EXCLUSIVE SONG PREMIERE: Emili Asks Us “When”

When I first heard “When,” I was in awe of its purity. It feels like God is whispering to you“Eureka! Someone has captured how lonely this quarantine feels!” Whether we are hunkered in with our family or roommates or whats-apping from a distance,everyone is struggling with a feeling of “When.” When will this end? When will I get better? When did I go wrong?

Emili’s voice along with her simple, guitar arrangement is hypnotically ethereal; allowing the listeners to breath in her verses like oxygen because, frankly, our hearts need fresh air. I wish there were more songwriters or people capturing, as beautifully, the fear and hard path to hopefulness this world has sparked in within people, especially during this pandemic, but, at least, EMILI has gotten the ball rolling.

Currently a sophomore studying cognitive science, at Yale University, this New Jersey native started singing and performing when she was 9. After getting third place in Chinese Idol in 2015, Emili started pursuing music seriously in China and America. She started writing her own music, when she was 16, after attending Berklee’s summer songwriting workshop. She cites her major influences are Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Lianne La Havas, and Regina Spektor, and posts on Youtube once a week with covers and original music.