EARTH TO EMILY

Meet Your Next Queer Pop Obsession

Interviewed by: Lucy Dover (@luce_dover_)

Toronto-born, LA-hustling, and proudly queer, Earth to Emily is the kind of pop star who refuses to fit into a mould.

Raised in Toronto’s co-operative housing, where community was everything, Emily grew up surrounded by music, artistry, and neighbours who felt more like family. With a background in jazz vocals, a knack for tongue-in-cheek wordplay, and a vision rooted in community and authenticity, Emily is carving out her own lane in the world of left-leaning pop. Her latest single GAGATRON, a camp, witty celebration of queer vernacular, arrives hot on the heels of her EP QUINTESSENTIAL POPSTARDOM, with her next project, SXXXTAPE, 'leaking' September 19th.

The Sanxtuary sat down with Earth to Emily to talk GAGATRON, queer community, and why she’s determined to become the kind of pop star who leaves a legacy.

Hi Earth to Emily! could you open up a little bit about who you are and your career for our readership?

Hi! I'm born and raised downtown Toronto. I did the musical theatre as a kid to jazz school route, so I have a Jazz Degree in Voice here in Toronto. And then I started going to LA for songwriting and artist reasons, and then just started doing trips back and forth. As a Canadian, it has made it hard to be there, and it's expensive to be there, but I make it work. I met my manager out there, around two years ago. I am obviously queer. I have a girlfriend who lives out in LA and she's wonderful. I grew up in a really musical household with my parents. They met in a play. And yeah, they're like, struggling artists, and that's kind of been their thing! And because of that, I grew up in a very interesting neighbourhood. I grew up in government housing, and it's actually called Cooperative Housing, so everyone knows their neighbours here, and it's an eight floor building, and you are really a part of a community. And so I think I learned community really early on. I just do pop music now, leftist centred pop. And I just want to be a huge pop star!

I wanted to say congratulations for the release of GAGATRON. It's so good. What was your inspiration for that song?

So I wrote that song with one of my best friends, Max Pedra, and he's also gay, and he and I were just being silly. I believe humour is the way to everyone's heart, honestly, through music. And how do we make really, really innovative art, but still keep it accessible and as connective as possible. I think Sabrina carpenter does a really good job of it, and like Renee Rapp and all these up and coming people. And [max and I] were saying gag. We were like, "oh my god, I'm gagged." That's such a gay term in different parts of the world [but] gag is super LA. I feel like everyone's like "GAG IT", "I'm gagged," right? And so I had this idea the word Jumbotron as a song concept. And then we were just being stupid, and we were like "Gag On... Gagatron! I'm so gag. I'm like, a machine". It's also sexual innuendos... so it's really just humour. And I guess, you know, cultivating the queer community and queer verbiage. It [also] took a lot of inspo also from Slayyyter's song Purrr . I thought that was great . Purrr was such a moment too!

You've had a really exciting year in general, and obviously with the release of your EP QUINTESSENTIAL POPSTARDOM as well. How does it feel looking back on everything you've done so far?

It feels good! I think being in LA and being independent and being a woman and a gay artist and someone who doesn't want to run too fast, because I don't want to rush anything that isn't supposed to be. I prioritise legacy and innovation over chasing trends and like chasing the mainstream. And I think you have to do both if you want to be a big level pop star. But it feels good, mostly because I am doing this on my own, with the manager and distribution, and my girlfriend honestly helps me out with all my social media stuff and to put out music at a higher frequency than I have before, I'm really proud of it. And it's been cool, because I think I've cultivated a storyline through my releases and so GAGATRON, is a single for an EP coming out September 19. And it the EP is called SXXXTAPE. I created this storyline: SOCIALITE RODEO was the first EP of being like, "oh my god, I'm in LA and, like, everyone's a socialite, and it's crazy." And then to being like, "oh, okay, I'm a pop star. This is QUINTESSENTIAL POPSTARDOM. And then this is SXXXTAPE, which will be like, "this is how, if I want to make it, I have to put out a sex tape." And so it's very vulgar! I'm making a concept in world building, and that's my favourite thing of other artists. So I'm kind of like, might as well do it myself!

So is that usually what sparks a song for you? Do you create an idea to begin with? Or is it more of a sound that you come up with first? Or is it something completely different?

I think for me, it's both at the same time. I think production and sonic world really influences my melodies, obviously, but also just the overall vibe, and then, honestly, I come in with titles. I think that's pretty common way, especially in LA in the songwriting world, is concepts and titles. So yeah, I think both, honestly. They influence each other, and you can't do one without the other for me and my music, at least.

Speaking of sound, what artists and sounds have actually impacted your own unique sound and style the most?

Charlie XCX, I think... that is mother for me. I think I always kind of say, if Charlie and maybe not like Dijon and Mk.gee. But kind of like a lot... I love Ryan Beatty. I love all this very, very left music mixed with the digital autotune, catchy hook. So kind of like if Dijon and Charlie met an elevator and had to write a song! I would like to think that's me! I was such a Dua Lipa girl for a while because she's the pop queen. So that influenced me a lot. And then just all the girls doing it Chappell, as an artist, I think she is so exciting. But Charlie is the biggest one

In your EP, QUINTESSENTIAL POPSTARDOM, you released what I'm going to label as a queer anthem, SENSITIVE and it's such a good and catchy song. How do you feel being queer? How does that help you write and perform, or is it something that sits more in the background for your writing and your performing?

I see how even SENSITIVE, I feel like I'm hitting a good groove with, finding more of my fan base in the queer community. And for me, being queer is just who I am, and I think it's just a part of me, it's who I am. And I don't necessarily think "oh, I want to write a queer anthem" or anything like that, but I'm trying to write about my life and and that's my life. Being a part of the gay community is the most special thing in the whole world, and we all know it, and if you're in it or adjacent to it, you can feel how connecting and how supportive it is. So I think I've been trying to wear it more in the forefront, because that's a part of my life, and it's been great! I've been able to connect with so many beautiful people and I just think it's so special. I think when I do wear it in the forefront, I see more of the connecting and supporting in that community. So that's really special for me.

What is it like seeing these queer audiences connect with your work in such a way? How does that make you feel?

Amazing! People DM me. I'm getting a lot more DMS recently for SENSITIVE, and it's so nice. I feel like it's a part of a little family, and I'm making a little community for E2E [EARTH TO EMILY] people and gay people, and it's great. I've been lucky to grow up in a super progressive place, and my parents had gay friends when I was a child, and being gay has never been a bad thing ever for me. And I think that that's a really unique perspective. My girlfriend grew up in the South, in the US, and talking and sharing stories with her about... you know. Certain things are really important to her, and I'm like, "Oh, why? It's so normal to be gay," And she's like, "No," and, and I think I'm really privileged in that way, where I did go to an Arts high school, and everyone was gay and, and I think that's why I feel free, and I feel like a great candidate to just to share stories. And I think I'm privileged in that way, and lucky.

You say now that you feel free, but have you ever felt pressure to make yourself fit into a certain image for the industry?

Definitely, 100% Yeah. My past music, especially, I think I was really trying to figure out what my thing was. And you hear a pop song, you're like, "Okay, this is the equation. I need to write something like this". I think not so much anymore. I'm one of those people who are who is like, no judgment, just be yourself. And I think I lead my life that way, and I feel lucky to have grown up with that support. I think a lot of people are championed now for being different and for having their own sound. And singing about what they want to sing about.

I think you're more successful as well when you come across as genuinely authentic, as opposed to playing a role as well.

100% and we want to hear innovative things, and we want to hear stories that are universal, but maybe hasn't come to light. Renee Rapp is a great example... she's so amazing. Even Chappell and Doechii. There's so many gay girls right now that are at the forefront, and it's just so exciting!

What is next for EARTH TO EMILY? Obviously, you have the new EP coming out on 19th September. What else is coming?

I think for me, something has been shifting. It's just being in a better mental state and feeling more free to be myself. I feel like the sky's the limit, and so I'm just trying to think ahead and be world building, and that's why people love Lady Gaga. People love Taylor Swift because they create those worlds and those Easter eggs. So, yeah, so EP is next SXXX TAPE... pretty vulgar. There's three songs on it. They're fierce and fun and yeah, and then after, I think there'll be a mixtape, but that'll be down the line.

Are you going to be doing any shows or supporting?

Need to, want to, have to! can't wait to sing GAGATRON live! It's gonna be crazy! I did a couple opening slots: I did one for Lilyisthatyou in San Francisco and Katie Tupper in LA and so I think I'm just going to do more of those. I would love to go on a tour, but the Touring is expensive now, so I want to jump on an opening slot. But nothing set in stone.

You have some quite exciting people who follow you, like Snow Wife. How does that make you feel when you see these big names in the industry following you and following your career?

Um, for me, so exciting. I love Snow Wife. Because I'm in LA, I just naturally kind of build community with other gay people there, and Snow has been adjacent to the people I know, and so we've crossed paths a lot. I think it's all about being genuine, as you said. You want to make friends and build community with people that you actually mess with. Honestly, Snow is just a friend. I feel like a lot of girls that follow me, I just meet them in LA and we vibe. And it's a good omen! Because I'm like, okay, the girls know what's up!

If you could give your younger self some advice about, whether it was her career, being queer, even anything like that, what would you tell little Emily?

Oh, little Emily! I would say to take up more space. I was such an outgoing kid. I was just one of those kids who would not shut up and my mom put me in singing lessons really young, and I wanted to be a star when I was, like, 10 years old. I was like, "okay, yep. Like, I'm doing music. No turning back, no Plan B, because there's literally nothing else I like doing". But I feel like taking up more space. I think that's being a woman. Honestly I was so scared to speak sometimes in public if I felt uncomfortable, or if something was weird, especially in sessions. Sessions are so cis man heavy there's so many moments where I didn't like something, or I felt like their vibe was weird. But. I was just scared to be like, "hey, I don't fuck with this. Like, can you change that?" But now I'm I feel a lot more comfortable doing that, comfortable my own voice, comfortable being gay. I feel like we've all probably gone through that [scenario] where someone will be like, "Oh, your boyfriend," and you have to be like, "actually, my girlfriend", and you're scared, and so now I think I'm just trying to own myself more, and also working with gay people. I mean, I have always been friends with gay people, obviously, but I would say surround yourself more with gay people early on, and make them your collaborators, because, you know, there's a different type of of work ethic and perspective that we all share

I've noticed, as well as someone who has to source a lot of talent, everyone is bipoc or queer, and I've noticed how little there are in this in the creative industry as well. So I think it's so important you take up space!

For sure! And my friend Max, when we wrote GAGATRON. I was voice memoing him today, because I was like, "the song would not exist without you!" And the perspective, the innovation! Gay people are just so artful and fabulous. My girlfriend always says, because we talk a lot about boundaries and what our relationship wants to look like. And she always says to me, which I really like, and I always try to use as my anchor, is "because queer people are told they're not the norm, we get this kind of unique moment to try different things and make the norm for what is us." And I think that's really good. We talk about it in relationship archetypes, like monogamous versus poly, versus open. And that's kind of in relation to that, but I kind of use it in music, because, yeah, Gagatron is a made up word. we're allowed to... well, we're forced to have to push the envelope and, like, come up with different things and try to think outside the box.

Final question! If you could build your own Sanxtuary, sonically and visually, what would it look like? What would it sound like? What would it feel like?

I mean, I think there's so many ways I could take this answer. Public health care, accessible tuition! I want everyone to be wearing an E2E tank. That's my safest world being in my merch! No! but I think feeling free to be themselves, express themselves, having respect for others, having care for community. And I think not being judgmental of people is the biggest thing. The biggest gift you can give someone is open arms and an open heart. And, you know, I think sessions push my brain to do that, because I'm in a room and someone's like, "how about this?" And it's the craziest idea I've ever heard. And I'm like, "Yeah, okay, let's try it," So I think just feeling like anyone can express how they would choose to express would feel the safest to me, and just being nice. I love being nice to people. I think that that is underrated sometimes, you know, so it's about finding people you feel safe with. My safe space is my bedroom here in Toronto. It's my favourite room ever. I feel like every time I come here I feel so safe. I've got like, sheer curtains, and it looks like everything's daylight and happy. Ryan Beatty is my go to album for anytime I need to calm down or go for a nice walk or go on a plane. I'll just bump that album, Calico, so many times!