Emma Blackery on Cute Without You and Taylor Swift’s new cat
Which emoji is Emma Blackery's go-to?
Emma Blackery recently dropped ‘Cute Without You’ and we’ve been obsessed with it at United By Pop HQ! We fired some really important questions over to Emma so we could get to know the genius behind the song. Intrigued? You should be.
You recently released your track ‘Cute Without You’ and have said it’s your favourite song you’ve ever written, can you tell us a bit about it?
‘Cute Without You’ is a song I wrote just over a year ago that tells the story of an ex-boyfriend that ‘breaks the news’ to his ex that he’s moved on – only, she couldn’t care less! It’s a fun, light and bouncy track that I originally wrote in 24 hours for a challenge, and I’m so pleased with what the studio version has brought to the song.
You produced the track with Toby Scott who’s worked with some huge names like Little Mix, how was it working with him and what did he bring to the track?
Toby is a fantastic songwriter and helped change some dynamics – some of my favourite parts such as the hold before the final chorus were thanks to his insight. However, we wanted to stay really true to the original, which is why you can hear so many original parts and samples from the demo that I put out on my YouTube channel last year.
You recently completed a huge UK tour for Villains, what are the best and worst things about touring?
The best part about touring will always be playing the shows – seeing your fans sing back the lyrics you wrote in your home is always such a mind-blowing experience that brings a smile to my face every time I think about it. People have chosen to come out and watch me perform – they’ve chosen to allow me to entertain them, and I always feel so honoured and want to put on the best show for them. The hardest part of touring is definitely the travelling – on a tight schedule, you don’t get to see a lot of the places you visit. You often just see the back of a venue, a stage, and then you’re back on the bus. Some places can be days apart, and being away from home and all of your creature comforts can become very stressful.
What’s the last photo on your camera roll?
It’s a photo that my boyfriend took of me asleep on the sofa, with my cat Leia snoozing on top of me – he took it because he said seeing his girls asleep is one of his favourite things!
Who did you send your most recent text message to?
My dad, who wanted to see if I was free for a call. I told him I’d chat with him after I’ve finished this interview!
What’s one thing fans might not know about you?
Something I’ve only just recently found out about myself is that I’m not a bad bass player! It turns out that despite always playing down my abilities to others, I can pick up riffs and play them perfectly really quickly – perhaps I’m missing a trick. Perhaps my next release should be a twenty-minute jazz solo on bass.
What’s your most used emoji?
The eye-roll emoji. That kind of sums up how I’ve felt about a lot of people and gossip lately. Sometimes you just have to vent about it with friends until you can laugh it off.
What’s one question you’ve never been asked that you wish you had?
I’d say something to do with Taylor Swift‘s new cat, but I don’t think people would want a 5000-word answer.
What’s one thing do you wish you could tell yourself 3 years ago?
Stop posting your feelings online. Just keep some things to yourself. You don’t need to post every frustration you have.
How are you coping without Tango Ice Blast?
Terribly! My local cinema is one that is removing the Tango Ice Blast, so now I’m going to have to travel at least ten miles to a cinema that does them. I can’t sit there for three hours without that fizzy goodness. That sounds endorsed, but it’s not. It’s just me trying to get my own machine. Call me, Tango.