Emma Negrete: Modern-Day Algorithms
A self-described “modern woman in a modern world,” Emma Negrete is only now making her bow with her debut EP, Algorithms. Nevertheless, the material was spawned from years of experience. The six songs are assured and seductive, initially inspired by her time as a touring musician in China, as well as the subsequent difficulty she’s had simply fitting in.
“For a while, I don’t think I necessarily knew what I wanted to do with my music,” she recalls. “I had no connection with the cover songs I was singing. I felt so much pressure to emulate others, without a lot of room to simply speak my truth or allow my own vision come to fruition. I felt like an outsider in every way possible.” As a result, she opted to face her fears and, in the process, came to grasp the clarity and confidence that had previously eluded her.
“Many of those darker truths were about accepting myself after past decisions I’d made. I had allowed myself to fall into toxic habits such as drugs, alcohol, overeating,” she concedes. “I was just wasting so much of my own time overall and not building my life around a soulful purpose. I felt like I had completely let my younger self down. I was doing so many things that were self-destructive.”
Although classically trained and adept at jazz, the singer/songwriter admits that she was still more comfortable focusing on modern music. “There are several things that I am still unpacking and haven’t quite come to terms with yet, at least enough that I’d be open to sharing,” Negrete says. “But I do plan to express these truths in small doses through my upcoming projects.” While that might seem like a heady challenge, Algorithms belies any sense of uncertainty. And, after garnering 50,000 streams in a single month and appearing alongside Bob Weir, Questlove and others at the virtual FiLo Festival, she’s clearly proven her appeal. “There’s an equal amount of pros and cons to any path you choose,” Negrete insists. “I learned how powerful the mind really is and how much your physical well-being is connected to everything.”
