Emma Hill is a young woman in a league of her own. Very few solo artists from this state have gone forth and made a name for themselves 'outside.' Emma Hill has done so, spending the last five-and-a-half years developing her craft, writing and recording three full length albums and dozens more songs, touring all over our country and beyond, and co-owning a small record label with her family. This was all done while she completed her education in Portland, Oregon, her destination of choice, attaining a degree amongst the flurry of all of the music hustle and bustle. This past summer, Emma came back up to visit, and decided it was time for a homecoming, something more permanent than living out of a suitcase for 14 months. "I'm missing home. I'm actually gonna say that out loud...I miss being here on a regular basis. It's fine to come back and visit, but it's not enough." Well, Emma Hill has come home.

"Alaska Dear, I'm Coming Home," is Emma's latest musical endeavor. This 7 song EP has a title track that was written in 2010, an a cappella piece Emma wrote about being homesick. "It just ended up working out nicely this summer when I decided to move back, and Bryan and I got to talking. He asked 'how do you feel about just putting a low cost EP out? It's fun for the fans, we'll just keep it inexpensive, affordable, basically all that money (revenue) we could put toward the next big album, that's already written."

Bryan Daste is the co-owner of Magic Closet Studios in Portland, Oregon where Emma has recorded all of her albums. Emma's first demos in Portland were the reason the two met in Spring of 2007. In Fall of 2007, Emma started recording her first full length album. "Bryan ended up co-producing that with me, because the more I worked with him the more I appreciated his ear. Since 2007 we've been musical partners, and it's one of the biggest blessings in my life. He's a phenomenal person, a wonderful musician and recording artist, and he's become like a brother to me..."

This EP is a special one. It's being released in a digital download only, and is also being released at a special show. Emma Hill will be the first musical act to play the Alaska Experience Theater. Emma explained that she wanted this show to be about the musical 'experience,' hence the venue. No drinks, no food, just Emma and Bryan, and a one-of-a-kind homecoming celebration. Tickets are $20 and are on sale at http://www.alaskaexperiencetheatre.com/buy-tickets. There will also be a special T-shirt and EP Download Package at the show.

Daste, with much thanks and appreciation from Emma Hill and company, will be performing with Emma on December 17^th. ShirtsUp, a local Anchorage business, has sponsored Bryan's trip. Emma comments, "We look forward to working with them in the future."

Emma's holiday spirit shines through in her music this season. "We have a Christmas song on the new EP that I'm really excited about. It's a song that I wrote last year in Amsterdam. I ended up flying home on Christmas Day... just in time for dinner. When Bryan and I were talking about doing the EP, he's like, 'Let's release it before Christmas and put that song on there!' and he worked up this really fun instrumentation and some backing vocals." It also includes a gorgeous 3 song live set from a Vagabond Blues performance this fall.

In the last 14 months alone, Emma has been on fire. Her and Bryan played 28 cities in 33 days on a jet tour, she spent six weeks in Europe, and February through April of this year "we did an eight and a half week tour including stopping in SXSW for the week. Then June, I went up to Toronto for my second appearance at NXNE." In that time, they also wrote and arranged the upcoming EP, and Emma moved home."Oregon will always be 'home away from home' for me...When you live the life that I live, always being on the road, when you do have time off, I think it's really important to feel like you're ready to put some kind of roots down. Alaska was just...shouting back at me."

Emma picked a great time to come back. Anchorage is as lively as ever. "There are some really cool things happening in the music scene in Anchorage right now. I didn't even really know that when I made my decision to move back. I am fortunate enough to be working with Monolith Agency...I'm proud to be part of that family and they've been so supportive...I really appreciate those guys." Monolith Agency is presenting the EP Release Party at the Alaska Experience Theater.

Emma Hill played the Monolith Showcase this September at Tap Root. 'It was awesome to see how much love they were giving to local bands that weren't even on their roster." Monolith Agency has booked some popular underground artists from out-of-state in Anchorage venues over the past year, giving local bands a chance to open, or even play with bigger names. A few local artists, including Evan Phillips and Derek Mangrobang, played for Romany Rye at recent Monolith shows.

Hitting the cover of No Depression several times, the Morning Edition of NPR, and several college and national music charts are among the highlights of Emma's epic excursion away from Alaska, but just because Emma has moved back, doesn't mean she's stopping. She's just replanted here. "We're booking a three month tour, we're going back to SXSW this year, and I'm probably going back to NXNE." She also mentioned the fourth record possibly rearing it's head when she returns. Emma means business.

Emma personally invites you out to her EP Release party. "It's a two hour deal, come sit down, we'll have a break in the middle, we'll tell some stories. Bryan and I are capable of performing a really magical, intimate show. We'll have an Experience." The Alaska Experience Theater is located at 333 W. 4^th Avenue. Don't forget your tickets at http://www.alaskaexperiencetheatre.com/buy-tickets. 

Anchorage Night Out would like to thank Mark Farnsworth for his work with Emma Hill.  Thanks Mark!

Jeremie plays bass guitar in Anchorage rock band Robots Helping Clones and is an Assistant Editor at Anchorage Night Out. You can reach him at bands@anchoragenightout.com.

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