Em releases debut music project
Colors can mean many different things for various individuals; and on her debut EP entitled Colorblind, MVNU student Emily Rahe (Em) dove into her interpretation of them and how colors can express a number of different things. She recorded and produced Colorblind during a semester at the Contemporary Music Center (CMC) in Nashville, Tenn.
“It was new, and I was learning as I went each day,” Em said when asked about her first experience in the studio. “I am so thankful to have had a wonderful team that walked with me through this process, contributing their knowledge, critiques and ideation.”
The title of the EP, Colorblind, comes from her emotions during the recording process.
Collaboration played a big role during the creation process. Em mentioned that she recieved help from her friends who assisted with adding some instruments and the mixing of the record.
While this is Em’s first project, her songwriting and vocal delivery compares to an artist deep into their career. The lyrical content is achingly mature, and yet, still contains a distinct sense of relatability. Upon being asked about her creative process, Em responded that she gains that energy from both internal and external means.
“I process my experiences and emotions through writing music,” Em said, “My environment plays a big part in my creative energy as well. I’m often inspired by where I am and who I am with.” She also mentioned that her inspirations come from many different artists. Using those influences, she was able to craft a body of work that is ostensibly her own and will inevitably stand out.
Colorblind is equally a visual experience as an auditory one. The project references various aspects of color, which equates to a myriad of different emotions. On the track titled “Blue,” for instance, there are lyrics alluding to a relation deter- iorating and how since colors are often associated with feelings, Em describes this individual as “every hue.”
“I saw and felt things very differently, and the primary colors represented different things once the relationship ended,” Em replied, when questioned about the song. “Color blindness is a deficiency in the way you see and distinguish colors, specifically red, yellow, blue and green. In an emotional sense, that is what I am dealing with throughout the EP.”
Visual art is an important component to Em’s music. From the album cover to the tracklisting, there is an undeniable attention to detail regarding the visuals and how it relates to the music. “My music would not be what it is without it,” she said when asked about the visual medium. “I owe so much to good friends that create and capture visually. I love to create visually, but music is my favorite way to communicate.”
Colorblind was released in December and can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.