Behind the Song: Emily Daniels’ “I’d Fall for That”
Rising country singer-songwriter Emily Daniels may be a new face in the music industry, but music is not new to her. Growing up as a Nashville native, Daniels learned to sing and perform at an early age and to this day still feels most at home on stage or in the studio. Studying under Renee Grant-Williams, vocal coach of artists such as Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, and Keith Urban among many others, the Tennessee native has honed in on her bright and bold voice.
Influenced by the lyrical genius Ben Rector, melody queen Tori Kelly, and power ballad country icon Martina McBride, Daniels wants to honor country music traditions with her own modernized perspective. This girl-next-door portrays her witty, honest lyrics through heartfelt, powerful, pitch-perfect melodies. Her infectious catchy tunes are flavored perfectly with a mix of Shania Twain sass with a dash of Maddie & Tae sweetness that will leave you humming all week long. Her music is as head-turning as her signature red outfits. She has organically grown an engaging audience on Instagram with fun themed installments of “Five O’Clock Fridays,” giving her online audience a weekly performance of requested covers.
What is the backstory to your debut single, “Breaking Up is Hard To Do,” co-written with Kelly Seidel and Hailey Verhaalen?
One of the co-writers, Kelly, had the song idea in her phone for 3 years and randomly mentioned it during a write one day. 2 of the 3 of us were in relationships, but later on broke up, and I realized then that I had subconsciously written it for my future self.
The song itself was an easier one to write; it didn’t take us very long and we all just felt right about it. I met up with several producers, and one just stood out to me because he kept referencing the same artists that have been big influences in my life. I knew I had to work with him (Zachary Manno) because he understood me and the vision I had for my music and knew how to bring that to life.
The cover artwork was a fun idea that came about after seeing a picture on Pinterest of a girl living her best life with pizza and wine. I showed it to my photographer Mallory Holcomb and the rest is history. It felt like the perfect depiction of this song because the singer has gone through a breakup but is better off and feels free.
Read you wrote “Ex on the Beach” (your second single), with David Evans and Sarah Jones, shortly after a breakup and just weeks before you anticipated seeing the same ex. Kind of loved how you drank screwdrivers while writing … how did you decide to turn what could have been another sad song into an upbeat summer tune?
I came up with the title “Ex on the Beach” the night before our write, so I brought it up that morning. I don’t actually remember the exact details now, but we talked about the ways it could be written and decided keeping it upbeat and fun felt the most natural and relatable to my own situation.
“ … you can take anything that you want, but you can’t take my song!” The follow-up release, “My Last Name” (co-written with Kelly Seidel and Hailey Verhaalen), was inspired by your own story. What inspired you to write the song? What message do you other women take away from the song?
I was first inspired to write my own story when I heard Kelly Clarkson sing “Piece by Piece” on American Idol a few years back. I remember it being the first song that I could relate to when it came to my own relationship with my father. It made me realize that I wasn’t alone, and my hope for writing and releasing “My Last Name” was that it would help someone else out there also know they weren’t alone.
I hope they feel empowered to take whatever step is next for them — whether that’s changing their name, walking away from a toxic relationship, or whatever that looks like for them. And for women who have great relationships with their fathers, I hope they thank their dads for treating them right because that is such a huge gift in life.
Your latest, “I’d Fall for That.” What was the inspiration for the song, co-written with Lance Carpenter, Josh Ronen, and Kelly Seidel?
“I’d Fall for That” is a love song written by a very single girl, at the time; so in a way, it’s a hypothetical love song. I wasn’t in love, or even dating anyone when we wrote it, but I knew what I wanted and what I would fall for if and when the right guy came along. It’s almost an instructional of ‘how to make me fall for you’. Writing this song helped me remember my worth and what I deserved and to not settle for someone in times that I was feeling lonely. I’m hoping it might do the same for someone else out there who’s in the same season of life.
The ‘Behind the Song’ interview for “I’d Fall for That,” the new release, below: