Emma Peckford
We head all the way to Corner Brook Newfoundland for the next artist, 15 year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist Emma Peckford, in our series of features on the RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest, Jump 106.9 She’s the One finalists. Emma began singing at four years old and started playing guitar when she was seven. Her first public performance outside of her church was at the Trails, Tales and Tunes folk festival in Norris Point, Gros Morne National Park in 2012 and has been a regular ever since. She has opened for a number of Newfoundland artists, costarred in her own show and has appeared on local television and CBC Radio’s West Coast Morning Show. Emma regularly plays at charity events and hosts a monthly open mic night for youth. In November of 2013 she won first place in the St. John’s MusicNL Statoil New Found Talent Contest and was invited to the MusicNL Conference and Awards Gala. At the conference she performed at various show cases and an industry brunch. This year Emma was nominated for the city of Corner Brook’s Achievement in Community Excellence Emerging Artist Award. She was recently recording in GrooveDen Studio with Dipole Productions (Chris Kirby) for the production of her two-song demo and is looking forward to shooting her music video with Heavyweather.ca.
As with her co-competitors we asked Emma 20 questions so that we, and you, could get to know her and the story behind her music a bit better.
20 Questions with Emma Peckford
SC: Firstly congratulations on being selected as one of the top 10 for the RBC Bluesfest She’s the One Emerging Female Artists Competition. RBC Bluesfest was ranked one of the top 10 music festivals by Billboard Magazine. What was your reaction on being selected into this elite event?
EP: Thank you! I’m still in shock that I will be playing at such a high caliber music festival, and have made it this far in this competition. The story of my reaction on being selected into this event is actually a funny one! One evening I was leaving guitar lessons and I just so happened to check my email, where I found the email informing me that I was selected as a finalist for the She’s the One Emerging Female Artists Competition. My parents and I were in the car, my dad was on the phone and the radio on, and I just blurt out “Mom I’m a finalist.” Confused, she told me we could step out of the car as to not interrupt dad’s phone call, and she proceeded to scream on the sidewalk. At this point, it was not even remotely real that this was happening. I didn’t have a genuine reaction, and I still haven’t, because I’m still in disbelief. The day of the press release I actually came home and went to bed because I was so overwhelmed!
SC: Every artist I’ve spoken to has a story about how / when they decided to pursue music as a career. We know that you started in music at a very early age, describe the moment that you knew that music was the path for you and what inspired you to take that path.
EP: I’ve been singing and playing guitar for most of my lifetime, but I didn’t always take it seriously. Two years ago I stepped on stage for one of my very first performances, at a music festival near my hometown called Trails Tales and Tunes. I cried beforehand and was literally forced on stage, but the second I opened my mouth the room full of 200 people immediately became silent. That moment struck me hard, and made me realize that music was my path. That festival was a big turning point for me, and seeing the spectrum of musicians and talent truly inspired me to one day be like them.
SC: It seems like a big thing in the music business today is collaborations. Name any three artists that you would like to work with?
The Civil Wars
Ed Sheeran
Stevie Nicks
EP: That is a very difficult question to answer! I have done very few collaborations so far, but the little taste I’ve had was a good one. I admire killer harmonies, so to do something with the unbelievably talented duo The Civil Wars would be amazing. A duet with Ed Sheeran would also be awesome, he’s an all around talented guy and I’ve been inspired by him for a long time. And lastly, to do a collab with the legendary Stevie Nicks would be the coolest thing in the world.
SC: For most stepping out on a stage to face hundreds, perhaps thousands of fans can be a bit intimidating. What’s that like for you? Do you still get butterflies or does it inspire you to put on an even better performance?
EP: Do I get butterflies? Try elephants. I can’t eat before I perform, I feel sick and sometimes I internally freak out. Oddly enough, my pre-show nerves always make me do well. The pressure I put on myself makes me perform my best, but the nerves always disappear when I step foot onstage and I immediately feel like I’m at home when I’m in front of a crowd.
SC: This is where we normally ask what the defining moment has been in an artist’s career to date. Your career is still taxiing down the runway ready for takeoff. Has there been a moment, to date, that sticks out more than others, that reassures you that music is the right path for you?
EP: A moment that sticks out to me, reassuring me music is the right way for me to go, was not long after my very first public performance two years ago. Shaun Majumder was hosting the first annual The Gathering, an event to entice tourists to visit, learn, and become a part of beautiful rural Newfoundland. Many musicians attended this weekend, as there was a strong focus on music. One afternoon there was a stage open to local performers, so I was basically pushed onstage by my parents as I was still suffering the performance-anxiety-shyness. I performed a song or two, and Shaun Majumder stood by in complete awe. As I was about to leave the stage, I heard Shaun call out, “Do another one, Sean McCann requests it!” and I nearly passed out on stage. Sean McCann from Great Big Sea requested a third song from me!! To top it all off, Sean was the next performer, and when he fumbled during his song he says into the microphone, “ Well I’m no Emma Peckford. You never know where you’re gonna find talent like that.” - that’s quite the endorsement
SC: What’s your all-time favorite movie?
EP: I actually watch very few movies, I’m more of a book person. If I had to pick a movie I would probably say The Silence of the Lambs, but my all-time favorite book is for sure The Catcher in the Rye.
SC: Your ideal brain food?
EP: My ideal brain food is hands down crackers with cream cheese. Crackers and cream cheese is an anytime, any place, anything food.
SC: Favourite Restaurant (anywhere in the world)?
EP: A fairly new locally-owned sushi restaurant, Newfound Sushi, is hands down the best sushi on the island.
SC: Favourite TV show (all-time)?
EP: My favorite TV show is probably a toss-up between Grimm and Hannibal. The dark crime shows are my favourite!
Emma Peckford
SC: If you could see any artist in concert, who would you see (living or dead)?
EP: I would love to see Bon Iver… but I’d also love to see Queen… this is too hard to narrow down!
SC: iPhone, Android or Blackberry?
EP: iPhone.
SC: Can you talk about a fan encounter that completely took you by surprise?
EP: A while before I started to gain more recognition in my community, I was out for supper with my friend’s family. A woman that neither of us knew came up to me, engulfed me in a teary eyed hug and told me all about how she saw me perform and was so moved by it. That definitely completely took me by surprise.
Emma Peckford
SC: What are your family member’s musical interests and abilities?
EP: My family is quite diverse in our musical interests and abilities. My dad is into country and Newfoundland traditional/Irish music, both of which he’s great at singing and playing on his guitar. My brother has similar music taste to my dad’s, and he is a blooming fiddle player. My sister is an awesome flutist, and she listens to alternative-pop/indie-pop. My mom is not a music player, but she sure is a music listener!
SC: Name a fictional character most like you?
EP: Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye is a very relatable character for me, I feel like we would be really good friends.
SC: In “Emma Peckford, Story of My Life” – The Movie, who would play you?
Zooey Deschanel
EP: After much thought, I have decided that if Zooey Deschanel chopped her hair off and dyed it red, she could play me because we are blue eye twins.
SC: Star Trek or Star Wars?
EP: I’ve really never been into either, but I think Star Trek would be my pick.
SC: Stress management: hit man, spa vacation or Prozac?
EP: My dad jokes that he wishes he could be as stress-free as me, so my management is avoiding the stress altogether!
SC: Are you the one? Ok that’s a trick question, you entered the contest so you must believe you are. Why do you think you are the “one”?
EP: I think I am the one because music is my passion. It’s changed my life in too many ways to count. I went from being painfully shy and socially awkward, to confident and outgoing all through performing. My guitar has helped me through many hard days, and I always feel fresh and renewed when I sing my heart out. I’m finding my way with music holding my hand. I would love to show young people that music has that ability, and inspire them to do what they dream. I think I am the “one” because music is something I truly love, and I want to pursue it and share it with everybody.
SC: Music / celebrity and charity tend to go hand in hand. Artists use their star power to generate awareness for their chosen charity. Is there a charity that’s close to your heart that you would like to see get more support?
Canadian Mental Health Association
EP: Canadian Mental Health Association is a charity very close to my heart, and I would definitely like to see it get more support. I would love to see artists supporting it, as music is very close to mental health; music is therapeutic, it’s a great coping mechanism, and it’s a form of self expression. I would love to and hopefully be a part of generating awareness for this charity.
SC: What’s next for Emma Peckford?
EP: I have a number of local gigs organized for this summer, but first stop, Ottawa, ON. After that, who knows!
If you want to get to know Emma even better or follow her career be sure to like her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/emmapeckfordmusic. We’d like to thank Emma for taking the time to answer these questions and wish her the best of luck with She’s the One and the rest of her career…we’ll be watching!
Here is Emma’s audition video for She’s the One: