Today we’d like to introduce you to Emilia Lila Tess
Hi Emilia Lila Tess, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m Emilia Lila Tess and I am an independent singer-songwriter and music educator. Ever since I was a kid I loved music and in particular singing. I would sing at the local children’s church choir, in local festivals and competitions, and I also took piano lessons from the age of 9. Music back then was mostly a hobby to me and something that I really enjoyed. However, it wasn’t until later in high school I realized music might be something I could make a career out of. My late father along with my high school music director were the main people who inspired and encouraged me to pursue my musical dreams. Throughout high school and my undergraduate college years was when I heavily started diving into my musical goals – writing songs, taking professional voice coaching, collaborating with other producers, musicians and songwriters and really working on my craft. Throughout the process I was blessed with amazing opportunities such as singing at the International World Youth Day gatherings with Pope Francis (2016 and 2019), working with top voice and artist coaches like Brett Manning and Chanelle Guyton, and most recently I completed my Master’s degree in Songwriting from the prestigious Berklee College of Music. In addition to writing, recording and releasing my own music I also have been a music teacher to students of all ages for the past 7 years. I absolutely love what I do and cannot imagine a life in which I wouldn’t be making and sharing music!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road for me. Even though I’ve encountered great people on my journey who have helped me to get to the place I am today, I’ve had many struggles along the way. In hindsight I do strongly believe they made me a better person, a better musician and a better songwriter. In high school during the time I was really delving into music more heavily, I started developing severe allergies that were impacting my voice and my singing. There were times when I wanted to give up but my dad would keep telling me I should keep singing even when I felt my voice wasn’t good enough or when my allergies were out of control. He encouraged me to keep trying and overcoming the best that I could. I’m so glad I listened to his advice and didn’t give up! A few years later during my sophomore year of college, my dad passed away. He was my best friend and his passing shattered my world. However, one of my friends told me shortly after his death, that my dad left me an incredible gift of music and through singing and doing music, my dad would, in a way, live on through me. I took those words to heart and kept pursuing music. I truly believe my dad’s been helping and inspiring me from above and I thank God that I was blessed to have my dad for as long as I did. A few years after my dad’s passing, my brother who was born with Down Syndrome developed severe health complications and required several intense spine surgeries. The surgeries although helpful, caused other complications. For a several years I spent many days and nights at the hospital by his side. Although I was still pursuing music during this time, I had to put many of my dreams and goals on hold to be present to my brother. As a Christian I believe these bumps on my road, although difficult, shaped me into the person I am today and I thank Jesus for them. They made me stronger and more determined. They taught me that even when times are hard, giving up on what you love (for me that would be music) is never the answer. I didn’t give up on my musical dreams and whenever I had a spare moment, I would for instance write and record songs.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an independent singer-songwriter. I am mainly a countey-pop artist but my musical genre influences are varied, including classical, Christian, folk, country and pop. Some of my musical artist influences growing up were Celine Dion, Celtic Women, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Rascal Flatts and Carly Pearce. I write and sing songs that go beneath the surface and explore topics that are authentic. I aim to write songs and create music videos that combine faith, story, art and song. My goal is to encourage others and meet them wherever they are at in their journey, adding hope and positivity to their lives.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Absolutely. Something I learned is that as humans, we are social beings really needing the love and presence of others. During Covid-19, I believe one of the biggest crisis was loneliness and isolation. People could not meet with their friends, they could not touch or hug others – they had to social distance. Kids could not go to school and have normal interactions with their peers…. and the list goes on and on. However, something I noticed that was able to add some peace, comfort, and unity during that difficult time was music. Many artists started interacting more with their fans virtually and making virtual concerts. Some groups made virtual collaborations for example having every person in a band record their part and merging all the parts together in special video creations. Others collaborated on live music performances over Zoom, each artist performing from their own place. It was so powerful and encouraging to see everyone find unique ways to come together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emilialilatess.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilialilatess?igsh=MTFsNjE5ZWIwODZ6bw==
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@emilialilatess?si=zSh-9Ylkurqj74qC
