Amidst the multitude of thousands of musicians carving their paths in the music industry, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Em Beihold emerges as a shimmer of authenticity.
With her soul-baring lyrics and unwavering commitment to mental health advocacy, she captivates listeners with her raw honesty and vulnerability, setting herself apart amidst the crowded landscape of music.
Em’s musical journey completely transformed after the release of her single “Numb Little Bug” in 2022, which racked up half a billion streams. Her captivating feature on the duet rendition alongside Stephen Sanchez for “Until I Found You” is noteworthy among her achievements, which have amassed billions of streams across platforms globally.
With a foundation in classical and jazz piano cultivated from an early age, Beihold has honed her artistry and her craft as a musician. Drawing inspiration from influential musicians like Regina Spektor, she has seamlessly integrated her unique style into collaborations with emerging Gen-Z talents who are also shaping the future of the music industry, including musicians such as Gayle and Lauren Spencer Smith on the track “Fantasy.”
Despite being in her career’s early stages, the L.A. native has already accomplished a remarkable amount. Em has curated an impressive lineup of musicians, supporting them on tour alongside legends like Lewis Capaldi and opening for acclaimed bands such as the Jonas Brothers and AJR.
With the release of her debut E.P., Egg in the Backseat, under her belt, Em kicked off her “Maybe Life is Good” tour last month. Inspired by her most recent single, “Maybe Life is Good,” the tour has hit a list of legendary venues across the U.S., including NYC’s Bowery Ballroom, Hollywood’s The Roxy Theatre, and more.
On tour, Em has partnered alongside honorable organizations, such as Active Minds and The Mental Health Coalition, where audiences can connect with hands-on resources at her shows. Em’s dedication to her fans and advocacy shined through our interview, where she also mentioned her partnership with Headcount, an organization focused on promoting participation in democracy through live music.
The Knockturnal had the chance to attend Em’s show in NYC and chat with the “Maybe Life is Good” singer about her first headlining tour, the importance of mental health resources, and songwriting inspirations.
Check out the full interview with Em Beihold below!
THE KNOCKTURNAL: How has it been for you to bring these songs to life on stage and be able to connect with people in real time?
EM BEIHOLD: So much fun, and it just makes it so real all of a sudden. I feel like my career started during the pandemic, where there were many comments, likes, and usernames, but the human connection felt missing. Being on this tour and seeing them (fans) sing the lyrics back to me and seeing how they react to the new songs, I feel like it’s a piece that felt sort of missing in my career, and this tour has really brought it. It feels very special.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: You’ve had the opportunity to open for Lewis Capaldi on tour. What is the most significant difference that you’ve noticed between being a support act versus headlining and carrying a whole tour?
EB: Well, for me, I’m having way more fun headlining than opening. On all the opening slots I’ve ever done, I’ve had pretty bad stage fright. With my own crowd, they know me and what I represent. They know I’m a little quirky, and that’s what they like about me. So I feel like the moment I step out on stage, it’s just only been fun, which is new because I that so much energy in the past has gone towards just nervousness hours before the show, and that energy is now spent elsewhere, which is very cool.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: You’ve partnered with some amazing organizations for this tour, including the Mental Health Coalition and Active Minds. Can you share why this cause is so important to you and why you’ve been integrating it into your shows?
EB: I’ve always sung about mental health, not because I was trying to be the poster child for mental health, but because songwriting has always been how I journal my emotions and get through them. I think being able to partner with Active Minds has felt very special because we’re just very aligned in our mission, and the fact that they table at every show and give resources to people is one of the coolest parts of this tour for me. Also, Headcount getting people to register to vote.; I feel like being aligned with activism on the road feels very cool. You’re talking about mental health, but having a table of people who can give you resources furthers that conversation for people who are struggling, which a lot of people at my shows have communicated are resources they need.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Do you have any routines, pre-show rituals, or habits that you’ve learned to incorporate on tour for your mental health?
EB: One thing that I’ve been doing is I learned how to knit. In the van on the way to the shows, I’m trying to limit scrolling on my phone because often, when you’re on tour, and you’re in the car for 10 hours, you’ll just be updating all the Instagram posts you’ve already seen and re-scrolling through them. Obviously, it’s not good for your mental health. I think time gets weird when you’re on tour, and seeing everyone else move on in their lives can feel a little funky, so knitting has been my escape from that. I would also say that right before the stage, I always have a warm-up routine; I try to set an hour for myself to mentally prepare for the stage.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Are there any specific interactions or moments from this tour with fans that have stood out to you?
EB: I feel like, in different ways, people have said, “Thank you for being you, don’t change.” and that means a lot to me. People recounting their experiences with hearing my music for the first time and how it’s helped them in their paths and dealing with their anxiety. A lot of people had told me intense stories of when they heard Numb Little Bug, and they realized they weren’t alone, and it changed their understanding a bit.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Storytelling is a present part of your music, and you do a great job of navigating all those complex feelings of being human. Could you share a little bit about the songwriting process for the track ‘Maybe Life Is Good’ and why you chose it as the overarching theme of the tour?
EB: I wrote that song honestly when I was pretty depressed last year, and just the concept of “Maybe Life Is Good” felt like a good balance of optimism with a little bit of pessimism. I kind of like that more realistic approach towards positivity but also acknowledging that the good and the bad can exist at the same time, and that’s okay. I think since the New York show, we’ve added talking about how I want the show to be a safe space for anyone dealing with mental health to leave that outside and, for the night, focus on singing and dancing and having fun and just feeling in the company of people who struggle with similar things to feel less alone. “Maybe Life is Good” represents a little positivity that everyone needs, and for me, it was sort of like manifesting myself out of what I was feeling at the time.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Are there any artists who influenced you growing up and inspired bits of your songwriting, or have any musicians inspired you to pursue music as a career?
EB: Mainly Regina Spektor. I started writing because of her song “The Call,” which just kind of changed everything for me the first time I heard it. I just love her approach to songwriting, her lyricism, and the fact that she doesn’t need to follow any rules. I’ve seen her twice in concert, and she transcends all art for me personally. So, definitely Regina.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: If you had to pick a song to kind of represent this time in your life, what would it be?
EB: Maybe “Life’s So Fun”? That’s a good one. That’s in our pre-show playlist!
