Emma Ogier
Emma Ogier has just released her brand new single “Consider Me A Winner”. The americana-pop record is about fear and trying to understand how to deal with it. “Consider Me A Winner” is empowering. It’s about accepting our own emotions, learning and growing from that.
Ogier perfectly highlights her beautiful and soothing vocals while delivering catchy melodies and honest lyrics. The new single follows her debut single “First Base” which already reached over 100K streams on Spotify.
“Consider Me A Winner” is out now on all platforms.
Photo credit: Reed Schick
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
I grew up in a pretty musical family and we had a grand piano and acoustic guitar set up in our living room. My dad played music when he was in college so I credit the beginning of my love for music to him. However, a lot of my creative energy growing up went into musical theater though. That’s where I found my love for storytelling and expressing myself through song.
Both of my brothers are self-taught pianists and guitarists. They’re two of the most talented people I know! I was never very savvy with instruments but I’ve always loved to sing so eventually I learned to play piano and guitar so I could accompany myself. I wrote poetry from a young age so I would play around on the piano and attempt to turn the poems into songs, but I didn’t necessarily feel like a songwriter.
My older brother Aidan was the first to really pick up songwriting. I was inspired by the way he was able to express himself and started writing my own songs. I wrote my first few songs with no knowledge of how to fit into them. They were just stories to me. But over the years I've begun to recognize myself in the work. I recently looked back at the first piece I’d ever written and could almost pinpoint the exact feelings and thoughts I was having at that time. I realized songwriting for me had been and still is the way I cope with all of my feelings — hurt, exhaustion, joy, etc. I have never been well-spoken, but my songs have allowed me to be. They say the words I have a hard time finding in the present moment. They give me a voice that I hope others will confide in.
“Consider Me A Winner" is your new song - what's the inspiration behind this single?
I was inspired to write “Consider Me a Winner” towards the end of my first semester of college when my roommate decided to transfer out. She has become my best friend so this news was hard to cope with. I just couldn’t imagine entering into my next semester without her. I wrote this song as a way to imagine what this next period of my life would look like without her. The song is about fear and how it can be such a driver of how we understand what we do not yet know. I did, in fact, survive the semester and I didn’t have to do it alone — I was constantly surrounded by support and passion.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this single? Who helped you create it? When did you start working on it?
The songwriting process was similar to the lyrical inspiration for the song — it was how I dealt with processing my fear of the unknown. I wrote it in my dorm room in-between classes and started just writing out how I felt about my roommate leaving. I tend not to write well when I limit myself to a specific topic, so instead I just played and sang whatever came to mind and it ended up being about her anyway! I think my conscience has a funny way of doing that.
I started the lyrics by talking about a boy I was scared to talk to, but really I was saying that without her around I just didn’t feel like I’d have the courage. The rest of the song sort of outlines my fears as I sat in the room that would soon be half empty. I finished writing the song pretty quickly and instantly fell in love with it.
It’s really a song about fear about facing something intimating head on. I think I came out of that song with a different perspective about how sometimes what feels like a big change in the moment is just a blip in time.
What's your favorite lyric on "Consider Me A Winner"?
My favorite part of this song is probably the chorus but I think these lines are my favorite: “All my fictions are showing up / The people in the posters on my walls are growing up.” These lyrics are a play on MJ Lenderman’s “TLC Cagematch” when he says “all our heroes now are dead.” It tends to the idea that everyone and everything is constantly in motion.
What did you feel when writing/recording this song?
Writing and recording this song was beautiful yet bittersweet. I recorded this song and the rest of the EP - besides my debut single, “First Base” - in Woodstock, New York with my producer David Baron in January 2023. We were accompanied by my big brother, Aidan Ogier, who played bass and guitar on all of these tracks, and my manager, Seb Mahal. The first day in the studio we decided what songs we were going to record and in which order.
We had 10 days and 5 songs to record and we started with “Consider Me A Winner.” I think everyone was eager to work on this one. The song was super relevant to me at the time as I had yet to even return to school where my roommate wouldn’t be anymore. I was still feeling scared and recording with that fear catered to the emotion and feel of the song. It also felt like an intimidating song to record because it was, in a way, setting the stage for my sound.
David (Baron) reminded me though that I would be creating and building on my sound for the rest of my life. Getting to know David and work closely with him was beyond rewarding. Learning from him was so awesome. He would often encourage me to “create dangerously” and think outside of the box. He reminded me to be in charge and speak up when it comes to my creations and my career decisions.
What made you want to release "Consider Me A Winner" as a single? When did you know it had to be a single?
I don’t really remember deciding what would be singles and what wouldn’t. I think this song is just relevant, catchy, and one I could talk about for hours.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
I shot all of the images and videos for this song with Reed Schick. We decided to do the shoot in my dorm because I lived there at the time and it seemed like a perfect fit to use that space for this song. It is pretty cool to think that now I’ve got a time capsule of my freshman year dorm with all those photos!
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
Personally, I find the hardest part of being an artist for me is the inability to explain my thoughts or speak my heart and mind without it being through song. I mean someone could learn or assume a lot about me by listening to my songs. I think it’s hard to know that your words are being interpreted by so many, but that is also the best part. That something I’ve created can be digested in alternative ways by so many different people.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
I think that today’s music industry is both exciting and challenging. The accessibility of technology has opened up new avenues for artists, like myself, to reach a global audience, and the emphasis on authenticity allows for genuine musical storytelling. However, I also feel incredibly fortunate to have received substantial support and guidance on my journey, and I strongly believe that every aspiring musician should have access to similar resources and assistance to pursue their dreams in this competitive industry.
In your opinion, what makes a good songwriter?
I think whether or not someone is a good songwriter is subjective and I’m not sure I can really pinpoint what makes someone “good.” I tend to be drawn to songwriting that makes me say “woah, they get it.” Which is really just me recognizing them saying something I hadn't thought of or a feeling I hadn’t been able to put into words. I like music that feels similar but unique. I like songwriting when it feels like the artist is saying something they needed to.
Could you list a few records that influenced the music you are making today?
‘For the Roses’ by Joni Mitchell
‘EN GRANDE’ by Ethan Gruska
‘Afraid of Nothing’ by Harrison Whitford
‘Any Shape You Take’ by Indigo De Souza
‘House of Sugar’ by Alex G
‘Absolutely’ by Dijon
‘A Museum of Contradiction’ by Mk.Gee
What do you want people to feel when listening to your music?
I want people to feel whatever the song makes them feel. I hope they can find peace or understanding in my music. I just hope people feel heard.
What makes you happy?
Pickles, my dog Milo (even though he’s mean and no one likes him), performing, musical theater, thrifting, my friends, making music, my brothers, my parents, my boyfriend, and myself.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
I think I’m still learning it, but I need to not rush so often.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
If everyone understood that everyone is so different, and not to judge so harshly.
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