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Emily Ballhouse
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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 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
the overall vibe I got from Songs of Solomon 2. It’s the one where the dialogue switches back and forth frequently between the man and woman, like they’re eager to express their love for one another and almost out-give each other. I think we should strive for this in our marriages. Let’s stop trying to out-do each other and sometimes, even worse, do each other in, but instead, out-give and always be looking for ways to love one another more and better. I’m not married, but that’s what I want if I ever get to be. And it’s what I want for God’s people.
Q. What inspired you to be a singer?
A. I think it’s just how God made me. I know it is, actually. There’s a difference between being a good singer and having the need to sing. I definitely have something to say, always have and I’ve always felt that I’m never satisfied with getting something off my chest until I’ve sung about it. On the flip side, although I’m very out-going, believe it or not, I’m not a “Everyone, look at me” person. I don’t crave accolades or attention over my singing. I probably would have had a career a lot sooner if I had. And if it weren’t for the people God had placed in my life, it would have never occurred to me to pursue a singing career. I started singing in a church choir when I was 4. I remember loving choir practice. I enjoy singing in groups. My Mom told me that whenever I had to miss choir practice and she told my choir instructor; she would always say “Make sure you bring her back! She keeps everyone in tune!” I had no clue that that’s what I was doing, but I knew I loved to sing and that I cared about singing well. I played trombone and French horn in junior high/high school (see? I told you I was a nerd) and when I knew I was contemplating applying for post-secondary music school, I told my band teacher that I had narrowed it down to either piano or French horn for my instrument of choice...well she looked at me like I was crazy and said “Ummmmmmm neither! You’re a singer!!” At that point I figured I never had any real formal training, so I just assumed that applying at the University level was out of the question. I’m thankful in the end that it wasn’t and that I had people in my life that cared enough to point me in the right direction. In hindsight, the French horn is just not my calling. Ha!
Q. What do you think is missing in today’s R&B world?
A. Being the 90’s girl that I am, there’s a raw, unfiltered, unapologetic passion that is all over R&B of that time. I don’t know if it’s because everything is so meticulously produced or if it’s because it’s cool to sound like you don’t care today, but I find that a lot of stuff that’s hip in R&B is lacking in passion and range of emotion -- or even believable emotion. When Brandy sang “Have you Ever?” I believed her. I still do. Same with “Before you walk out my life” by Monica. I’m craving that honesty from those days, I guess.
Q. Are you working on any new projects?
A. O yes! ‘Back and Forth’ is a taste of a larger work to come out in 2021. Those Spoken Word Poems I was telling you about? You just might hear them on a deluxe version of my album along with the other 7 songs that go with ‘Back and Forth’. Until then, I got a Christmas song y’all can look out for in late November 2020.
Q. What have been one of your biggest accomplishments being in the music industry?
A. I just got here, so I don’t feel truly accomplished at this point, to be honest, but I guess the thing I’m most proud of at this time would be my ability to maximize all the connections I’ve made through my networking efforts. ‘Back and Forth’ happened because I did my homework on some dope producers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, got to know them and their work, worked very hard on my songs, came READY and invested pretty much everything I have in that song and a couple of others. They say you have to start somewhere, and I say when you do, jump in with both feet and stomp them into the ground as deep as you can. That’s what I did, and I have no regrets.
Q. Tell us about the simply music piano program?
A. Their slogan is “A Breakthrough in Creativity for Humanity” and it truly lives up to that. The method treats students like real musicians from day one by teaching real songs that you actually want to play, from day one, and the method is playing based, not notation based. The approach is this: get the students playing well, teach them to self-generate and when they have shown you that they can learn, retain what they have learned, and easily get back what they’ve forgotten (because that’s inevitable) using the tools and process you’ve given them, THEN they’re ready to learn how to read music. It’s a brilliant program with lots of variety: blues, accompaniment, classical and contemporary. I switched to this method 3 years ago and I can honestly say I will never go back to teaching the traditional piano lesson. It’s the best piano method I’ve ever come across, hands down.
Q. Where can the fans follow you?
A. IG: @emilyballhouse
FB ‘Emily Ballhouse’ @BallhouseBlog
Twitter @EmilyBolhuis
Follow me on Spotify! You can find my music on all digital platforms.
