Ask yourself this – what are you most nostalgic about? Pause. Before you go on and really dive deep in that question, pop on Emily Hackett’s song “Nostalgia” to play in the background. Without a doubt, Hackett’s new song gives us the absolute feeling of longing to take a trip to the past. The Nashville based pop/country singer is the perfect song to wrap up your summer 2017.
We had a chance to chat with the singer herself to talk about her start in music, her new song “Nostalgia,” and spilled some news on her upcoming full-length album! Plus, she just debuted her new music video for the song which you could view below!
The Young Folks: For those who don’t know you just yet, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Emily Hackett: I’m a dream-chasing, freedom-fighting, not afraid to tell it like it is, party-hopping, beg for forgiveness over ask for permission, will stay up talking with you until the bottle of wine is finished kind of girl.
TYF: How did singing, specifically country music, come about for you? Did you ever consider singing a completely different genre or was it something/someone that drew you to this specific genre you write for now?
Hackett: I feel like the country genre is like that friend who you run into all the time and they say, “Hey, we should hang out,” but then you don’t until one day you realize how much you’ve been missing without them around. Growing up, I didn’t know Loretta Lynn or George Strait from Adam. I grew up on the rock and roll my dad constantly was playing around the house or the songs my friends and I would make up dance routines to in my bedroom. My taste was super eclectic. It wasn’t until I landed in Nashville that people said, “Hey, you have a great voice for country,” and my songs eventually kind of took that shape.
TYF: What was the first song you ever wrote and what was the first song you ever sang out loud to someone else other than yourself?
Hackett: Ha! Well I came across a diary recently that has my mom’s handwriting in it and it was lyrics she was helping me write ‘cause I didn’t know how to spell anything yet. But I’ll never forget the first one of my songs I performed. 6th grade talent show. “Dreams Come True.”
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TYF: You’re also known for your beautiful, beautiful song “Take My Hand (The Wedding Song)” featuring Will Anderson. Since this is a song about a wedding, we have to ask… What are a few tracks you recommend that couples “must have” on their playlist for a wedding whether it be yours or someone else’s?
Hackett: “Shout,” by The Isley Brothers, 100%. No wedding is really complete without everyone putting down their drink to dance to that song. I’m also a huge advocate of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” cause come on! The bride and groom should be singing it to each other across the dance floor.
TYF: I was listening to your EP, The Raw EP a few days ago and loved it so much. Since it’s been a two year gap from your EP to now, how have you changed since then whether it be in your personal life or in your career?
Hackett: Thanks for listening! Wow, I think I’ve learned so much about myself. I think every songwriter grows as they continue to pour out songs, but it took me awhile to figure out how to I wanted to sound as an artist and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without that EP and the touring that I did after it. We called it The Raw EP ‘cause it was stripped down, and eventually I realized I was also stripped down. I was ready for more, sonically, writing-wise, performing. So it’s been cool really digging in musically, and in my sense of self.
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TYF: Where do you go or what do you do to seek inspiration for a song? What do you do if you come across writer’s block?
Hackett: I’m the kind of girl who cries at commercials, so…But in all honesty, I love to spend time with a good novel or a movie with great writing and character development. If I’m not writing my own story, I’m writing someone else’s. I write about my friends a lot too—sometimes, not always going over well haha.
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TYF: How did the concept and lyrics for “Nostalgia” come about?
Hackett: “Nostalgia” was such a little midnight gift. Mikey, my husband, and I would write all the time but we had asked our friend Steph Jones to squeeze us in while she was in town, so we started in the evening and stayed up late just going down memory lane. We talked about ex’s and moving and everything that you look back on and then it just hit me that all these thoughts, although they were unique to us, all came from the same characteristic, like an old friend. So we called that old friend Nostalgia.
TYF: What are you most nostalgic about?
Hackett: High school, for sure. I’m not one of those people who looks back and tries to forget those years. I seriously lived a movie-perfect high school life with a group of friends you couldn’t buy. We actually are all still really tight too, so I get to be nostalgic with them all the time, even if it’s just in our group text thread that we touch base on. One of my best friends actually drove up from Atlanta to be in the music video for “Nostalgia” because I insisted that it wouldn’t be complete without at least one of them there with me. It was perfect.
TYF: What can we expect to hear in upcoming songs? Will you have a full length album released soon?
Hackett: Yes! We are almost done working on my first full-length album. I’m so excited. You know, reflecting on it the other day, it’s crazy how much nostalgia is woven throughout the record. There are songs about an ex-boyfriend, about a mistake or two, working part-time as a waitress so I could pay the bills while chasing my dream. It’s a lot of honesty that I hope resonates with a lot of people.
TYF: What is one (or maybe two) of your biggest goals as an artist?
Hackett: I want to play The Ryman & Bonnaroo—two of my favorite places in the world to see artists perform. Otherwise, I’ve heard the Grammy’s are pretty nice.
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