Formula Indie Sessions – Interview with Emma Whale
A blurb about the song, in case you’d like it:
“Stupid” bottles the emotions that come from unrequited love, and then shatters it on the floor. The lyrics describe the self-doubt, hurt, and confusion that come from being rejected, while the music is as dramatic, and emotional, as the inner turmoil that results. It would be cathartic to scream this song while driving on the highway or running through a field.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
I was always shy about singing in front of people as a kid, even my parents, but I remember I used to sing along to CDs in the car, thinking the music was drowning me out enough that no one else could hear me very well. I would follow along with the lyrics in the CD booklet. I especially loved Imogen Heap, Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, Jesca Hoop, Kate Havnevik, and Vanessa Carlton.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
My parents put me in music lessons from a young age, but I even think I was born with something that makes me want to be involved with music in any way possible. I started writing songs when I was 11 years old, and originally thought I would want to be a full time artist, recording and touring. I later decided that I prefer the act of writing, recording, and sculpting songs in the studio more than I like performing, so I went down the path of production and engineering. I now spend most of my time working on other peoples’ music at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
My newest song “Stupid” describes the agony, self-doubt, and confusion that comes along with being rejected romantically. I wrote it with Maddie Corinne – a country artist and incredible songwriter – in July of 2025.
“Stupid” is my second single of the year, following “I don’t know” in April, and precedes my 4th EP called None of this is true, coming out October 22nd. “Stupid” was a late addition to the project, but I felt so strongly about this song after writing it that I knew it needed to be a single.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
In genre terms, I think my new music is a combination of alt pop, alternative, and singer songwriter. My music is a collision of all the artists who have inspired me in my life, and sits at the intersection of Lights, Phoebe Bridgers, and Paramore. I love writing melodies, and I do my best to have the production sound new and interesting, while complimenting the songs.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music? This is such a hard question, because I feel like everything I’ve learned about making
music has happened in little pieces over time. But one thing that I think about a lot when writing songs, especially melodies, is the way people naturally speak in conversation.
We put emphasis on certain syllables of words, and our pitch arcs up and down depending on what we’re saying. For example, if I’m excited, I’ll be speaking in a higher pitch, and faster pace, than if I’m recounting something sad that happened in a lower and more monotone voice. That’s something I always want to channel when I’m writing songs, so the lyrics come out naturally, and also so I can portray emotions in the way I intend them to be perceived.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process? I record all my music at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. I usually
write using my acoustic guitar, and always record into ProTools. On the upcoming EP, my co-producer Will Crann and I frequently gravitated to a Moog bass synth, and VSTs Sky Keys and XO.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Hamilton by Cam Kahin
Briefly (EP) by CEC
Are Amyl and the Sniffers indie enough? Haha
This is Lorelei
Alex Mason
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision? I definitely write from personal experience all the time! I think, even if you’re creating a
story or writing from the perspective of characters in a piece of media, it’s hard to write a song that resonates with people without tapping into your own emotions or experiences. My upcoming EP (especially my song “I don’t know”) is largely focused on my own mental health, my struggles with anxiety, and the ways I cope with it. I’ve become more honest and transparent in my writing over time, and I hope that means that people can connect with it.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work? I really hope that other people can relate to my music! I love the feeling of listening to a
song and feeling like it was written for you – like it was meant to find you at exactly this moment in time. I write a lot of sad songs, but I hope that if people can relate, it makes them feel less alone in their sadness 🙂 Many of the songs on my upcoming EP are related to my experiences with mental health, especially anxiety. I hope that, as I get more vulnerable with my writing, more people will feel seen or understood when listening to my songs.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
PERSISTENCE! And patience, for that matter. Overnight successes are very rare in this business, but consistently chipping away at improving your skills, meeting people/ making friends in the industry, and having an online presence will lead to a series of gradual little wins, to the point where you can look back and realize how far you’ve come 🙂 I also think the most important thing is to have fun while making music! If it starts
feeling too much like work, I take a step back and reassess how I can make it feel fun again. Enjoying what I do is the most important thing to me.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
It would be incredible to play at Glastonbury or Coachella.
Or the Sydney Opera House!
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why? Hayley Williams hands down. She’s been my idol since I was around 14 years old,
listening to Paramore for the first time. I admire her vocals and songwriting so much! She’s also been in the music industry since she was a teenager – I feel like I could learn SO MUCH from her. And she just seems like a very cool and down-to-Earth person. Hayley, if you’re reading this, let’s be friends haha.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links) Website! All streaming platforms! YouTube! TikTok and Instagram! If you’re reading this,
please reach out 🙂
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
My ultimate dream is to focus on songwriting and production, and travel the world working with various artists in different studios around the world! It would also be a dream come true to be part of a songwriting team for a Eurovision song (especially now that Canada is participating).
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way? It’s hard to figure out what exactly to share about yourself, as an artist, through your
music and social media presence. But I hope that listeners will resonate with my music personally, and also be able to enjoy it in whatever package it comes (I definitely hop around between different genres a lot haha). I also hope people can see some of my personality too – lots of my songs are sad, but in real life I’m usually happy! And I can be quite unserious haha.
