Artist Interview: Emily O'neal
Rising Nashville singer and songwriter Emily O'Neal discusses the creative leap of her debut album, Bird's Eye View, how she blends pop and rock elements, and the valuable lessons she’s learned while pursuing a full-time music career.
Tori: Your debut album, Bird's Eye View, was released in May 2024. How does this complete body of work showcase a new artistic maturity compared to your earlier Otherworldly EP?
Emily: My EP Otherworldly was a small collection of songs I’d written with no original intention of grouping them together. The album was intended to represent me and my life, as wholly as possible, up until its release. Artistically I explored more into the rock and indie genres, and working with amazing producers and instrumentalists strengthened my craft.
Tori: Your sound blends both pop and rock elements. How do you navigate that sonic space, and what specific artists—from both the rock and pop worlds—have most influenced this unique combination?
Emily: Currently with my new music, and my newest single “That’s How I Know,” I’m drawing more from pop inspiration. On my album I was combining many inspirations, including Caroline Polachek, HAIM, Paramore, and Michael Jackson to name a few.
Tori: For you, songwriting began as an emotional outlet at age 13. As your career has progressed, how has your creative process evolved from pure catharsis to a more deliberate craft?
Emily: Going to college for songwriting definitely taught me how to craft a song, learning “the rules” but also knowing when to break them. Honestly the more songs I write, and listen to my instincts, I find it easier to articulate myself when writing.
Tori: Winning the 2021 BMI John Lennon Award for "Paint Me" and being a finalist in the American Songwriter Song Contest are major accolades. How do honors like these affect your confidence and the direction of your next project?
Emily: They definitely make me more confident as a writer, like I’m on the right path. I don’t let those accolades dictate the direction of my work though, you always have to keep pushing yourself and exploring new sounds, which I wouldn’t be able to do if I was chasing prior success.
Tori: Your single "Villain" was a crowd favorite that found organic success on TikTok and Instagram. What do you think is the core message or energy in that song that caused it to resonate so strongly with listeners?
Emily: “Villain” is such a fun, cathartic song. I couldn’t tell you exactly why that one specifically resonated, but it was my favorite when I made it at the time, so that taught me to trust my instincts.
Tori: Playing a sold-out show at the iconic Bluebird Cafe is a milestone for any Nashville-area artist. Can you describe what it felt like to perform on that stage and what that moment meant for you?
Emily: It was incredible, I’d been wanting to perform there for years prior and it was a real pinch-me moment.
Tori: Your live show has a dynamic range, from full-band tracks to stripped-down acoustic moments. How do you decide which songs benefit from the high-energy band setting and which are best for an intimate, acoustic delivery?
Emily: Typically I like to do high-energy songs with the band, and usually ballads and emotional songs acoustically. I’ve found that sometimes adding a full band to intimate songs can actually take away from the performance.
Tori: You've opened for artists like Olivia O'Brien. What is the most valuable lesson you learned about touring or connecting with a large audience from sharing a bill with a major pop singer?
Emily: One thing I realized was that the audience is rooting for you. They want you to be good and entertaining, they want to have a fun experience! I think realizing that takes some of the nerves away.
Tori: Where do you find the inspiration for the specific narratives in your songs—are they primarily personal experiences, or do you draw heavily from observation and fiction?
Emily: It’s a mix of both! Some songs are 100% true, some are 100% fictional, and some are a combination.
Tori: You released four singles ("Watercolor," "Moonbeam," "Terms & Conditions," and "I Got The Message") leading up to Bird's Eye View. What was the strategy behind selecting these four tracks to preview the album?
Emily: When I released “Watercolor,” I didn’t know I was going to release an album. With the others, the feedback I got from live performances helped dictate which songs were going to be singles.
Tori: As an artist based in Nashville with a pop/rock sound, how have you found your place and developed your identity in a city so famous for country music?
Emily: I grew up in the south, so I’ve been surrounded by country music my whole life. I’ve always been drawn to pop and rock, and thankfully there is a thriving scene for non-country music as well in Nashville, which has really helped develop my sound.
Tori: You graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in May 2023. What was the biggest challenge in shifting from being a student-musician to a full-time professional artist focused solely on your career?
Emily: My life currently is a juggling act of working while also continuing to pursue music. After I graduated in 2023, I was lucky enough to take a year to solely focus on music. It was an amazing experience and I was able to create and release my album in that time period.
Tori: Given the organic success of songs like "Villain" on platforms like TikTok, how do you balance the time commitment of creating content and engaging online with the necessary solitude and focus required for writing and producing music?
Emily: I’ve found that making videos in bulk is helpful for me. Creating many videos in a day that can last me a few weeks, so I don’t have to be thinking about making content every day.
Tori: Can you share the story or the emotional core behind one song on Bird's Eye View that you feel is the most personal or that hasn't received as much attention as the singles?
Emily: Leading up to the album creation process, I kept seeing angel numbers everywhere. I even got my mom in on it and she would text me every time she saw one. I took it as a sign that I was on the right path. A few months into creating the album, I realized my friend Devon VonBalson was in town playing a show with his band. The day of the show my mom called me at 4:44pm, I bought tickets for me and my producer and the ticket total was $111, and the parking garage’s address we parked at that night started with 222. It turned out that Devon had a free day the day after the show, and he wound up playing drums on “I Got The Message” and “Bird’s Eye View.” He added so much to those songs and the whole thing felt very kismet. That experience lead me to write the song “Angel Numbers.”
Tori: Now that the debut album is released, what is your ultimate creative goal for the next three years—is there a particular tour, collaboration, or venue you are aiming for?
Emily: My most recent release, “That’s How I Know,” is a great example of the direction I’m moving with my new music, pure pop songs with quirky, relatable lyricism. I’ve been focusing on my songwriting this year, and prioritizing collaborations with new writers and producers. Honestly the ultimate creative goal is to just keep creating.
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