Emily King, a 21-year-old New York soul-popper, is turning major heads with her East Side Story. It’s an easy blend of, well, as she puts it, “Every record that I’ve ever heard.” But if you’re like us, that’s not nearly enough information. Get deeper into what makes Emily worthy of her regal last name when we strap her into The Hot Seat and pull out the whole story.
Q: Tell us about your craziest touring experience.
A: Recently, I toured Europe. I took a band - 2 guys flying from Columbus, me from Philly. On the way over, their flight got canceled and they got put on a new flight. They all had the info for the connecting flight to Vienna, where we were scheduled to play on the first day. As I’m checking in in Philly, the woman tells me that Travelocity did not book the connecting Vienna flight properly and, long story short, there’s no tickets for all 4 of us to Vienna.
I can’t tell the band, as they were somewhere over the Atlantic already. They have gate/ticketing info for a flight that we aren’t on anymore. So I check in to London, call Travelocity, get 4 new tickets on a different airline. But I’ve got no way to tell them the info for the new flight.
So I land in London and, again, to make a long story short, I spend an hour or more just trying to find a way to get a message to the 3 guys in my band who are probably wandering Heathrow Airport (it’s kinda big, 5 terminals) to go to this new gate, to no avail. Cell phones dont work in the UK. Help desks apparently can’t actually help. I’m basically about to fly to Vienna by myself, when….. I walk right past them in the airport. Very lucky.
Q: What type of college class would you’d most want to take and why?
A: Astronomy.. I’ve always been interested to know what else is out there. Especially growing up in the big city where u can see about a handful of stars on a clear night.
Q: What city in America is the most fun to visit and why?
A: I hate to do this but I have to say NYC.. Especially if you have a couple dollars in your pocket. There’s always something happening 24/7!
Q: What’s some of the best advice you were ever given?
A: Look both ways.
Q: What’s in heavy rotation in your MP3/CD player right now?
A: Common, Death Cab For Cutie and D’angelo.
Q: The last good book you read or TV show you’re addicted to.
A: Lost. The DVD collection was passed on to me and I’m not one to watch much TV, but something about the beach meeting magical mystery.. I was completely hooked.
Q: What’s the first concert you ever saw - how was it?
A: It’s hard to recall the very first, but one of the most memorable was a Parliament concert with my mom.
Q: What are three items you can’t live without on tour?
A: Emer-gen-c vitamin packets, my iPod and my camera.
Q: Who are your major musical influences?
A: My folks, Michael Jackson and Jimi Hendrix.
Q: Any random messages or tips you’d like to give to mtvU watchers?
A: Breathe deeply, drink lots of water. :)
