With the UK release of her single Lovesick, I Like Music caught up with Emily to chat about making pop music, her advice for young performers, the trials of fame and her plans for the future.
"I Like Music because… I don't think my heart would beat the same way without it." EMILY OSMENT
ILM: Your sngle Lovesick is about to get a UK release. Can you tell us about that track in particular?
Emily: I wrote Lovesick about a year ago. I'd written about five or six songs for the record with Adam Schlesinger, they were cool songs but not the electro-dance style that the label wanted to go for. So I was sent for a writing session with this guy called Toby Gad, and he's written for pretty much everyone - Shakira, Beyonce, Selena Gomez; he's a really super talented guy. When I got there I was a little intimidated but he was really cool. He kind of just let me takeover! I told him I needed a love song because I didn't have one yet and I wanted a love song told in kind of a weird way. Then I decided 'well, I'm obsessed with robots, so let's write a song about robot love!.'
Emily: When I was writing the song I had an idea for a video in my head, then we got sent lots of treatments and there was one guy I really loved. I was a big fan of the stuff he'd just done at home and I liked his style so we brought him in. Then he put me in this weird robot costume, with one earring and giant heels and sparkly tights and a robot corset! Plus my whole band were in black leather - it was so fun! Haha!
ILM: How would you describe the process behind your album Fight or Flight?
Emily: It took me forever to write the record because I was working on the show and trying to write at the same time. I wanted to work with this one writer who lives in New York, so I was going back and forth. I wanted to write the whole record myself, which I did, I collaborated on every song and that always takes longer too. Once it was written it was mixed and mastered and done in a month and a half which is very, very fast. While we were in the studio we listened to Tinie Tempah, Air, Flying Lotus and all these really cool DJ dubstep songs, it gave us the inspiration to put that into the music. I think we made a record that really flows and I'm really happy with it! Although it's funny, the music I'm writing right now is definitely more acoustic and jazzy - more like the whole Sarah Barielles style - coming from this whole electro sound it'll be interesting to try to tackle this new record.
ILM: You've come from a strong background in film and television, how have you found the transition into music?
Emily: It's a whole different world, that's for sure. I've loved music my whole life; my mum is a musician, my brother is a musician and everyone sings or plays some sort of instrument in my family, so I grew up with that being supported. There were always musical instruments lying around; I still play my mum's guitar that she's had since she was 17. It was a very musical upbringing, so I took it from just listening to music, to truly sitting down and writing my own. I started doing that, sort of more professionally when I was 14 or 15. I worked with some writers, I didn't really know what I was doing, I was learning, but I knew that I wanted to be involved with music and somehow it turned into what it is today. It is a big job...
ILM: In what way?
Emily: Well, I never thought that I could find a love for sleeping on a bus with ten other guys, travelling around the world playing music! I didn't know I could have that love in my life, which I do now and it's one of my favourite things in the world! I love playing live and I love touring and it's so funny because it's completely different from what I do. I mean, I'm in Montreal right now shooting a movie and it's just so different from every process of music and that's why I love it so much, because somehow I'm fortunate enough to be able to do both. And that's the fans; that's all the fans. It's all the fans that allow me to do this and they're the ones that keep me going and allow me to make more music. This is for them. This is for me as much as it is for them.
ILM: At what point did you decide to pursue music alongside your screen career?
Emily: I always thought that I was going to be an actress. I always thought that was going to be my thing, it was going to be my only thing. Then I heard the Beatles for the first time and I was just like 'alright, changing!' you know. It's funny how music inspires you in the strangest ways. I feel so lucky, just so lucky that my record label and management have gotten me to this place where I can play these amazing shows. I played a show with Robyn, I love Robyn! I'm such a big fan and I'm supposed to be playing a show to kids who like the music and yet I'm like 'oh my God guys, Robyn is here'! (laughs) I just feel like a nerd sometimes!
No comments:
Post a Comment