Emily Wells

by Andrew Leahey
Emily Wells' songwriting combines electronics, orchestral strings, jazz structures, pop sensibilities, and vibrato-laden vocals into one eclectic package. A former child prodigy, she began fielding offers from record labels during her teenage years. Wells balked at the idea of relinquishing creative control to a team of producers, however, and independently toured the country to support her music instead. After relocating to Los Angeles, she built a home studio and set to work on her debut album. Beautiful Sleepyhead and the Laughing Yaks arrived in 2006, featuring 14 tracks that were written, performed, produced, and mixed by Wells herself. A second album, The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties, arrived in 2008, featuring help from bassist Joey Reina and drummer Sam Halterman.