Ever since Emma Alves was a young child, her love for music was evident. Growing up with the talent and dream is a huge motivation, Emma took that drive and pursued her goal. The passion for music that Emma possesses has been built with training, hard work, and commitment. Emma’s first live performance was when she was 10 years old at a coffee shop in Langley, BC. She remembers feeling initially nervous, but then on top of the world! Emma knew in that moment that this is what she was meant to do.

Now 17, Emma has performed on numerous occasions, including community festivals, hockey games in front of thousands, and other local shows in more intimate settings.

In this interview, we chat with Emma about her new single (recorded in Nasvhille), influences, and more.

Full Q&A, links, and a stream of If It Was You below.

Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?

I’ve always been attracted to different kinds of genres and styles of music but because the instruments that I play are mainly acoustic guitar and piano, my music kind of flows along with it.

How long have you been creating and sharing your music with the public?

Probably since I was 10 or 11 years old, so around 8 years!

Who or what influences your playing and/or writing? Also, what motivates you to keep going?

Many artists influence my writing (to name a few, JoJo, Taylor Swift, Tori Kelly), but mostly it is just an outlet from my life. It’s a way to escape and express myself, and I think that’s what drives me.

Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?

On my newest single “If It Was You,” which I recorded in Nashville, I wanted to show people how much I had matured with my music since the last album that I released. I have evolved so much creatively in the past couple years and I want my supporters to grow with me!

What was the last song you listened to?

Ocean by Devon Baldwin

Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?

I love the idea of an old record or CD collection but I’d have to say mp3: it’s the easiest way to listen!

How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?

Probably Spotify… if I don’t download the songs off of iTunes. I like that they recommend songs for you, I have found so much new music that I love from their playlists!

Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what are one or two of the biggest challenges you face when trying to attract listeners to your music?

I think the biggest challenge is when I come up with something that I absolutely adore, but it doesn’t fit the strict category that is typical “pop” music. So many people don’t have the attention span or interest to listen to a song that is a little bit different from the normal song they would hear on mainstream radio stations. It can limit so much creativity for the writer because so much rides on the success of a song.

Do you gig, tour or perform? Do you ever live stream? Where can music lovers see you live?

I perform all the time! I’ve haven’t been on tour yet, but one day… Last year I travelled to Toronto, Ontario 3 times to perform. Being from Vancouver, it was a big step in my career.

Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more of your music?

It’s easiest to connect with fans on Twitter! If you want to listen to my other music, SoundCloud is the place to go!

Any last thoughts? Shout outs? Words of wisdom?

Well, if you’re going to do anything in life, make sure it’s what you love! & thank you so much for featuring me! I appreciate it so much!

Emma Alves