“Reservation for Gatsby,” I told the hostess at Chateau Marmont on Sunset, realizing the degree of boujee-ness as the words came out of my mouth. There in the garden I waited for 23 year old singer/songwriter, [Emma Gatsby](https://www.instagram.com/emmagatsby/), to get the info on her latest track, “Alone.” Emma greeted me with that same level of bouj’, sporting pearls around her neck and on her acrylic set. That said, as soon as she began spilling the tea on all things music and her lifelong vulnerabilities, the vibe became as comfortable as a chat with your best friend in your childhood home.
Emma Gatsby was born on the Gatsby estates, making her musical journey like a page literally out of a book. After life took her for an unfortunate loop, she came back to that very home to channel everything into her music. Now, Emma is based in Los Angeles and is making her own name for herself, not just the name that is fantasized about by Fitzgerald fans. Although she has the insight of a 70 year old woman, the Gen Z goddess is creating freshness in every track she touches and is simply a breath of fresh air amongst the phonies around her.
We’re honored to premiere “Alone” right here and to give you an inside scoop on one of the most interesting artists in the industry at the moment. Read our interview below and stream “Alone,” all year long, because to Ms.Gatsby, 2020 just as roaring as it ever was.
_Tell me a little about “Alone” and how that track relates to your history as a musician._
It definitely relates to my history, and I think there is a lot of correlation to \[The Great Gatsby\] as well. That wasn’t really planned or a forced thing, it just kind of happened that way. When I wrote the song I booked the studio for the day and I was having major writers block. I was really stressed out. We had the studio until 1 am, and at midnight my friend August starts playing this instrumental. I spoke to the other producers and started building around it. The song just wrote itself. I wrote it and recorded it in that one hour. It was during a low point in my life and I was looking at things very cynically. It sounds so angsty and I don’t want to sound angsty, but basically the song is just about when you have a lot of things to offer and the fake relationships that come from that. I lived in this house on the Gatsby Estate for two years out of high school during my junior and senior year. At the time, I was having a lot of people come to my house and I was making so many new “friends.” I then realized that during the low points in my life, or even just when the party was over, I was alone at the end of the day. Everyone would go home and I would be in that house alone. Something I noticed is that there are not a lot of people around you when things aren’t happening. If you don’t have anything to offer, whether it be money or looks or talent or fame, people are really out for themselves. The part where I say, “Narcissistic, pessimistic” is kind of like, “Well I am too. I’m out for myself too.” It’s saying that when I get everything I want and when I am at my fullest potential, I’d rather be alone. You’re your own best friend at the end of the day.
Image by: Eric Zeller
_I think that is so true both in LA and in our age range due to social media._
People don’t even know- it’s a subconscious thing as to why you’re drawn to these people you see on social media. These things are found attractive.
_Yeah, but when it comes down to it, when people are alone they’re not sharing it like they share their successes on social media._
True. Most people don’t have the companionship during these times. When you get these successes knowing these things, you’d rather keep them for yourselves.
_So true. So, you lived on the Gatsby Estate when you were older in highschool?_
I was actually born and raised there. After my parents passed, I was left at boarding schools. Then, at the age of sixteen, I emancipated myself and kind of finessed the system to let me move back into the house. The story is kind of ridiculous. I was like, “Oh great idea, I’ll just hire a maid to watch over me.” I would report to my guardian at the time, but the rest of the time I had I would literally be a sixteen year old girl interviewing maids. I lived there for 2 years and it was by myself.
_Was there a sense of magic and imagination associated with the house because of the story?_
Surprisingly no. It’s crazy to look in hindsight at all of the direct comparisons \[between my experience and the book\]. People may hear this and think it was contrived, but all these things just happened on their own. I wasn’t even really trying to make the Gatsby thing my thing, I just knew it was my reality.
Image by: Eric Zeller
_When you would sit in the house alone, was there music that you listened to that you associate with these feelings of going through it all?_
One artist that I’ve always been drawn to, and when my parents passed I listened to him all the time, is Elliot Smith. He was a huge influence on me and really drove me. Just the way he spoke struct a chord with me. He had this whole feeling about him that was beautiful and posh with an underlying sadness. That just related to me. There I was with all of this that should be luxury or whatever, but it was really sad underneath it all.
_Did that make you want to make music?_
Yeah, that was huge. Huge huge huge. I wanted to be in music before anything even happened. My mom was teaching me cello for 2 hours a day. She was no joke. I remember one day she was trying to make me practice cello on my birthday and I was like, “It’s my birthday!” I got in so much trouble. I stomped my feet and she was like, “Absolutely not.”
_You were a musician before you were even a human._
Literally. I was born underneath a piano.
_You can tell when someone really connects with the music they make because they’ve been through something heavy, and it helps others connect to it more too._
Yeah, I just felt so obligated to share my story since it’s so crazy. Some people ask if it’s all to personal and since it’s sad that I should keep it private. But no… absolutely not. The biographies that you want to read are the ones from people who have gone through things and made it out a better person.
_Of course. And like you said earlier about not wanting ot angsty- you can have your emotions and not just be fitting this “Billie Eilish” narrative as a musician because it’s cool right now._
I hate that. What makes you different will be telling on its own. If you’re telling your story- that’s real. People want that.
Image by: Eric Zeller
_Does making music make you feel kind of un-fuck-with-able? Your style and sound feel very reminiscent of that attitude to me._
It’s so funny, people always say this to me. I don’t see it myself! I think I just have no idea how I come off.
_Really? You just seem like the girl that pulls out her lipstick but it’s actually a knife, you know?_
I don’t mind that at all. I love that. I just think I’m just weird honestly. Don’t get me wrong thought I am a bad bitch...
_Now that you’re based in LA, what is the most LA thing about you?_
I think I used to really not care about fashion. Now it’s the second biggest way to express myself. I think it’s huge. It helps when you have music for people to see the image of you. I think in LA there are people trying new things all the time. I honestly feel like in a way, we’re ahead of New York here. Just the expression. At the same time though, I hate the “trendiness” of it all. It’s just that, if I decide to dye my hair pink I can still come to Chateau and no one would think twice, but if I go to a nice restaurant in Long Island I’d get the stare down.
_What stereotypes of LA have you seen to be true?_
Clout chasers. For sure. It’s hard for people who are working in the industry to see a vision. If you don’t have x amount of followers or the blue check mark then people actually care!?
_Going off of that_, _I notice you do not have any posts on instagram. Is that a rebellion of sorts?_
Honestly I am a major perfectionist and I’m hypocritical of everything, so I like starting over all the time. I don’t like having past versions of myself exist out there in the world. Today is like the first day I was born. Everyday is my birthday.
Image by: Eric Zeller
_Going back to the song, what is the importance of the electronic/ synth driven sounds on “Alone”?_
I just love mixing temporary with traditional, I just love things that are timeless and just clean. I love having strings and piano in my music since they’re timeless paired with something to give it a current sound. It’s a century later and it’s the roaring 20’s all over again.
_Is there anything else that you want to preach?_
Touching back on the song, I feel like it can come off as, “everyone is fake,” but really it’s more like, “I’m just the same. I’m just as ruthless to get what I want.” I think every artist has narcissistic tendencies. You wouldn’t be an artist if you didn’t think there was something amazing and unique about yourself.
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