Khadija Emma singing at the Ryan Gordy Cancer Foundation Event in Los Angeles CA. Khadija was very honored to support the cause and being able to perform in front of the legendary founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy.
Khadija Emma is a triple threat (singing, acting, and dancing) who wrote her first original song, Empire, at the age of 9. The song was inspired by her experience with bullying. She is currently working on a 4-song EP with Grammy Award-winning producer Dallas Austin which will be released in early 2019. The EP has an anti-bullying theme. Khadija is involved with several charities including The Project for Girls and the Ryan Gordy Cancer Foundation.
We had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Khadija about her single Empire. Check out the interview below.
Hi, Khadija! Thank you for granting the interview. Your music is amazing and we’re excited to speak with you about. What can you tell listeners about your latest single Empire?
Hi! Thank you so much for having me! I have always loved music and it has always been a big part of my life. When I finally got to record Empire, It was so shocking for me to be in the studio because it is so crazy to think that all the hard work you put into recording and being in the studio, turns into an amazing song! After this experience, I knew that writing and making music is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Tell us what inspired Empire?
Empire is a song that I wrote when I was 9 years old. At that age was when I got bullied the most so I decided to write a song that lets out all my emotions and feelings about what was happening to me.
You mentioned being bullied. Unfortunately, many teens face this. What words of inspiration could you share to help others stay uplifted?
I know that bullying affects the lives of many teens. Just know that the reason people are bullying you is because they might have something going on at home or they are just jealous of you. But that isn’t a good excuse to hurt someone and make them feel bad about themselves. We are all beautiful and amazing and shouldn’t be made fun of because of race, ethnicity, gender, etc. We come from the same place. We are human and don’t let anyone bring you down.
Tell us about your songwriting process. How do you choose a topic to sing about?
I write a song based on what’s on my mind. First thing I do is play random chords. Then, I start to hum a melody that I think sounds good with the chords. After that, I put words to the melody then build off of what I have. BOOM! A song!
What has been your biggest challenge as a singer?
I haven’t really had that many challenges so far since I am just starting off but I think when I do this more and more, a challenge might be coming up with inspiration. I guess I will just need to experience some changes and write about how I go through my life.
What’s the ultimate direction of your music?
The ultimate direction of my music is like I said, wherever my life takes me. I will write about how I overcome things that might be difficult or surprising. I will write about my life experiences and why I choose certain decisions.
How can fans-to-be gain access to your music?
Fans can find my music on Spotify, Apple music, Tidal, etc. For updates, you can check out my socials!
What are your musical icons/influences?
My idols are Whitney Houston, Zendaya, and Billie Eilish. Their music really inspires me to be as good as them someday. They also have the same vibe as me (life stories) which really make me fall in love with every single lyric to every one of their songs. I also love to dance and the fact Zendaya and Billie Eilish both also dance inspires me as well.
When looking back on the production of your music, what resonated with you the most and why?
I know I keep on saying this but life experiences put into a song make the most powerful lines and lyrics in my songs. In my unreleased song, “Day”, a lyric says, “the best revenge was not to hurt me again”. What that means is if you’re trying to apologize to someone, or even if you already did, don’t hurt them again because you’re just going to ruin everything all over again.
In your opinion, how could a singer make an impact on the world?
We all can make a difference. If you speak your mind and tell a story about what you believe in, you can change the world. I feel that when I collaborate, the impact is even stronger. When you work on something you believe in with someone else, it’s even better because the final goal will become stronger.
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose this career? Would you do anything differently?
No, I wouldn’t. I love music. It’s my passion and It’s what makes me happy.
Do you have any additional information you would like to share on your music?
Thank you so much for having me! Stay tuned for MUCH more music that will be coming out! I am working on an EP with my Producer Dallas Austin and I am so excited to share it with you all! Stay Positive and have fun! Like I say in Empire, “Life means we can do anything”.
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Connect with Khadija:
Twitter: khadijaemma
Instagram: khadijaemma
Facebook: khadijaemma
Tik Tok: khadijaemma
YouTube: Khadija Emma
Website: www.khadijaemma.com
Featured Image Info: Khadija Emma singing at the Ryan Gordy Cancer Foundation Event in Los Angeles CA. Khadija was very honored to support the cause and being able to perform in front of the legendary founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy.
Featured Image Credit: Andreas Neumann.
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