Emily Elbert

{{BLP self-published|date=February 2023}}{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Emily Elbert

| image = Emily Elbert live.jpg

| alt = Emily Elbert in Plymouth, Massachusetts (Denise Maccaferri photography)

| caption = Emily Elbert in Plymouth, Massachusetts (Denise Maccaferri photography)

| birth_name = Emily Caroline Elbert

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|12|21|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S.

| genre = Folk, soul, jazz, pop

| occupation = Singer-songwriter

| instrument = Vocals, guitar

| years_active = 2006–present

| associated_acts = Jacob Collier, Esperanza Spalding, Jenny Lewis, Bruno Major

| website = {{URL|www.emilyelbert.com}}

}}

Emily Caroline Elbert (born December 21, 1988) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.

Elbert was a member of Esperanza Spalding's experimental jazz and theater project from 2015 to 2016. The band toured internationally and recorded Emily's D+Evolution. In 2019, she joined the band of songwriter Jenny Lewis. In 2022 she joined Jacob Collier's band, undertaking a world tour.{{Cite web |title=Tour |url=http://www.emilyelbert.com/tour |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=emily elbert |language=en-US}} Elbert has also worked with Lorde, Sara Bareilles, Mike Gordon of Phish, Dweezil Zappa, and Bruno Major, and is currently in the touring band of Leon Bridges.{{cite web | url=https://www.emilyelbert.com/news/2021/4/7/live-with-leon-bridges | title=Live with leon bridges | work=emily elbert | date=30 March 2021 }}

Biography

Elbert was born in Dallas, Texas. Early influences cited include Antonio Carlos Jobim, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, and Jimi Hendrix.{{Cite web|url=http://www.berklee.edu/news/1976/podcast-emily-elbert|title = PODCAST: Emily Elbert | Berklee}}[http://www.cincygroove.com/?q=node/377 Cincy Groove Magazine, Interview with Emily Elbert] She recorded her first album Bright Side while in high school, paid for by local gigs and crowd-funding, and began touring the U.S. independently. At 18, Elbert was awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music.[http://www.berklee.edu/profiles/elbert.html BERKLEE | Student Profile: Emily Elbert] While there, she continued to tour nationally and internationally, and released two more independent albums, Proof, and Alive, In Love, both of which were also crowd-funded. In 2010, Glamour magazine named Elbert one of their Top 10 College Women of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.glamour.com/story/meet-the-top-10-college-women-of-2010-amazing-women-you-havent-heard-of-yet?currentPage=2|title=Meet the Top 10 College Women of 2010: Amazing Women You Haven't Heard of…Yet!|website=www.berklee.edu|date=8 September 2010|language=en|access-date=2017-11-14}} In 2013, Elbert released Evolve, an EP recorded at Brooklyn, New York's Mason Jar Music.

Since then, Elbert released several singles: "Letting Go" (2016), "Here and Now" (2016) and "True Power" (2017), a protest song about Donald Trump, benefitting the American Civil Liberties Union. In a press release, Elbert spoke about "True Power": "My love for rhythm, harmony, and story sharing is woven in with my compassion for the Earth and its people. Songs can be powerful tools used in their defense... As a young, queer, woman, an environmentalist, and someone who believes in equality and human rights for people of all races, faiths, and cultural backgrounds, I can’t sit back and be a silent witness to injustice. ...Donald Trump may have bought and bullied his way into the presidency, but true power is in the hands of the people when they come together. That’s what this song is about."[http://www.emilyelbert.com/true-power/ Emily Elbert Official Website : True Power] Elbert released a full album of music focused on social justice, We Who Believe in Freedom, in October 2018.

Her sixth independent album, Woven Together, was released in August 2022. In 2023, Elbert joined Norah Jones on a 10-date U.K. and Ireland tour, as her opening act.

Events and touring

Elbert has performed in more than 35 countries,{{Cite web |title=emily elbert |url=http://www.emilyelbert.com/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=emily elbert |language=en-US}} and opened for artists including Norah Jones, Emily King, Nick Hakim, Big Thief, Richie Havens, Victor Wooten, Leon Russell, Kaki King, The Wood Brothers, G. Love & Special Sauce, Tuck & Patti, Jorge Drexler, Bruno Major, Moonchild, Robben Ford, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Joan Osborne.{{Cite web |title=emilyelbert |url=https://ourstage.com/profile/emilyelbert |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107234501/http://www.ourstage.com/profile/emilyelbert |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 7, 2009 |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=OurStage |language=en}} and Jacob Collier.{{Cite web |title=u.k. opening tour with jacob collier |url=http://www.emilyelbert.com/news/2022/6/14/uk-opening-tour-with-jacob-collier |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=emily elbert |date=7 June 2022 |language=en-US}}

As a supporting musician, Elbert has played in the touring bands of Esperanza Spalding, Jenny Lewis, Jacob Collier, and Leon Bridges. She also performed on television specials and other events with Sara Bareilles, Lorde, and Mike Gordon of Phish, and in the opening sequence of Beyoncé's 2024 Beyoncé Bowl.