“You tainted the past with that lipstick-stained glass.” — Emily Daniels’ “Stained Glass”
Nashville native Emily Daniels has the charm of the girl next door, fashion sense of a personal stylist, and the determination of an entrepreneur. Her witty and honest lyrics are perfectly blended with heartfelt, pitch-perfect, and infectious melodies. It’s a little 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.
“Little girls with dreams become women with vision.” How does this quote motivate you, personally and professionally?
This quote motivates me because it reminds me of the big dreams I’ve had since I was seven years old, and how proud I should be of all I’ve accomplished since then to get me closer to reaching those dreams. It puts things in perspective and helps to break those dreams down into bite-sized goals along the way so that I can stay motivated and see progress.
New single, “Stained Glass.” You co-wrote this song in 2018 with Melissa Sheridan at your very first write together. What inspired this write?
I’d had the title “Stained Glass” in my phone for a little while and knew there was something there. Melissa had the brilliant idea to make it a lipstick-stained glass, and the rest is history! The song really came together fast after that!
DIY “lipstick-stained glass” tutorial
1. All you need is:
a. A wine glass
b. Lipstick stencils from Google photos (pick your favorite)
c. A gold paint pen
2. Hold the bottom part of the lips behind glass at the rim & use zig-zag motions to trace an outline onto the glass
3. That’s all — only took 2–5 minutes
You did the cover artwork of a lipstick-stained glass for the single, starting with a tip from Mallory Holcomb, and using a dry erase board, a wine glass, lipstick stencils, and a gold paint pen. How does the artwork represent the message of the song?
The artwork gives a hint that the title “Stained Glass” is more than it seems. It displays the “evidence” found by the singer and hopefully intrigues people enough to want to listen to the song.
How To Makes Stained Glass Cookies
1. Unwrap Jolly Ranchers & separate by color into plastic bags
2. Crush the Jolly Ranchers into small pieces using a meat mallet (or a can if you don’t have one)
3. Mix together: 1 cup sugar, ¼ tsp salt, & 1 cup butter (softened)
4. Then add in 2 eggs & 1 tsp vanilla extract & blend
5. Flatten dough & put in plastic wrap in the fridge for 1 hour
6. Roll dough out on a floured surface
7. Cut out your preferred shapes (you’ll need 2 cookie cutters of the same shape; 1 big & 1 small)
8. Fill up the insides with crushed up Jolly Ranchers
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees while you put the cookie tray in the fridge for 15 minutes to cool
10. Bake for 12–14 minutes (on a silicone baking mat, preferably)
11. Let cool for a few minutes (wait until the Jolly Ranchers have hardened)
12. Enjoy!
Eat glass, well, Jolly Rancher ‘glass.’ You shared a recipe to make “Stained Glass” cookies. What wine would you pair with the dessert?
Ooh I’d probably pair these cookies with a crisp rosé to compliment the sweetness and keep it light! Sounds like I need to pour myself a glass now!
Forgive, forget, & move on. What advice can you share for someone struggling to do this?
I think it helps to remember that we’re all human and will make mistakes that we’re not proud of from time to time. That doesn’t give you a free pass to just do whatever, but I think it helps you to forgive someone when they’ve really hurt you. Jesus forgave us so that we could forgive others; might sound trite, but I truly believe that and it helps to put things into perspective for me. Forgiveness doesn’t always mean the restoration of a relationship though; you might need time to know if that’s possible, depending on the situation and people involved.
Will you be releasing any more singles before your upcoming EP?
Yes, I have one more single up my sleeve before the EP! It’s an “in your feels” kind of song — think Taylor Swift’s “Back to December” vibes.