Emily Manuel On the Making Of ‘Live Forever’
Were there any challenges or breakthrough moments during the songwriting process for 'Live Forever?'
I basically had to relearn how to play the piano. I stopped playing for over 10 years, and when I finally sat down to make friends again, it was painful - in many senses. I had to get over not only the mental block but also shooting pains down my arms and fingers from nerve impingement, and I had to approach it in a slower and more forgiving way. I studied the Alexander Technique for a year to learn how to move in a way that wouldn't hurt.
What is your personal favorite song from 'Live Forever' and why?
They all have slightly different personalities, but I probably have to pick Scrawl. It's not catchy but for me, it's the most rewarding listen, and the most expansive. It was also the greatest test of persistence, taking over 2 years to write and tweak, and polish. I got to work with Christine Palmer on recording a 4 part brass section, while Russick Smith and Adriana Perez added tons of depth with their strings and percussion parts. I won't ever be able to perform it live (unless we can recruit the Colorado Symphony to do it a la Gregory Alan Isakov)
Can you share any interesting or unique stories or perspectives in 'Live Forever?'
Like many, I dislike catastrophizing but sometimes can't help it. This was especially true during the pandemic. So when my friend April Yee handed me a draft called "When This Is Over" in 2020, it instantly resonated with me - and melodies started lifting off the page. In the original poem, April lays out a series of impossible eventualities (e.g., "shape my limbs into poses never seen before") - not because we'll be free to transform and transcend once the pandemic is over, but actually (more darkly), because of her sense that 'THIS' will never be over, 'this' being the sad trajectory of politics, climate, racially motivated hate crimes, etc. that we are on.
My translation of this into music involved scaling it back so the ideas could be consumed in one song - and adapting it to include my own DNA. I gave it a more hopeful ending, even if there are some dark undertones that remain. I wrote the song in one sitting, which is not normal for me!
How has your music evolved since you started as a singer-songwriter? What have been some key milestones in your artistic journey?
I think it's been a journey of learning when to hold back and when to throttle. In my sound I aim for a feeling of understated power, punctuated with moments of surprise - but those moments also need to feel seamless. Figuring out how to use shocking chords and sonic changes while delivering them in an offhand way, and which serve the song - that's been the challenge and it is the journey I am on.
As for milestones - releasing the EP was a huge milestone for me! I have been writing for a long time and have nearly given up many times. Something stubborn in the back of my head always forces me to keep going. It's actually kind of an unpleasant cycle of feeling like you have nothing: nothing else to give or to say, then suddenly you've written something and you feel whole again. And it starts over. John Mayer talked about his creative motivation in the documentary 'California Typewriter' - I'm paraphrasing but he said something like - 'You write so you don't have nothing. It's actually sick.' I would agree with him.
Is there a specific song that holds a particularly special meaning to you? Can you share the story behind it?
Arms of Mine. It's a simple love song for my family. My husband and I have actually welcomed a new baby girl since the EP was released - so I need to write something for her at some point. My older daughter has a couple of songs that she can consider hers, so I will need to even things out!