Emily Burns has a knack for writing honest and raw indie-pop gems. In her music, earworm choruses are coupled with diaristic lyrics, her distinct storytelling – inspired by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Elton John and Julia Michaels – front and centre. Born in West Lothian, Scotland, and raised in Rugby, Emily started writing songs from a young age. Growing up on a diet of the greats like Stevie Wonder and Fleetwood Mac, she reflects: “I can always remember thinking: ‘I love hearing stories in song form’, so I think that’s really formed my way of writing, because I always want it to be from a really genuine, honest, truthful storytelling place.”
 

She decided to pursue music properly in her teens, writing her own tunes and playing gigs, eventually moving to London when she was 18 to follow those dreams. In the capital her musical network opened up, particularly when she bagged a job on the front desk of iconic recording studio Abbey Road. Inspired by the huge names that passed through the studio, post-shift Emily would head up to one of the production rooms to record tracks, uploading them to Soundcloud as soon as they were finished and starting to build her reputation and eager fanbase.

This led to her releasing music on indie label 37 Adventures under the watchful eye of label boss Nick Worthington (The Streets, Basement Jaxx, Marina and the Diamonds), including the devastating ‘Is It Just Me?’, which has racked up over 100 million streams. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 Emily shut herself away writing songs but not releasing them, working to refocus on what her next musical steps would be. It was during the uncertain time of lockdown that she met music producer Cameron McVey, who riffled through her, by then, huge stash of unreleased material with Emily’s girlfriend. “They re-instilled my faith in the whole music industry, and in myself, and they were like: 'you've got something really, really good, let's do this!'".

These songs became her stellar debut album ‘Die Happy’, a collection of personal and candid songs that showcase Emily’s clear-cut musical voice. From the soaring lead single ‘Balcony Floor’, to the lo-fi electro-pop of ‘Cheating On Her’, it’s a project well worth the wait. “There’s a feeling of the album, rather than a storyline that runs throughout it,” she adds of the record, finishing: “It feels hopeful, there’s definite sadness in it, but overall it feels like love, happiness, growth and acceptance.”