Meet Emily Dickinson | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Dickinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think a lot of things go into a successful story, but the #1 ingredient is ambition! Make sure you’re working at your brand every day, even if all you can spare is an hour. Eventually it adds up and you’ll be so thankful that even on a busy schedule you’ve made it happen. Additionally, it’s important to discover what makes you YOU and lean into what’s working and getting a good response.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a musician! I think I’ve always leaned toward piano, but drums and percussion took hold of me first so my beginnings were quite rhythmic. Nowadays I’m mostly keys and background vocals, which I gotta say is so much fun. It’s pretty easy to see when I’m on stage that I’m just having the time of my life! I love to let the music breathe through me while creating this charming, fun character. As a live music fan myself, I noticed that people will listen with their eyes at concerts so being entertaining to watch is important. I want the audience to feel as I do when I’m performing. It’s some kind of magic connecting to people that way.

My life has been full of challenges, which come in many forms. I have enough stories to write a book! Learning to overcome and pick yourself back up is key. One thing that has really worked for me is turning a negative into a positive. Make it work FOR you. Every good story has a low point though, doesn’t it?

I don’t talk about it too much, but I was homeless at one time. I was at the lowest of low, and it’s still sad to think about sometimes. I wasn’t eating, sick all of the time, cold, and overall stuck in a bad situation. I feel so bad for that girl I once was. I try to use it as fuel to keep going. I talked to the stars every night back then and only dreamt of the life I have now. It’s taken a lot of work and perseverance, but I am blessed to be able to say I’m out of that era and will never return. I had dark hair then, and the blonde I rock now is a nod to the “light after the dark”, as I like to look at it. Dreams do come true if you believe in yourself enough!

I am so grateful that I get to do things I do now… I’ve toured with a few bands, played big stages, done numerous music videos, heard my song on the radio, recorded in famous studios, appeared on tv (NBC’s “The Voice”, HULU’s “How I Met Your Father”), and even acted in a music movie last fall that I’m looking forward to! I’m in a new band called Jessy Fury and The Sound. It’s a mixture of dreamy synth tones and beautifully written songs you won’t soon forget. I’m excited too see what the future has in store for us!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The best thing about Los Angeles is you can wake up with nothing to do that day and go to bed with the most exciting, wild, ridiculous story ever! But if it were up to me; were going to the beach at night, hitting Spruzzo’s for pizza on the rooftop, seeing a live show, and probably end up singing to the albums that soundtracked our favorite summer.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family was the first to notice and nurture my love of music. From my parents sneaking me into bars when I was young to see the blues band play; to the teachers I had growing up; to the mentors who guided me when I moved out to Los Angeles. However, I truly believe every experience (good or bad) has shaped who I am today. I’ve pulled a little bit of something from every story. So in that line of thinking… there’s a lot of people to thank!!

There’s a few names that standout recently that deserve recognition:
I’d like to thank my parents for their continued support of my wild career choice. Michael “Nomad” Ripoll for pushing me to be a better musician (even though at times you drove me mad, haha!). My best friend and amazing singer; Aimee Proal, and actor/musician Robert Downey Jr., for encouraging me to take up singing and guiding me through a new realm. Antonio Ferranti from Dexibell Pianos for always having my back. And of course my fiancé, Randy Jay Burrell, who’s been my biggest support and made me a stronger, more confident woman. I feel I can take on anything with you at my side!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ylime.music

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ylimemusic

Image Credits
Jessica Czarnecki, Christa Brittany, Justin Ryan, Luckyshot Photos, Naesfotos