Interview with Emma Rutherford
Emma Rutherford is a singer from New Zealand.
What do you like about being a singer?
I have loved singing for as long as I can remember. Whether it was singing in school choirs and productions during school, or singing to my Dads favourite music when I was little - it was always an important part of my life, so studying music when I left high school felt like the right thing to do. Since then, I have been enjoying releasing my own original music and performing live - I still love it as much as I did when I was little.
What's the hardest part of filming a music video?
I love making music videos! I have to admit, planning one is no joke! Usually it involves organizing a team of people and sometimes planning around a limited budget can be challenging, although, it does mean you have to get super creative, which usually works out cool in the end!
What are you doing to build your follower count?
I am posting daily on social media and releasing music constantly to slowly build my audience and get my music in front of the right people. I am also planning some live shows which is exciting!
How easy is it to gain traction from Christchurch or Wellington?
Christchurch has a wonderful live music scene and before I moved to Wellington, I was gigging in Christchurch regularly. I think with any city, building a community just takes time and consistency. There are many great and welcoming venues in the city to do your first gig and my advice to any upcoming artists is to perform live, connect with other local musicians and make the most of the amazing opportunities on offer.
Have you played at any festivals?
I have played at the North Canterbury Food and Wine Festival, which was lots of fun! However performing at festivals is something I would love to do more of! Stay tuned!
Who are your inspirations?
My two biggest inspirations are Adele and Stevie Nicks!
What's your process for writing songs?
For me, it usually starts on the piano. I try to sit at the piano for 15 minutes a day and I find doing that constantly helps me come up with new melodies and ideas which quite often end up being a song I release. Sometimes I have to write a few "bad" songs to get to the good ones!
Do you have any career goals?
I have many! I love setting myself short and long term goals throughout the year. A big goal of mine that I am actively working towards this year is doing a NZ tour, but long term I would also love to take my show to cities in different countries.
When did you start to release music?
I started releasing music in 2022.
Has working in the music industry shifted your perception of it in any way?
The music industry is a very complicated industry to break into. I am still learning and honestly, I still learn so much with each release. Like any industry, it has its challenges. For me, I have had to shift my mindset from constantly worrying about numbers/followers to just focusing on what is within my control to become a better artist. When I started releasing music, I had no idea how difficult it actually is to achieve things like radio play or to put on your own show. This industry can be quite isolating when you don't have a team to help you. My advice for upcoming artists is to support others and realise that there is room for everyone. It is cool to support others.
Would you do anything differently at the start of your career?
If I could go back and do it again, I would make more of an effort to write every day. This is something I prioritize now. Even 15 minutes of writing a day helps to strengthen your songwriting skills. It also helps you write songs faster and be able to release music consistently, which is important!
How much focus have you put on gaining fans from overseas?
To be honest, my main focus right now is building an audience in NZ. Personally, I really like the idea of building a fanbase in my country first. Although, building a fanbase overseas is definitely a big goal of mine for sure!
Have you written or performed a song that had an unexpected reaction?
Yes! One of my favourite songs to play live is my song Ghost Town. The original instrumentation is quite upbeat, but the live arrangement is just piano and is really sparse - which I think fits the song beautifully. It is always interesting to see the audience reaction to this one. It hits you right in the feels!