Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Elise Jones.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am a self-taught singer and songwriter from Athens, Georgia. Honestly, I have been singing all of my life. My music career began alongside my acting career. When I was young, I performed at numerous plays and musicals at performing arts centers and places such as the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. Although there are musicians all throughout my family, my sister Julia inspired me to write my own music when I was nine. Writing songs helps me process life and exists as an outlet for me. In high school, I began to focus on songwriting and wrote and released a single ‘Don’t Know Anymore’ after one day of messing around in GarageBand.
Recently, my songwriting has matured with me and been a constant thing that has helped me through trials of loss and difficult relationships. Throughout the years I have released a few singles and an EP. At the end of 2022, I recently released my single ‘Boy’ and I am currently running a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to record 9 songs I have completed in the past two years. I have performed cover songs at many talent shows and lead worship regularly. Some performances have audience of a few thousand people. I play guitar, ukulele and some piano.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Although I have evident blessings in my life, I would not say it has been a smooth road. I am a current sophomore at the University of Georgia and although almost no one knows this about me, I have a personal history with deafness that leads me to appreciate the beautiful language of American Sign Language. When I was two years old, I became half-deaf because of an incident. For seventeen years, I have been completely deaf in my left ear. Pursuing music despite this hearing loss has been difficult and frustrating on many days. Being half deaf is something I regretfully chose to be silent about up until coming to college when I realized an inability does not equal a disability. Now, I am writing songs about this co-culture I associate myself closely with and hope to share this meaningful music with the world soon.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Regularly, I upload singing videos onto social media platforms such as Instagram, Tik Tok, and Guitar Tabs. I am in the process of fundraising and preparing to record a 7-song project. Often, my original songs are genuine stories that are almost like journal entries. Unlike other artists, I normally create my lyrics and tune simultaneously. The meaning of my music is expressed in the lyrics while the emotion is conveyed through the tune.
Because I am a half-deaf musician studying Deaf Culture and American Sign Language (ASL), music to me is more than the sound. Music is about the experience and heart behind the song. Recently, I have begun interpreting my original music into ASL which forces me to consider the meaning behind each word chosen within a song.
Honestly, I am most proud of my perseverance and hard work. Having a physical inability is categorized negatively in our world. I think it is beautiful and unique. I believe every person is born with a creative mind but it is like a muscle that must be worked to be maintained.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
As mentioned previously, I am currently running a fundraiser to record my 7-song project. I would greatly appreciate your support financially or you can simply share my crowdfunding campaign with your friends. I would love to collaborate with other passionate musicians and you can message me on my social media networks!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/emmaelisej
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmaelise/
- Facebook: https://tr.ee/JS8B8iZvB1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-elise-jones-240504239
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/emmaelise
- Other: https://gofund.me/37a40604
Image Credits
Peak Viz (Hannah Jones), Kendrick Banks, Emily Jones
