We were lucky to catch up with Emily Hulslander recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Emily , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I have found that when I have talked to other professionals, they have shared their own personal feelings of imposter syndrome and how that permeates their creativity and confidence among their community. Some people who have reached upper echelons of the industry have admitted that ” no one knows what they’re doing, and it’s a lot of fake it until you make it.”
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is Emily Hulslander. I am an East Coast transplant who has been living in LA for 6.5 years. I studied songwriting and voice at Berklee College of Music, performed and lived in NYC and brought myself out west to delve into the songwriting world. I currently sing in multiple cover bands (Saved By The ’90s and Hot Southern Nights) and have two original projects
(Guyville, a female alt-country, alt-rock duo, and Social Drag, alt-’90s rock) I have recently started composing for short films and am eager to expand into the composition world. I love to collaborate with artists of all genres and have also spent time working with young songwriters on how to develop their craft and sharpen their skill set.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
-I think being genuine to yourself and your creativity is incredibly important. As much as there have been times in which I would have loved to have had ” a team” behind me, I also know myself well enough to know that it would have been hard to agree on a creative choice when it didn’t feel authentic to me in a genuine and true way. -Getting an education in music wasn’t necessary per se, but it did absolutely help with my skills as a songwriter and sharpen my musical ear to a point where I can jump in with a band and transpose on the fly, or pull out song requests easily.
-Resilience is incredibly important. I am constantly changing what my personal view of success and goals are to be more attainable as time goes by. Certain goals or dreams might not be in the cards, but you will find yourself surprised by the different paths that DO appear in front of you in your creative endeavors.
– Make sure to not be too picky with opportunities or collaborations because you never know where they will lead you, or who your collaborator knows and the doors they could open for you.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
A previous therapist suggested I start “The Artists Way” by Julia Cameron, in the midst of the pandemic and it completely changed my creative productivity. I had been struggling with connecting to my artist self, and this book completely enhanced and re-established that connection, opening the creative channels to where I was writing and producing a prolific amount in a short amount of time. I highly suggest it to anyone who needs a boost or general maintenance as a creative.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @emmesongs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmesongs
- Linkedin: https://tinyurl.com/emilyhulslanderlinkedin
- Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/emmesongsyoutube
- SoundCloud: https://tinyurl.com/emilyhulslandersoundcloud
- Other: Original projects: SOCIAL DRAG IG: @socialdragmusic Facebook: Socialdragband TikTok: Socialdragmusic GUYVILLE IG@guyvilletheduo Facebook:Guyvilletheduo TikTok:Guyvilletheduo
Image Credits
@capturedbyjessica
