Singled Out: Emily Brooks' As I Am

Emily Brooks just released her debut single "As I Am", which was produced by Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, The Killers), and to celebrate we asked her to tell us about the track. Here is the story:

This song was inspired by a moment-a moment where my attention was suddenly directed into this realm that was unplanned, and I just sat there and kept writing until "As I Am" was born. I didn't realize until a few sentences into this free-write what the song was about. It was a very spiritual experience and I didn't have to think about it at all really, and that's what was so special about this song. "As I Am" is a letter to anyone in your life who you wish you could share all the parts of your life with, but you know deep down they may not like some of those parts, and they may never understand them. This song is an anthem of love and acceptance for yourself---realizing you don't need anyone to understand, you are who you are and that's what makes you you. I am who I am and I'm proud of every single second of it, the good, the bad and the in-between. It all makes me who I am.

The filming for the video was also really special and spontaneous. I had planned on attending the LA Pride Parade, and on my way home from the gym the day before, this thought came to me to shoot the video at the parade. As soon as I had the thought, I knew it felt so right- I discussed it with my friend Will Raver and he's like, "let's do this." It was just him and I on the day of filming and it was epic. To be around all of the love and positivity at the parade, in the mix of people singing and dancing, it was a gift and the spirit of love was everywhere.

The recording process was really cool, too. It was my first time in an actual studio! Brendan O' Brien is such a musical genius that working with him and Kyle Stevens, his audio engineer, was really easy and one of the best experiences of my life. It's moments like this that all of the other really tough parts of life fade away and you're like yes, this is the light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you so much for taking the time to check out my song. I look forward to sharing many more with you in the future.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself