Today we’d like to introduce you to Emme Oneill.
Hi Emme, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I’ve been singing since I could talk. I grew up singing in the choir, at county fairs, school competitions, you name it. I was very very stage fright. My dad always tried to trick me into trying out for American idol when I was younger and k used to HATE it. I had so much anxiety when it came to singing for people but I did it because I loved it. This feeling never really went away. I attended the University of Tennessee (go vols!) where I majored in kinesiology and was on our school news team. I graduated in 2017 and was set to attend Ole Miss for grad school that falls to continue on with sports journalism (my dad is a football coach and I grew up knowing everything about the game, so it felt right). Anyways, before I was gearing up to go off to grad school, my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer (squamous cell carcinoma to be exact). I didn’t think twice and decided to live down with him in Houston along with my mom, to be there with him while he got treatment.
Other than attending dr appointments and working out in my free time, I had a lot of free time because I was out of school with no job. I decided to pick up singing lessons to get my mind off of things. I was connected with my coach Tom Mckinney, and from the moment I met him, he has heavily encouraged me to use my voice to make a career out of it. I always thought this was a crazy wild dream and very far out of reach, but his telling me this gave me the confidence to pursue it will full force. (He coached Beyonce and Demi Lovato might I add so I trusted his judgment and was shocked when he was very adamant about me doing it). Seeing my dad struggle and fight this nasty disease made me put my stage fright to the side because it is SO minimal compared to what he was pushing through. My whole life changed from all of this and I moved to Nashville to continue on this wild journey!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been smooth sailing but you can’t enjoy the highs without the lows. I had vocal surgery about a year ago which put me out of the game for months. In the months leading up to before I knew I had polyps, I just thought my voice was hoarse from a lingering cough or bronchitis. After surgery, I was on vocal rest for about 2 more months and so 2022 has been the first year I’m able to give my music a solid go.
More importantly, my dad’s illness has been something I struggle with. Seeing a family member go through these insane ups and downs of being totally fine one minute and then in need of an insane miracle the next will take a huge toll on anyone mentally. This year has been wild, to say the least, and overall, I’m very happy for the endless support my family and friends give me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a pop/RnB singer-songwriter. I absolutely love the music I make and the people I work with. I’m really proud of how far I’ve come with the pen this past year. It’s hard being vulnerable sometimes, but I’m learning that’s where the best stories are told.
I have a story to tell and a voice to do it and if I can at least reach one person who resonates with my music, I’m happy. I think being in a town full of artists trying to make it is super inspiring and motivates me to constantly be working harder. I am different than a lot of artists here since it’s heavily country and rock-influenced— in bringing RnB to the table!
What matters most to you? Why?
My family. And I don’t even mean just my immediate family. My family is also my boyfriend, my best friends, and just the people in my close circle. They keep me grounded, they keep me going, and I wouldn’t be here without them.
Staying true to who I am and authentic through my music is super important to me. I don’t want to pretend I’m someone that I’m not or what people want me to be. My family helps me maintain that.
Contact Info:
- Website: koji.to/emmeoneill
- Instagram: @emmeoneilll
- Twitter: @emmeoneilll
Image Credits
Che Dixon and Johnnie Izquierdo
