EMILY WELLS

Emily Wells combines electronics, orchestral strings, jazz structures, pop sensibilities, and globe-trotting music elements into one unique and eclectic sound. The performer, producer, singer & composer is known for her stylistic merges of hip-hop, folk, classical and electronic, and employs a deft approach to her varied use of classical and modern instrumentation. Classically trained as a violinist, she also plays drums, guitars, keys, and beat machines.

Wells was born in Texas to a French horn teacher. In 1990, she moved with her family to Indiana where she lived until she began traveling in 2000. She began playing the violin at age 4 and began releasing albums on her own. The former child prodigy has released numerous unofficial releases, starting at age 13 with a cassette tape (producing 100 copies), but her “official” releases are Sleepyhead (which flaunted fourteen tracks written, produced and mixed by Wells herself), Symphonies, Dirty and Mama. While traveling, she makes her “home base” primarily in New York, but currently resides in Los Angeles.

Wells uses many other instruments in her work including violin, piano, glockenspiel, guitar, banjo, synthesizer, and even toy pianos–think Laura Veirs meets CocoRosie–she combines acoustic drum sounds with haunting neo-gospel layers and ties them together with poignant almost baby-like vocals. The result is intoxicating. Wells has been touring extensively in Europe and the United States and is now finishing her latest full length record, due out in 2015, and it’s one you won’t want to miss. »

– Samantha Lopez

Emily Wells plays the Doug Fir Lounge with Lorna Dune on 10/28, grab your tickets right here.