An Interview With... Emma Wallace

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"

Eleanor Roosevelt

Hello all!

I'm here to present a special segment in my blog which I will be putting on from time to time, known as "An Interview With..."

I have the pleasure of putting the spotlight on the lovely Emma Wallace, as my first feature artist, who is not only a singer, but a "maker of songs for those wearing rose-colored glasses, those who love life and happy endings.

She hails from Orlando, Florida, so not only will she take you to ever brighter places, but bring you back to the golden days of daydreaming and all that is classic and timeless.

A memorable moment in listening to her songs:

I remember the first time when I heard her song "Would You".

She kindly sent the song along, and I added it into my playlist "Always Summer" on my iPod, and when I hopped on the subway to get to the city, the song began its tune. It left me with a soft smile on my face as I looked at the atmosphere around me with a hint of a glow, as if i was secretly carrying a handful of colorful balloons without a single care in the world.

From love, to Ginger Rogers, and the inspirations behind her songs, here are nine questions about Emma that will leave you charmed.

How do you begin your day?

My favorite way to begin my day is slowly and leisurely (and quite late! I'm definitely a night owl). If it's not too hot, I like to make a cup of tea, eat some spice bread and fruit, and daydream while looking out the dining room window...

What are some of your inspirations behind some of your songs, can you share a couple of them?

A lot of my inspiration comes from a specific feeling in a song I'll hear and I'll want to capture that same feeling and express it my own way. Some songs that have inspired me are Joe Dassin's "Champs Elysées," George Michael's "Kissing a Fool," U2's "With or Without You" and a ton of classic jazz standards like "Never Gonna Dance" by Jerome Kern and "Don't Fence Me In" by Cole Porter.

Is there a certain method or way in which you work with your songs?

Sometimes I have sparks of inspiration but for the most part, I usually try to write based from a challenge - usually one I've given myself! For example, I wrote "Connoisseur" because I had seen "Ratatouille" (I love Pixar and Disney movies) and I wanted to write a song that would fit in the film and "Fred Astaire" is written from the point of view of Ginger Rogers!

What do you like to do when you have time to yourself?

I love to put on music (I have several Pandora stations all set up), make myself tea and toast (or a scone, if I have it!), and read on the couch! Once a month, I read my favorite magazine from cover to cover while sipping my favorite tea. It's very rejuvenating!

What has been the happiest moment in your life thus far?

I've been lucky enough to have had many, many happy moments in my life! One of my favorites was when I was in Venice with my husband and we were on a ferry to visit the island of Burano. I thought, "If I had all the money and Oscar nominations in the world, I couldn't be happier than I am right now!"

What's a favorite quote that you hold on to?

My all-time favorite quote is by Thoreau:

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."

Favorite book(s):

I absolutely love to read! My favorite books are definitely children's books. I tend to read "slice of life" books, where the characters just go through regular day-to-day experiences. Some of my favorite authors are Eleanor Estes, Elizabeth Enright and Carol Ryrie Brink. I recently read "Diary of a Fairy Godmother" by Esme Raji Codell and I loved it! Filled with wisdom, humor and great illustrations.

One thing you can't leave without when traveling:

A notebook - in case inspiration strikes me!

Complete this sentence: "Love is..."

Doing what makes you happy and letting others do the same!

I then leave you to enjoy Emma's latest single "Song In My Head", courtesy of the artist herself!

Her recent album Temptation is now available on iTunes. Be prepared to be immersed in a Parisian café state-of-mind.

P.S. She also has her own blog as well so be sure to have a look!
Not to mention you can follow her on twitter!
While your at it, check out her myspace page as well!

And that's all for now, ciao!

Note: Images are used by permission of the artist