Featured Creator - Janurary // ABBIE EMMONS

   So I've got some surprises for y'all today. Surprise No. 1 = I'm starting a new blog series! I'll be featuring a new and EPIC creator of music/art/stories/etc (can you see why I'm calling this featured CREATOR instead of something more restrictive? xD), each month, and it's going to be OODLES of fun.

   Surprise No. 2 = today I'm interviewing the lovely singer/songwriter/blogger/writer/MULTI-TALENTED WONDER-HUMAN Abbie Emmons! Lets have a round of applause for this lovely human bean and get right on to the post ;).

   A few epic Abbie-things you should check out:

her YouTube channel, Abbiee Emmons

her epic blog and website, Abbiee.com

her beautimous Instagram, @abbieeoffical 

   Now, onto the interview...

Savannah Grace: Thanks for being here today, Abbie! For those of you who don't know, Abbie is an EPIC musician (*points up at the YouTube video for proof*), whether she's covering songs or singing originals. When did you first start writing your own music, Abbie?

photo credit Abbie

Abbie Emmons: Hi, Savannah! I'm so stoked and honored to be here. Thank you for featuring me on your lovely blog today! Alright, I'll just jump right in. I think I first started writing music when I was about 10 years old. I've played piano since I was 8 years old, but I didn't take lessons for very long. I just learned the basics and decided that was enough. I've always been kind of a rebel, and I think it's important to mention how few piano lessons I actually took because I feel that was a BIG part of my creative beginnings. I had free time + some knowledge of how to play an instrument…and with that combination, I just started making things. It wasn't until I was 13 years old that I started taking songwriting seriously. Granted, most of my songs had no meaning to me — but that's when I started to think: "I could make a career out of this." OBVIOUSLY THAT IS A BIG DREAM. Music is one of the hardest industries to get into, but my parents are incredibly supportive and always told me that if I love something, I can find a way to do it. And, I'm happy to report, several years later, that I'm now a published indie artist! :)

Grace: Since you were 10? WOW - that's dedication, even without lessons xD. I think it's super cool that you're kind of a "musical rebel" though - and I can definitely relate to the fact that not playing by the rules can help your creativity along. Speaking of piano, do you play all the instruments for your own music videos? (and what's your favorite instrument?)

Emmons: Ahh, thank you! I've always loved being a musical rebel — even if it means I have to explain why I don't read sheet music or take voice lessons. I think creativity is stifled when you put yourself in a box…so I try to think outside the box whenever I can :). ☺

As for the instruments, yes! I play piano, ukulele, and some guitar — any other sounds you hear in my music is either generated from my stage piano (which is basically an electric keyboard with every instrument sound imaginable) or everyday objects (like a light switch clicking in the beginning of Back To Normal.) In special cases, I'll hire someone to play an instrument for one of my songs, such as the drums in You Only Die Once, played by a professional drummer…although I would love to learn the drums in future!

Grace: Ha, I don't read sheet music simply because I CAN'T - my musical sister is always trying to convince me to start lessons again, but I guess I'll have to tell her that I'm a rebel, too xD. It's so epic that you like thinking outside the box like that. But now I'm getting off topic, haha xD.  

Ooh, a stage piano - very cool! Back To Normal was an awesome music video, it's neat that you've figured out how to use everyday objects in your videos sometime. Which of your music videos did you have the most fun creating?

Emmons: That's a good question! The video that was the most fun to create was probably my mashup cover of Hello / Alive. Me and my dad built a room out of black material, and we shot the whole video in the dark, with only a backlight, a soft box, and a smoke machine. It was also a blizzard that day, so it was super cold in my garage! But it was so much fun to create that video.

Grace: I LOVE THAT VIDEO <3 ❤. Honestly, I think it's one of your very best, so all your hard work on it paid off. And shooting a video in the dark sounds like a ton of fun ;D 😂. Okay, tricky question now - who are three of your favorite lesser-known artists?

Emmons: Thank you so much! It was a lot of fun. Oooh, that is a tricky question! Especially since most of my favorite artists are lesser-known. (not to sound like a snobby hipster lol) I would have to say: Zayde Wølf, Royal Deluxe, and Built By Titan. Some of my favorite music right there!

Grace: Ooh, cool - I haven't heard of those three before (Zayde Wolf is an epic name though xD), but I might have to check them out now!

So anyone who's read your blog has probably heard how passionate you are about people being multi-talented - and they probably also know that YOU are multi-talented! What are some of the other creative things that you like to do besides singing/songwriting?

Emmons: Lots of things! I'm so glad you brought that up because it's a huge part of what I do and who I am… the whole multitalented thing is a movement that I hope to create though my art and blog. I think it's really important to remember that we are all talented in our own special ways, and there is so much untapped potential and creativity in all of us!

In addition to music, I LOVE LOVE LOVE writing. It's probably the other single-most important thing in my life. I've been making up stories since I was 7 years old, and the fascination has only grown since then. I also love Karate, videography, and blogging (of course) among lots of other things!

Grace: And you're doing a fantastic job with spreading the multitalented movement - you and your blog + art say it so well! It's so, so cool that you do so many other creative things besides your singing and songwriting. Hey, speaking of your writing, what novel are you currently working on?

Emmons: Thank you so much! That means a lot to me. ☺ I'm currently working on editing lots of first drafts — three books which I wrote last year. It's been going surprisingly well so far!

Grace: Ooh, first draft editing. Either you love it or you hate it xD. I'm glad that its been going well for you so far! I can't wait to read one of your masterpieces 😉. And you also created the book trailer and covers for K. A. Emmons' books, didn't you? They're GORGEOUS - how long did it take you to design them?

Emmons: Thank you!! Yes, I made the trailer for Kate's book, as well as the cover for the second book in the series, Worlds Beneath. The first book's cover was designed by someone else, but I tried to keep with the same theme so that all the books look similar in design. (And of course I had lots of direction from my sister. We make a good team! Haha.)

It took several days to put together both the trailer and the cover. For the cover, I was only trying to make a "concept" to show the other designer… but by the time I was finished with it, Kate decided to use my concept as the real thing. So it worked out perfectly!

Grace: You did an EPIC job with the cover for the second book, it makes me want to pick it up so bad xD. Kate's books look like they're amazing, I really need to get my hands on them ;)😉. What's the last five-star book you read, Abbie, and why did you enjoy it so much? 

photo credit Abbie

Emmons: Thank you! Yes, you should definitely grab a copy of Kate's book! It is AMAZING, in my totally unbiased opinion ;). 😉

Oooh, that's a good question. The last five-star book I read would have to be Messenger by Lois Lowry. It's the third book in The Giver series and it totally blew me away! I'm still reading the last book in the series and super intrigued and inspired by the hidden depths in Lowry's writing. I hope to discover many more five-star reads in 2018!!

Grace: Ooh, I've heard of Messenger. I think I read a little of The Giver, but I never finished it. Now I might have to!

Now, about your blog (which you guys NEED TO CHECK OUT, her blog is goals, and her posts are always inspirational) - how do you come up with content for your blog? And how did you chose the design that you currently have? (it's beautiful, by the way)

Emmons: That's a great question! The inspiration for my blog content comes from lots of things, actually. Most of the time, I write about what I experience and learn. I've started writing more posts about creativity, productivity, and self-development. So most of the inspiration comes out of things that happen to me… like habits that boost my confidence or tricks that help me edit a novel. My goal is always to help the reader in some way — so I try to ask myself: "what would I be interested in reading on someone else's blog?" and I write posts from that perspective :). ☺

Aw, thank you so much! I love the clean, minimalist look! And teal + coral pink is my favorite color scheme so…yeah! That's kind of how I decided what my blog should look like.

Grace: Creativity, productivity, and self-development are some of the best words to describe what your blog is about. And you do such a good job with your posts! They're always make me want to get up and DO something xD. (and I agree that a clean, minimalist look is great. It makes your blog so pretty and easy to read ;)😉)

Okay, ONE last question before we wrap this thing up. Who are three of your greatest inspirations, and why?

Emmons: I agree!! And, if I do say so myself, your blog design is BEAUTIFUL. I love the new header! :) ☺

Wow, that's a great question. I would have to say that my three greatest inspirations are the amazing people I live with: my mom, my dad, and my sister. They always uplift me, encourage me, and push me to be better. But outside of my family, I would have to say that my biggest inspiration is Martin Luther King, Jr. I aspire to be even half as loving, forgiving, and brave as he was. Also, I have an obsession with writing his quotes on sticky notes and putting them all over my room — something everyone should do! It's so inspiring to surround yourself with the words of your greatest hero. 10/10 recommend.

Grace: Aw, thank you so much! And Alea Harper did the header for me, so I can't take credit for that beautiful thing. <3 . <3

It's so cool that, outside of your family, Martin Luther King,  Jr. is one of your biggest inspirations. And oh gracious, surrounding yourself with the words of your greatest hero sounds EPIC. And my bookshelf space is pretty blank right now, so I might have to start gathering some quotes of my own xD.

And that was the last question! Thank you so much for being here today, Abbie, this was a lot of fun. You're an epic creator and human bean! ;) 😉

Emmons: Thank you so much for inviting me, Savannah!! It's been an honor and a pleasure to be interviewed by you! :)

 My name is Abbie Emmons and I help creative, multi-talented people chase their dreams by making a living doing something they love. My blog focuses on inspiration, productivity, and the tools you will need to be a free spirit in a world that wants to put you in a box. I'm also a musician, writer, traveler, dreamer, YouTuber, and professional waffle-eater.

website - blog - youtube - instagram

   So I hope you guys had a ton of fun with that - I had a blast interviewing Abbie, she's such a fun, inspiring person! And you guys can look forward to more posts like this every month. It's going to be a blast ;).

~ Savannah Grace

who are some of your favorite music artists?

feel free to chat with Abbie in the comments!