On July 28th, Nashville-based Emma Ogier released her second single, "Consider Me A Winner." Drawing inspiration from established artists like Lori McKenna, Phoebe Bridgers, and Joni Mitchell, her sound blends elements of country and indie pop. Ogier's music has gained the attention of Maggie Rogers and Del Water Gap who have both dueted her on TikTok. In our new Q&A, she chatted about the single and her creative process.
You’ve mentioned that “Consider Me A Winner” is about fear and uncontrollable change after having to face being alone. Can you tell us more about the story behind the song?
I wrote “Consider Me A Winner” towards the end of my first semester of college. My roommate at the time, who is also one of my best friends, had decided to transfer and I had a hard time coping with the news. It was hard to imagine completing the year without her, so I wrote this song as a way to imagine what I thought that period of my life would look like. The song delves into how fear is such a driver when we try to understand what we do not yet know. I was scared about spending that next semester alone, but I survived it and actually didn’t have to do it alone — I ended up being surrounded by love and support anyway.
What was it like having Maggie Rogers duet you on TikTok?
It was really cool to have both Maggie Rogers and Del Water Gap duet me playing a cover of their song on TikTok! It was a very special moment to me and I’m so glad it happened.
What is your writing process like?
My songwriting process is quite simple. I tend to write alone. Any free chance I get, I sit down with my guitar and just start playing it. I will turn on a voice memo to record myself then will just start singing what comes tino my head. It’s usually a bunch of gibberish with an unsure melody, but then I will listen back to the memo and take from it what I like and leave the rest. I’ll take bits of melodies and lyrics I like, then repeat the process of just playing and singing until I’ve pieced together an outline of a song. After that, I revise the structure, melody, and lyrics to be cohesive and fulfilling to sing/play.
Because I don’t initially write from concepts, I’ve come to understand that my songs are written from a release of thoughts coming from my subconscious. A lot of the time it takes me a few days to figure out what I was trying to express in a song because when I was writing it I was just letting my mind say things I was feeling and observe a certain time in my life.
This way of songwriting makes co-writing a bit harder to navigate. I have yet to figure out how to let my subconscious be the driver when I write with other people. I think it’s hard to be vulnerable quickly — I have never been well spoken, so having to talk about what we’re writing is hard and feeling a real connection to what’s being curated can be tough. However, I’ve been learning to just appreciate co-writes as they’re such great practice and open me up to new perspectives.
Who, or what, has most influenced your music and artistic style?
I would have to say my big brother Aidan has had the most influence on my music and artistic style. I mean, he’s sort of the whole reason I started songwriting in the first place. He continues to inspire me every day. Every time he shows me a new song he’s written I’m filled with so much admiration and pride.
What are you listening to currently?
Recently I’ve been listening to Saya Gray, Tom Misch, Andy Shauf, Joni Mitchell, Hovvdy, Alex G, and Bendrix Littleton.
Listen to Emma Ogier's single "Consider Me A Winner" now.
Photo Credits: Reed Schick
Comments