this song, laugh it off, and get back to the present moment. “It’s just a mood swing, honey don’t freak out. If I go up, well I’ll come back down…” those words are being sung just as much to myself as they are to the love interest in the song. I’m so grateful to have a song that normalizes an experience that I’ve often felt very isolated in - and I’m over the moon that other people feel the same way about it.
Tell us about the writing process behind “Mood Swing.”
I wrote “Mood Swing,” with Alex Kline and Steve McEwan - two absolute legends. Steve has landed cuts with Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunne, James Bay, Keith Urban, and even Eminem! Alex Kline just recently co-wrote and produced Tenille Arts’ number one hit single “Somebody Like That,” and her songs have been recorded by artists such as Ronnie Dunn, Reba McEntire, Mitchell Tenpenny, Terri Clark, Gary Allan, Bill Anderson, Meghan Patrick, Cassadee Pope, Jordan Rager, Mason Ramsey, Tara Thompson, and many others. While these writers have landed many hit songs in the country world, their writing and Kline’s production totally fit into the pop space, too. The “Mood Swing” session was my first time getting the opportunity to co-write with Kline, and the second session I had with McEwan.
You currently write for Nashville-based publishing company, Twelve6 Ent - tell us about your musical journey:
Here’s the story of how I got booked as an opener on my first tour: A few years ago, I was on season 2 of American Idol. Bobby Bones was the mentor on Idol at the time and he was doing interviews throughout Top 40 week. While the cameras were getting set up for our interview, Bobby and I were chatting and I told him I live in Nashville. In what I thought was just him being friendly, he said that if I got cut from the show he’d love to have me come play piano for his comedy band on the road. (I don’t know why, because I never played piano on the show, and I’m not great at it.) One week later I had gotten cut and was on a hike at Radnor Lake in Nashville. All of a sudden I hear my name being called by none other than Bobby Bones? He just so happened to be going on a hike at the exact same time in the exact same place as me. A few weeks later I was on tour playing keys for Bobby Bones! Eventually he caught on to the fact that I’m not that great of a keys player, so he hired Walker Burroughs. (Fun fact: Walker and I were in an a capella group together in college and were both on Idol together too.) Bobby asked me to be the opener for the tour instead, which I’d say was a pretty great deal for me!
As an artist and writer in Nashville, what challenges have you faced? Any advice?
I think the most difficult part about the Nashville scene, and maybe the music scene as a whole in the digital world that we live in, is feeling jaded and getting stuck in the comparison cycle. I’m 24 years old and there are days where I’m doubtful and not as excited as I want to be about what I’m doing, what I’m making, or what anyone’s making or doing. And it’s not that I don’t like what I’m doing or making or that I don’t like what other people are doing or making… I’m just overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by how much music there is, how many artists there are, how quickly things change, how good it all is, what good even is… is what I’m making good? Do I like what I’m doing? Or do I just know it’s what works so I’m doing it? I’m realizing that while these doubts are common among nearly all the musicians I know, escaping the jaded mindset is a choice. Each day I have to wake up and choose the mindset that stands in awe of what is possible. I have to remind myself of how incredible and beautiful it is that we live in a world where the creation and distribution of music and art is accessible to nearly everyone. On the comparison front… I’m learning that sometimes I have to respectfully place my blinders on so I can focus on my artistry and stop measuring myself up to others, but sometimes I have to shut off my artist brain entirely, sit back, and just listen to and enjoy music.
We’re excited to premiere the video for “Mood Swing” - what can you tell us about it?
The “Mood Swing” music video comes out this Friday, February 25th! It was a BLAST to dream up and create. I wanted the visual portrayal of this song to be as dramatic and over the top as possible. It probably doesn’t look like it, but when I’m in the thick of one of my mood swings, I feel like each of the characters in this video. I’ve always felt like there are all these different personalities inside of me, but I only let the softer, more easy-going, “sunny” version out. This video shoot gave me the opportunity to express the extremes that exist within me for the first time. It turns out that borrowing your roomies combat boots and aggressively ripping bananas in half can be pretty therapeutic.
Latin Country artist, Andrea Vasquez give us all the feels with her empowering new single “Made Me Cry.” Following up her most recent release “Used To,” the song tells the redemptive tale of leaving a toxic relationship all the while showcasing her killer vocals. Check it out below!
I wrote this song with Nina Soro and David Espinoza. It takes the narrative
of being in a toxic relationship and shows that from those situations can come strength and tenacity. It shows that you shouldn’t have to bear the weight of feeling bad for the other person’s wrong doings. I wanted to share the perspective of coming out of that situation and saying ‘I’m good on my own.’ This is for those who are celebrating being empowered.
-Andrea
LISTEN TO “MADE ME CRY” BELOW
Looking for something modern and bad ass? Scope out Nashville-based alt-pop duo DBMK’s new single “Chains.”
DBMK is the project of Nashville-based vocalist Kyle Knudsen and drummer Colton Ward. They’ve sold out DIY shows across the country and racked up millions of streams across their repertoire, exploring new musical dimensions and cultivating an incredibly tight-knit fanbase.
"The world is bending and we are forced to react - we’ve got a few options. “Chains” is our hopeful outcry of a response. A generation facing what feels like another apocalypse at the start of every day, lives on the cliche 'we’re here not for a long time, but a good time.' This may be true, but we don’t have to spend that time alone and we can even dress up and make it a party along
the way. With a rawness that feels equally brutally honest and optimistic, it makes it feel okay to smile and cry at the same time. Driving drums and soaring vocals turn the truth into something you can sing along to without fear."
LISTEN TO “CHAINS” BELOW
Sidewalk Records recording artist Ruthie Collins fills us in on the continuation of her dreamy Country saga, including the expanded re-release of her current project, Cold Comfort and the ethereal new radio single, “Hypocrite.” Stream the record below!
Your new single, “Hypocrite” was released to radio Jan 10. Talk about the inspiration behind it.
I wrote “Hypocrite” with my best friend Natalie Stovall, actually in her driveway, where my 1973 argosy airstream was parked at the time. I was in the airstream trying to turn a very bitter heartbreak into a song and I needed my best friend. Thankfully she came out and finished it with me. We knew it was something special right away.
For those who aren’t familiar with Ruthie Collins music or projects, tell us what fans can expect from this record and the new single.
Cold Comfort is a country/americana record that blurs the lines between traditional country and singer songwriter. It’s a super emotional record, raw and vulnerable. Hypocrite takes the foundation of Cold Comfort, the cinematic sounds, soaring melodies and a heart wrenching lyric and moves it into a slightly more commercial sound.
The music video for “Hypocrite” is epic! Tell us a bit about it.
I had been dying to work with Running Bear (the production team) for years. I was huge fans of everything they had done prior so I just trusted their vision and jumped in even though it was so far out of my comfort zone. Working with Stephen and Alexa is the only way we would have made that video. They perfectly brought to life the emotions I was feeling when I wrote the song and amplified them into a storyline that really suited the song.
You’re re-releasing and extended version of your record, Cold Comfort, what songs are you excited for fans to hear or get another shot at tuning into?
I’m really excited about the three unplugged tracks! I recorded those at my mom’s house during the lockdown, so it’s my first time engineering and producing on my own. And “Hypocrite,” obviously!
You crafted much of your record Cold Comfort during the pandemic. What did you learn?
I learned that nothing is in your control and to just surrender to the moment. From traveling to the UK and then not being able to play live, to so many shows being canceled over and over, I’m trying to just find peace in the creation of the art.
If your fans could take away one thing from this project, what do you hope that is?
I hope this record gives people a safe place to express their emotions even when it’s uncomfortable, because there is so much healing in that!
What else can fans expect from Ruthie in 2022?
More new music and lots of touring!! (Fingers crossed, that is.)
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