Singer/songwriter Emmy the Great loves playing London gigs, got into music for the boys and is a roller waitress in her spare time. marmaLADYa.com chats to the talented songstress

Have you always wanted to be a musician?
Basically I got into music because I wanted to pick up boys! I thought it would be cooler if I could play an instrument. So I went to the University of Westminster to do a music course. I was in a really crap band for two years – I didn’t pick up any boys, rubbish! I then started playing by myself a year and a half ago. I play the guitar and I’m learning the keyboard now.

Has studying music helped your career?
The course was helpful in that it gave you space to work on your own music. Mainly it was a whole bunch of people who like music coming together. Some of the contacts I made there are still helping me now. The more people you know the better. This is my first few months of being free from university. I actually had to go back and take a song-writing course. It was a shocker! I was working as a professional singer/songwriter, but I wasn’t the best in my class.

You’re gigging at the moment, any plans for the studio?
I’m recording a single with Fyfe from the Guillemots this month, which will be released in March. Then I’m going to America to record with a producer in New York. After that I’ll come back with all my recordings and I’ll do something with them. I released a single called Secret Circus last October. It sold out! Well, it was a limited edition, you print 500 and that’s it! It was great. I also went to a lot of festivals last year. I did Truck, End of the Road, Secret Garden Party.

What are you planning to record?
I always like to record a song that’s quite new and a song that I already know. One song we’ll do is Absentee which I wrote about two years ago.

How would you describe your music?
I consider my music pop, I suppose it’s folky pop. I’ve gone a bit indie recently. I broke up with my boyfriend and I’ve been listening to The Klaxons.

Have you always written music?
Obviously when I was a kid I wrote silly poems. When I was twelve I wrote a song about how I could fly. Basically the songs on MySpace are my first real attempts. I’ve tried writing with other people, but we just end up writing stupid things, like techno music.

Have you been gigging a lot?
I think I’ve probably played 150 gigs in the last year and a half. I’ve toured a lot. Mainly all over the UK – though I had three gigs in New York, quite low-key. I was really lucky. From my first gig onwards I’ve always had offers. My first gig was in a little acoustic venue in Tottenham Court Road, really nice. It was a well-known folk night. Three people who came to that first gig, still come to my gigs now – I was playing at the Islington Academy about a year ago, and I saw them. So cool! I rely a lot on word of mouth. London’s amazing for word of mouth. Laura Groves from Shipley for example. She goes up on MySpace and in about two weeks everyone in London knows who she is. She’s really good.

Do you get nervous?
I love performing. I do get nervous, but not crippling so. I have this first song that I play, an incredibly aggressive song which helps me manage my nerves. It’s not a great song, but it’s my crutch. It’s called Paper Trails.

We hear you do a bit of roller-waitressing…
Yes, I roller waitress every month for Viva Cake, they’re my best friends! I also work as a writer. Last year I reviewed every single restaurant in London. And I do session work and work in a shop sometimes.

And have you managed to pick up any boys?
Yes, I have managed to pick up some boys. I had a marriage proposal yesterday – I’m quite bad, I say yes to everything!

Find out more about Emmy the Great at www.emmythegreat.com and listen to her songs at www.myspace.com/emmythegreat