Please introduce yourself. What do you do? Why? What do you want people to know about you?
My name is Emily Anderson and I’m an Alaska-grown songwriter currently residing in LA. I write songs for myself, for other artists, for video games, and for film/tv.
I’ve been really lucky to get to work with some incredible artists, musicians, and producers and I’ve had songs featured in video games (The Stars Between, Calico, Rec Room), a national ad campaign for Miller Lite, and my own releases, including my sophomore album which is coming out on May 27th, “Salt & Water”.
I’m a big fan of punishingly bad puns, coffee in any form, and deep cut 30 Rock references.
What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
Being born and raised in a really tight-knit musical community in Fairbanks. Alaska is a huge part of who I am as an artist today. Alaskans have a strong sense of community almost as a survival technique, and that sense of support gave me the confidence to pursue and create what I wanted to create without feeling the need to appease any sort of one-dimensional audience or niche.
I love pop music that’s not afraid to be weird and break “rules” and I think my writing and the topics I write about reflect that. My songs are like the onions that I’m allergic to – they have layers.
Describe THAT moment when you realized you’re doing what you were born to do.
There have been many moments that I felt like I was doing exactly what I was meant to be doing, but the one that comes to mind immediately is my album release show for my album “Simple Things”. I played my release show at the Malemute Saloon, which is this amazing historic saloon in Ester, Alaska that has a rich history of music and entertainment in our town.
The show was a sold-out, listening crowd, some of whom have known me and supported me since I was a kid. It also happened to be my birthday, and after the show, the audience surprised me with a song and a cake. I get teary-eyed just thinking about that day and how much I love my community and how grateful I was to share music with them.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to go through and how did you grow through it?
The biggest challenges I’ve had to go through have all centered around mental health. I lost one of my closest friends to mental illness in 2018 and the tragedy surrounding her loss was monumental. Shortly after her passing, my partner and I moved to Los Angeles from Alaska.
Navigating grief, my own depression, and a new city was extremely difficult. I started going to therapy and learned a lot about myself and how to prioritize my mental well-being. It felt like a window had been shattered and I was seeing life for what it really was – fleeting, fragile, and precious, a constant battle between resilience and fragility.
I’m very grateful to have a community of friends here in LA and a partner who is steadfast and supportive to lean on.
Who are the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could elevate your career or business? Why these specific individuals?
It has always been a dream of mine to go on tour with Regina Spektor – I’m obsessed with her style of piano playing and her songwriting, and I think we would complement each other’s styles.
I would also love to write a song with Maggie Rogers and Phoebe Bridgers because I think they’re amazing and hilarious. I really admire all three of these women and how they’ve navigated their careers while staying so true to themselves and their art.
Drop your social media links.
Patreon: www.patreon.com/emilyandersonak
Instagram: www.instagram.com/emilyandersonak
Facebook: www.facebook.com/emilyandersonak
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/emilyandersonmusic
YouTube: www.youtube.com/emilyandersonmusic
Twitter: www.twitter.com/emilyandersonak