Journey of a Song
Have you ever wondered how a song is made? What happens during the recording process? In Journey of a Song, singer-songwriter Emmeline takes the audience on a tour of a musician's creative process, from the first notes to the final recorded song. Each week, a different songwriter pulls back the curtain on a favorite composition, beginning with an acoustic version of the song and ending with the final recorded product. In between, you'll hear a conversation about the inspiration behind the song, the decisions made in the recording booth, and the many ways in which music reflects and informs our emotions and our lives. Find behind-the-scenes photos and more when you follow @EmmelineMusic on Instagram!
Episodes
68 episodes since 2021
"Through A Feather" by Hylan
"This year, I'll pay attention to the weather, and feel the wind as it moves through a feather." Getting older is a real, relatable feeling--but how do we make peace with it? How do we learn to let ourselves off the hook, to worry less ...
August 22, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 67
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51:38
"Think About You" by Haven Victoria
"But I can't even ask if you think about me as much as I think about you." How can you process present absence? How do you handle the ambiguous end of a friendship? Is navigating the loss of someone you love a one-song or multiple-song ...
August 16, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 66
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53:25
"YNMA" by Alex O'aiza
"Me pregunto dónde fue que yo fui mal?"Which serves a song better: spontaneity or meticulous planning? Straightforward or poetic lyrics? Layers of instrumentation or a sure and steady guitar?In this episode, Emmeline sits down w...
August 02, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 65
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54:29
"Go West" by Paige Hill
"California dreaming of my Texas hill country." How far should we go to chase a dream? Do we really need to run away to find ourselves? Where do we belong, and how can we truly find home?Independent, country-tinged singer-songwr...
July 26, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 64
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59:07
"Divine" by The Kid Brothers
"If I got money every time you're on my mind, I swear I'd have more money than a single dime."Do lyrics need to rhyme? Can a song be both funny and profound? Is there a right way to build a composition?In this episode, Emmeline ...
July 18, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 63
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1:00:49
"Main Street Strut" by Late to the Station
"Thick skin, now healed." Midway through this episode of Journey of a Song, Cari Smith of Late to the Station leaned back on her stool and said, "The price I was paying internally [not to make music] became too high. I am here ...
March 28, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 62
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57:08
"Wild" by Brian Lambert
"I love how it feels to be wild." Can you really package a deep, meaningful message about the perils of conforming to social convention in a slick, spooky Halloween jam? Genre-bending, independent, Denton-based musical artist Brian Lamb...
March 21, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 61
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1:01:21
"My Abilene Woman" by Dorian Marsh and Ian Ross Cohen
"Eyes of burgundy..." This line was in Dorian Marsh's head from the inception of his collaboration with guitarist Ian Ross Cohen. He liked something about the turn of phrase, something about the concept of elusive, alluring eyes that fo...
February 23, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 60
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44:26
"Lovinaires®" by Sarah Johnson
"If all I have is you, I'd be the richest girl in the room..." Sometimes, a song starts as a single idea with a slew of metaphors, laid neatly into a note on an iPhone. You don't need more ideas, or better words; you just need a friend ...
February 15, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 59
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59:34
"Love Letters to the Dead" by Chloe Clemente
"Is there any love after death?" How can we move through grief? How can we honor our lost loved ones without allowing ourselves to be consumed by the past? How can we hold space for the memory of those we've lost and allo...
January 25, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 58
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1:00:07
"Ms. Clavel" by Katherine Paterson
"We're running fast on streets with cracks in 'em." How do you grow older gracefully? Can you preserve a bit of childhood as adulthood looms? Can you ever run with childlike abandon as an adult? Does progress always come at a cost?<...
January 11, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 57
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58:06
"Duck Pond Eyes" by Daniel Candiotta
"What a beautiful day out here in the park." Inspiration for a song can come from anywhere around us is we stay open and curious. There's also a lot to be said for allowing oneself to surrender to a vibe.In this episode, innovat...
August 15, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 56
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56:46
55. "Ikarus" by ¿Dónde está Alicia?
"Where does the wind take you?" Have you ever wanted something so badly, needed something so badly, that despite your best attempts, the need overtook you? In the atmospheric, immersive "Ikarus,"
August 03, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 55
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1:15:13
54. "Flashing Lights" by Baylis Laramore
"Deep in the woods, things aren’t always what they seem..." Songs might usually have some sort of emotional impetus, some big feeling that catapults them into being--but not all songs start with a feeling. Not all ...
July 23, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 54
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53:30
53. "Why I Love You" by Tony Mendoza
"You were the spark that set my world on fire." The best thing about songwriting is that it's honest. When we dig deep down to write from an authentic emotional place, songwriting always tells us the truth. Sometimes, it helps us find e...
June 12, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 53
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1:20:21
52. "What Do Ya Know" by Remy Reilly
"I think I'll cancel my plans today, so I can drive and see your face." Sometimes, a song starts with a line. Sometimes, it starts with a melody. For Dallas-based singer-songwriter Remy Reilly, "What Do Ya Know" started with a vibe....
June 09, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 52
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46:31
51. "Angels Cry" by Chloe Clemente
"I'm gonna thrive, just because I'll fight." Maybe you need some encouragement. Maybe you need someone to remind you that you're not defined by your insecurities. Maybe you need to take a deep breath, screw up your courage, and invest i...
April 28, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 51
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53:04
50. "The Breakup" by Douglas Allen
"Somehow I don't think you'll ever love anyone but you." How can you combine caustic wit and heartfelt honesty in a song? What do you do when you've got a story without a chorus? Can you write an authentic and meaningful song to a promp...
March 12, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 50
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1:03:54
49. "Hattertown Road" by Kris Schultz
"I keep finding pieces below the surface, working their way out." We're all searching for purpose. We're all desperate for meaning.In "Hattertown Road," Austin-based songwriter Kris Schultz articulates that yearning and shares h...
February 16, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 49
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1:01:32
48. "Until Home" by Alyssa Gillen
"What is it like to know it’s okay if you go slow?"What does anxiety feel like? What does it sound like?When is it over?In "Until Home," Alyssa Gillen tackles these questions and more, writing in a very personal way abou...
February 02, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 48
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57:50
47. "American Denim" by Sam Cormier
"What am I supposed to do when you look at me like that, like you know my whole life and you still want to hear it?"Have you ever had feelings that you weren't sure were requited? Have you ever been reluctantly drawn to a relationship t...
January 30, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 47
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59:50
46. "Bloom" by Katherine Paterson
"Now that the peas have grown tall, and they don't reach the land of giants..." Disappointment. Gratitude. Loss. Grief. Joy. Pride. Hope.We humans are complex, messy creatures, and all of these feelings can co-exist in us. In "B...
January 19, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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53:30
45. "Home" by Melissa Gail Klein
"Freedom is ours to be found." What makes a home? A sense of peace and security? The presence of people we love? Delicious solitude? How can we find our own home? Better yet, how can we build our home?Along with...
December 22, 2022
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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1:03:43
48. "Good Cry" by Jeffrey Michael Widman
"Could never be a bad time for a good cry." How often do we tell ourselves to keep it together, to keep a stiff upper lip, or to hide our true feelings? How often do we shame ourselves rather than allow ourselves to get vulnerable...
November 23, 2022
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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1:04:02
43. "Bonnie & Clyde" by Alexandra
"I guess I know why we romanticize Bonnie & Clyde." Music heals.How many times has a song helped you through something difficult? How many times has a song made you feel a bit more understood and a little bit less alone? How...
October 07, 2022
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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53:43