Well paint me pink and call me “Patrick Star” because I must have been hiding under a rock for 16 years. Singer and songwriter Emily King began her musical career in 2004, and I’m only now finding out about her?! Was I only five years old in 2004? Yes, but someone still should have told me about her.
King’s surname is fitting as she is definitely some sort of musical royalty. She was born and raised in New York City by musical parents, Marion Cowings and Kim Kalesti. They were a singing duo and often traveled, bringing King along to gigs. She earned her GED and left school at 16 to pursue her musical career, playing gigs in restaurants and around NYC. Eighteen years later, the singer has earned three Grammy nominations, toured with Sara Bareilles, appeared on talk-shows, and is currently on a solo tour. I love seeing hard work and dedication pay off. King’s music career is older than some Grammy-awarded musicians. Think about it.
King released her first album, “East Side Story,” in 2007 and her second album, “The Switch,” in 2015. Given the eight-year gap between albums, fans knew King liked to take her time. King surprised us when she released two albums last year: “Scenery” and its remixed sequel cleverly titled “Change in Scenery.”
After two major works in 2019, King had every reason to take a break. Instead, she began the new year by releasing her newest album, “Sides,” on Jan. 17. While “Change in Scenery” puts an energetic twist on King’s songs, “Sides” is an acoustic album that slows down select songs from her past works. You would usually hear King’s vocals with complex, upbeat textural arrangements. “Sides” strips the soundscape down to piano, guitar and strings, showing another side of her.
The album begins with “Radio” and sets the peaceful and dreamy tone for the album. In “Radio,” King sings about how nothing is more therapeutic to her than music. She sings, “If I had one request after I’m gone / I would ask my creator to turn the radio on.” You can tell how passionate King is about what she does by this song alone.
“Teach You” features Sara Bareilles and is the collaboration we didn’t know we needed. It’s a cute song about all the little ways you can care for somebody you love. Bareilles and King’s voices complement each other with such ease; no wonder they went on tour together.
If you were like me in middle school and thought it was cool to memorize Chris Brown’s “Look at Me Now,” King’s single by the same name is a much better use of memory space. King’s “Look at Me Now” is an uplifting song about getting back on your feet after a breakup. It has a fun, upbeat and desirous tone while still emitting the mellow, acoustic vibe of the album.
In “Distance,” King puts an interesting spin on the classic love song about long-distance relationships. Instead of lamenting, the song is a message to stay connected to who you are while you spend time away from your partner. The chorus reads, “Oh, love is always better / When we take time to get back to who we are / When we are apart / Distance makes the heart grow.”
Now that King’s made both a remix and acoustic album, some songs like “Can’t Hold Me” have three different musical settings. You could listen to the remix version at the gym and then go home and listen to the acoustic rendition while studying for classes. King’s choice in releasing so many different versions of her work is interesting and shows how versatile she is as an artist.
King’s voice is both gently youthful and powerfully mature at the same time. She has one of those interesting tones you can’t help but listen to. Sometimes I listen to albums to write these reviews and never give them a second glance, but I know “Sides” will stay in my rotation for a while. If you need me, I’ll be catching up on King’s previous discography.
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