Emily King

Like so many of the most important singer-songwriters, Emily King has an almost magical gift for getting to the bottom of life's deepest concerns and discovering unexpected beauty and illuminating truth in the process. Since her Grammy-nominated debut album East Side Story, the New York City-born artist has continued to add depth and nuance to her songwriting, rooting each revelation in her mesmerizing blend of soul, R&B and forward-thinking pop. On her new album Special Occasion, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best R'nB Album earlier this year, King explores the infinite dimensions of heartbreak in real time - an examination informed by the end of her own romantic relationship. King and her longtime producer Jeremy Most (producer and multi-instrumentalist) collaborated closely on each track to create an intimate and infinitely enchanting look at the way we love, grieve, and ultimately stumble to a greater sense of self-awareness.
On Special Occasion, King channels the most overwhelming emotions with indescribable grace, once again showcasing the radiant vocal presence she's displayed in previous music and touring collaborations with Brittany Howard, Robert Glasper, Sara Bareilles, John Legend and others. "The album was made during a very painful breakup and the only way for me to feel relief was to meditate through music," says King.

The daughter of two musicians, she grew up with her brother in a small New York apartment in the East Village, where she began playing guitar and writing songs at the age of 15. Like all of her work, Special Occasion came about as she and Most exchanged musical notes and slowly formed the intricately composed sound of the album, with King handling vocals, guitar and drums and Most playing everything from guitar to bass, sitar to synthesizer and mellotron to drums. The album, which also includes a track created with producer Sam Cohen (Kevin Morby, Rhett Miller), ultimately embodies a breathtaking elegance, even as King articulates devastating pain. "Writing songs is about surviving my own feelings," she says.

Special Occasion is extraordinarily expansive in both emotion and sound, expressing King's unique artistry. As King reveals, the album's immense scope is the direct result of a deep-rooted desire to share unlimited facets of her experiences. "I think if we can tell as many stories as possible, we can reach as many people as possible," she says. "I've called it an album about breaking up, reconciling and breaking up again, but it's really about trying to find joy in difficult times - trying to celebrate who you are in your quietest moments, and not in relation to anyone else. It's still a process for me, but I hope these songs help people find some hope and relief."