Where It Begins (WIB) August Issue

EMILY BALLHOUSE Q. Thanks for interviewing with us Tell us who Emily is and where you’re from?

A. I am a Canadian R&B/R&P singer from Nova Scotia, Canada. I’m also a Homeschooling Mom and a Piano Teacher, so basically, I’m a nerd who’s stumbled into something really cool... by the grace of God. I never thought people would accept me in the world of R&B/CHH, but God sees differently and had a plan for me to be exactly here from the beginning. That I know without a doubt.

Q. As the “Singing Piano Teacher” Tell us about that experience?

A. Well, my formal music education started out on the piano at 9 years old, but I sang in church from the time I was

50

WIBMAGZ

4 and definitely always identified more as a Singer than a Pianist. But being in the church, singing at the piano just happened a lot naturally. I knew that I wanted to continue my music education, so I dedicated myself to Opera for about 10 years, 7 of those years being through the University world. I started teaching piano a year before University and never stopped. I love teaching. I love relaying what I’ve learned to others.

I’ve always known that Performing and Teaching are equally for me -- I’ve never really separated the two. The piano program I teach from, Simply Music Piano, encourages students to sing along, which is an invaluable skill as a musician. As someone who is always inclined to sing, I’m glad that I’ve found a program that jives with my strengths and personality.

Q. You were into Opera and now in Pop/R&B how did you mix the two together?

A. I have yet to truly mix the two together and I do have plans to do that, but it’s a tricky fusion that will either blow people’s minds and have them listening to it addictively or it will be so off putting that people will just be mad and shut it off -- I’m going for the former. Right now, I’m focusing on being truly R&B. I grew up with 90’s R&B, which true R&B fans will tell you was the best era for the genre.

Musically, my goal is to always have 90’s R&B roots in my songwriting while still being obedient to the new school of R&B, which is cool, too.

Q. Tell us about this single “Back and Forth” and the meaning behind it?

A. ‘Back and Forth’ is all about celebrating the marriage relationship when it’s working right. It’s about both people investing and giving equally in the relationship. I’ve been studying the Songs of Solomon deeply for a year now and in that time, I’ve written Spoken Word poems off of them, as well as songs. ‘Back and Forth’ is