For me, the appeal and power of art is its capacity to represent, communicate, and transform human experiences – the banal, sublime, and tragic – into works that help us understand ourselves, but more importantly, that help us connect with others across space and time. Though our individual joy and suffering may seem unique and isolating, artists remind us that what we endure and how we triumph unites us through the redemptive power of their music, their writing, and their visual and plastic art. Regardless of the medium he creates in, Bob Dylan is an artist who quiets the noise so we can understand how something makes us feel, which, in turn, encourages empathy. Singer and songwriter Emma Swift is also that type of artist. Her ethereal vocal performances and lyrics paired with romantic sonic arrangements suspend listeners between melancholy and the sublime with the promise of a hopeful resolution. In this episode, Emma sat down with me to discuss her forthcoming album of original songs, The Resurrection Game, the artists who inspire her, and her creative process.
Emma Swift is a Sydney-Australia-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter who gained widespread recognition and acclaim for her 2020 album, Blonde on the Tracks, featuring sublime interpretations of eight Dylan songs. Swift’s voice is simultaneously delicate and powerful, and she stops time every time she performs. If she’s passing your way, try to see her on her summer concert tour to capture that experience. Emma’s new album, her first with all original material, The Resurrection Game, drops on September 12. You can pre-order it and check out tour dates in the links below.
Links:
Website:
https://www.emmaswift.com/
The Resurrection Game:
Blonde on the Tracks:
Tour: https://www.emmaswift.com/shows
Substack: https://substack.com/@emmaswiftsings
Instagram: @emmaswiftsings
X: @emmaswiftsings
Christopher Hitchens Photos: https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/photos/2007/10/hitchens_slideshow200710?srsltid=AfmBOor7e3GnM9jHx6ShnagoIcpR9GdxwY9sUPxiumnCeX8VTiIgbJrc
