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Featured Artist of the Day

Featured Artist of the Day: Emma Dark

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Emma Dark

Indie Music Women’s Featured Artist of the Day is…

Emma Dark (@itsybitsy_me)

Emma Dark is an alternative rock singer-songwriter from the United States, writing songs inspired by her favorite children’s poem, “The Spider and the Fly.”
At 13, she joined a group guitar class, where she discovered her ear for melody and writing vocal lines with her first 3 chords. After difficulty fitting into groups, she began writing music alone in her bedroom to heal from painful experiences. In a few short years, she recorded over 30 songs on her phone.
She joined a music class for collaboration at the local community college. There, she became the only female rock artist. Before she was able to perform or record in the school’s studio, Covid struck a month into class. Back at home, she resorted to passing tracks back and forth online with a talented lead guitarist from class, Dillon Brown. He agreed to lend his influence and melodic solos to future songs.
During the pandemic, she set up a portable recording booth in the living room, designed by her dad. “Dinner Time,” became the first of a series of songs produced all at home for a concept album with complex characters based on the poem. Her second song, “Be Still,” coming 3.12.21, is gritty, dark, and about feeling trapped while needing to remain calm.
Emma Dark is looking forward to releasing a 3rd song, “The Spider and the Fly,” in April and performing the new music in her first live virtual concert with her band, “Dark,” as soon as it is safe to do so. You can follow her on Instagram @itsybitsy_me for more information.

Emma shared what it means to her personally to be an indie music woman artist:

“As a homeschooler, trying to fit in, it was always about who you knew. I experienced being told I couldn’t participate in groups. When I learned to play guitar, I could create my own unique content and melodies to sing. I no longer needed to worry about being included or pretending to be what others needed me to be. I’ve found my voice as an Indie artist, writing about fear and control.”

Featured Artist of the Day: Parker Woodland

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Parker Woodland / Photo credit Sarah Morgan Story

 

Indie Music Women’s Featured Artist of the Day is..

Parker Woodland (@parkerwoodlandband)

Parker Woodland is a female-fronted indie rock band from Austin TX. We released our debut EP, The World’s On Fire (and We Still Fall In Love) on February 5th, 2021, a four-song collection that pulses with life-affirming energy, fuzzy riffs, and catchy, sing-along vocals while exploring the paradox of finding love, joy, and purpose within a crumbling social framework. At the center of the band is expressive female songwriter/vocalist/bassist Erin Walter, justice activist and longtime leader in the Girls Rock Camp scene, alongside Dan McMonigle on guitar and Ralph Cutler on drums. Parker Woodland is currently in the midst of a unique 60-city virtual tour (including progressive churches, a peace benefit with Willie Nelson, a women’s conference, and get-out-the-vote events) helping to foster community in hard times while also promoting the new EP.   (Bio courtesy of the band)

Erin shared with me what it means to her personally to be an indie music woman artist:

“As long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a songwriter and a lead singer. It brought tears to my eyes even typing that, because I mostly kept that dream to myself for so long. If one woman reads this and thinks, “I’m not keeping my dream to myself anymore,” I’ll be thrilled. For years, I’ve played bass in bands while working full-time as a writer and community organizer. But I didn’t quite connect the writing part of myself and the music part of myself until Parker Woodland. The gratitude I feel to have met the members of my band, just jamming in my neighborhood a couple of years ago, and then to have the spark of inspiration finally strike — “The World’s On Fire (and We Still Fall in Love)” — it’s hard to even put it into words. Singing and songwriting have taken hold of my life, and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, spiritually and creatively. 
What makes me part of the world of indie music women, though, is my passion for it and the constant hustle and effort behind the scenes. Only my husband and kids see how early I get up to send songs to radio stations, one DJ at a time, or how many journals and voice memos I have filled with songs in progress. There’s the daily work of all the social media accounts, the website, collaborating with music video editors, friends who are doing remixing, coordinating Parker Woodland’s big virtual tour, keeping up with our email list, Twitter, thanking the people who support and share our music. Writing songs is the most fun part, though it’s funny to say that because in the pandemic I’m writing a lot of songs that make me cry. Getting the music out there takes determination and grind, and I do it every day because it matters so much to me. I cannot pretend to be cool about it. Every single person the music reaches, it means the world to me. And I’m trying to put myself in positions to be learning from people who’ve been at this a long time, so I can share what I Iearn with others.
This has been a lonely year in a lot of ways. I miss the 2019 version of life — practicing with the band every week, hearing Dan McMonigle’s guitar in the room. When the pandemic hit, not being able to play live shows was devastating, especially for Austin, Texas, as the Live Music Capital of the World, and for me, as someone who was just coming into her own as a frontwoman and vocalist. It’s been a hard time for independent musicians. I’ve been grappling with grief pretty constantly. But this is also a time for reimagining everything, for being guided by our deepest dreams. So many opportunities have opened up in the past year since all my energy isn’t focused on local live shows and rehearsals. Writing, recording, connecting with other artists, Zooming all around North America with my music — I wake up every day full of purpose and drive, and that is the best feeling. I am so thankful, and I believe “The World’s On Fire (and We Still Fall in Love)” is only the beginning.
Making music is about being part of the larger community for me. It’s about the Girls Rock Austin and Girls Rock Camp scenes. It’s about songs for justice activism and joy in hard times. Having a band is about being part of something much bigger than myself and inviting others in, so they can feel the spark of their dreams coming alive, too.”

Featured Artist of the Day: Bridget Rian

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Bridget Rian

Indie Music Women’s Featured Artist of the Day is…

Bridget Rian (@bridget_rian)

The debut EP from Bridget Rian, Talking to Ghosts, is a delicate, dark, and intricate collection of stories rooted in the bittersweet honesty about the fragile human condition. Exploring themes of mortality, loss, and nostalgia, the New York-raised singer-songwriter brings profound comfort to the listener with her ethereal vocals and contemplative storytelling.

​“I wanted to name the EP Talking to Ghosts because in every song I am either talking to someone who has died, my past self, or talking about ghosts,” says Rian. “There are also some old, interesting family stories about me as a baby talking to ghosts… so it’s a topic close to my heart.”

​Produced by Paul Moak (Caitlyn Smith, Carolina Story, Liz Longley) and recorded at The Smoakstack in Nashville, TN, Talking to Ghosts perfectly captures Rian’s painfully pure timbre, while the lush sounds of lap steel and acoustic guitars intensely wash over each track and immerse you deep into the heart of every story. “Paul is just the best,” says Rian. “Immediately he was like an old friend I knew forever. At times I felt like he could really see me as a person even when I couldn’t see something in myself. We like the same music and he really understood my influences for this collection of songs. He put together the best possible band, all of whom were incredibly supportive, kind and obviously cared about the music. He treated my music like it matters and that means everything to me.”

​The first single from the EP, Type of Girl, released on February 26, 2021, is a true testament to Rian’s unique sound, which embodies elements of indie rock, alternative pop, and classic Americana instrumentation. Fans of artists like Ingrid Andress, Phoebe Bridgers, and Kacey Musgraves will surely be quick to connect with the songs and Rian as an artist. 

​“A commentary on societal gender expectations, Type Of Girl is my grasp on self-understanding and forgiveness through the experience of negative relationships,” says Rian. “Several times in my life I have found myself in a relationship with a man who didn’t respect or understand me. I would tell myself that I’m not the ‘type of girl’ to get played by a guy. I’m not the ‘type of girl’ who ends up in an unhealthy situation. Society tells us those ‘types of girls’ are weak. Well, guess what? There is no type of girl. Every person is that type of girl. This is my way of processing that anyone can find themselves in a shitty relationship or bad situation. That it’s not my fault. This is my way to self-acceptance and self-forgiveness.” 

Follow @bridget_rian on Instagram and visit www.bridgetrian.com for all of the latest news, press, and info on livestream shows. 

(Bio courtesy of Lady Savage MGMT & PR)

Bridget shares what it means to her personally to be an indie music woman artist:

“It means supporting other indie women artists and being true to myself and my art!”

Featured Artist of the Day: Lauren James

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Singer Lauren Jaimes holding purple/green sign with the title of her new song, Tell Me Something Good.
Lauren Jaimes / Photo courtesy of Lauren 

Indie Music Women’s Featured Artist of the Day is…

Lauren Jaimes (@laurenjaimesmusic)

Lauren Jaimes is a Berklee trained singer-songwriter with a passion for storytelling. Her sound, which has roots in Country, Folk, and Americana, evokes a dreamy vintage western vibe that is reflective of some of her favorite influences, including Kacey Musgraves and Johnny Cash. After releasing her debut music video, “Home Is Where You Are”, it went on to be featured on American Songwriter, and Vevo’s “True Country” playlist alongside artists like Miranda Lambert and Toby Keith.

Lauren’s new single, “Tell Me Something Good” is a song that pairs a simple piano ballad with bright vocals and lyrically echoes a common sentiment in our society today: This past year has been hard and we just need some good news. It contemplates finding meaning and purpose in life with thoughtful and honest reflections. As a songwriter, Lauren Jaimes is acknowledging the helplessness behind what we cannot control, and touching on the human need to maintain hope and optimism in a world that can sometimes seem overwhelming. (Bio courtesy of Lauren)

 

Lauren shared what it means to her personally to be an indie music woman artist:

“Working my butt off! But in all seriousness, I love creating music and sharing it with others. I have always had a strong love for music and poetry and believe in creating songs that are relatable and truthful. Authenticity is a key element that drives my songwriting, and I strive to create music that is engaging and inspiring. I find that this authenticity lends itself best to the genres of Country, Folk, and Americana, which is where I feel most at home as an artist.

I often write from real-life experiences or the experiences of others that have come in and out of my life. I enjoy taking a small idea or a simple truth and building a message around it. This can come to me as a snippet of a melody, a conversation I heard that day on the bus, or even using a phrase or title as a prompt to sit down and write. I love the challenge of turning a fragment of an idea into a full song. As I continue to pursue a creative life, I’ve found that music is my most powerful tool to convey an emotion or a message. Simply put, I’m a storyteller.

I have never been one to seek out the spotlight, but the more I write, and the more I get up on stage, the more comfortable I become with embracing my authenticity and bonding with the audience. I am continuously redefining my sound and constantly finding new and better ways of breaking down barriers and communicating ideas. I hope that my work will continue to inspire, create conversation, and cast a light on common truths that we all encounter in our lives.”

Featured Artist of the Day: The Water Dogs

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The Water Dogs /Photo courtesy of The Water Dogs

 

Indie Music Women’s Featured Artist of the Day is…

The Water Dogs (@the_water_dogs)

The Water Dogs are a predominantly female, Alternative/Indie band sibling trio, based out of Buffalo, NY, USA. The siblings released their first full-length album in 2018, entitled: ‘For Someone Else’. And they released a digital EP in 2020 entitled: ‘Pure Confusion’. The Water Dogs have been creating music together actively since 2014.

The trio has been heard on radio stations such as UK stations- Radio Wigwam, The Indie Disco, Ersatz Radio, and Analogue Trash, Spain based station: J.A.M. Radio, From Italy: Radio 6023 and FAN Radio, Germany based station: Radio TFSC, Australian station- SYN 90.7, South African station- Big Indie Giant, NYC station: Radio Free Brooklyn, and from their hometown- Alternative Buffalo. They perform at various venues, including showcasing at the Music is Art Festival for five years in a row!

On February 10, 2021, The Water Dogs released their second full-length album: ‘Kind Words’! (Bio courtesy of The Water Dogs)

The Water Dogs shared what it personally means to them to be indie music women artists:

“Personally to me, to be an indie artist means to have the freedom to create and publish what you want. Being on a major record label definitely has perks, for example, the message you’re sending probably will spread further. But maybe if you’re on a record label, it becomes their message that you’re spreading. Being an indie artist means you can say what you want to say when you want to say it.”

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