Interview with Emma Rugg (1/4) By Steve Rudd

(1/4), (2/4), (3/4), (4/4).

York-born Emma Rugg is certainly no stranger to the Hull music scene. A self-taught guitarist, pianist and singer, she initially honed her natural talents by busking on the streets of Hull. At around the same time she began to visit the Musicians Nights at The Adelphi on a regular basis, unconsciously nurturing her hugely supportive fan base as she sung and played her heart out. Financed by her busking, she released her debut album in 2003 through her own In Dreams record label. Intriguingly entitled Isolated Impression, it was a mesmerising ten-track wonder of a debut which perfectly encapsulated Emma's ability to convey a wide range of emotions with devastating sincerity.

Showcasing both her integrity and vulnerability, it's impossible to listen to Isolated Impression and not be profoundly moved, with the entrancing melody leading into opening track As You Go setting the scene in style.

Such a release provided Emma the ideal opportunity to present her songs to a wider audience, with a clutch of her oldest songs such as If Walls Had Ears sounding just as sublime on record as they do when interpreted in an intimate live situation. The word of Emma's sensational voice and subtly intoxicating melodies spread like wildfire. Realising that Emma was a precocious singer-songwriter of the most original order, the Beeb-backed Radio Humberside intervened to help promote her music without hesitation, inviting her to perform a live acoustic session on their weekly Raw Talent show.

Unsurprisingly, it received instant widespread acclaim. Through the show (which primarily focused, and to this day continues to focus, on 'underground' bands and artists in the Hull area), Emma struck up an unlikely alliance with American singer-songwriter Henry Doss. Having been moved to get in touch after hearing Emma's divine music on the show, Henry invited Emma over to the states, forging an enduring friendship on both a personal and a professional level.

Come 2007, Emma hit the road with Henry in the US, playing a staggering number of well-received shows in states such as North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Michigan. This allowed Emma the opportunity to perform a selection of songs from Isolated Impression, along with one of her newer songs in the form of Oceans, a bewitching tune she'd recorded in 2005. Excitingly, it was a track that heralded a swerve in direction in both musical style and substance. Whilst on tour, Emma had the foresight to record her and Henry's experiences. For the past couple of years she has been hard at work on vigilantly editing her footage down into bite-sized chunks.

Having expertly produced twelve short but infinitely endearing episodes, she is poised to post such episodes on her 'YouTube' page during the course of July and August 2009. The debut episode will premiere on July 20, and two episodes will be posted per week thereafter. Unleashing the documentary in this manner will enable an international audience to witness Emma's musical talents and personable charm like never before. In addition, it will inevitably provide the momentum for her to record a batch of brand new songs in the not-too-distant future to satisfy old and new fans alike. Without further ado, it's over to Emma...

Continued .... Next Page (2/4)

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