When brainstorming who we wanted to feature in our fall fashion editorial, there were many names thrown out into the mix. None, however, were backed up with as much enthusiasm as Emily Weisband’s. The Virginia native moved to Nashville a few years back to pursue her career in music, and she has already had quite a bit of success. During her years as a songwriting major at Belmont University, Emily met Rusty Gaston, General Manager and co-owner of THiS Music Publishing, where she signed her very first publishing deal along with Warner Chappell in early 2014. She has since had songs recorded by many notable artists including Keith Urban, Lauren Alaina, Natalie Grant, Hillary Scott and Family, Lady Antebellum, Thomas Rhett, Selena Gomez, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, among others.
Running around the fields of Vincent Peach‘s and Michelle Garcia’s La Pearla Ranch in Kingston Springs, Emily’s free spirit shined through on the already sunny day. We all stood and laughed as Emily made joke after joke, nailing each shot with a captivating glance followed by her bursts of laughter. Her self-deprecating humor was refreshing, especially for a town that seems to thrive on the illusion of perfection.
We featured this talented stunner in our fall issue of The Nashville Edit, which you can read in full here! Scroll through some extra images from this fall photoshoot, and keep reading to learn more about the unique Emily Weisband!
The Nashville Edit: What time is your alarm typically set for?
Emily Weisband: I don’t usually set an alarm! Growing up my bedroom was right next to the kitchen and the sound of my mom doing the dishes every morning around 6:30 would wake me up. To this day, my eyes will at least open between 6:30 and 7 am. I like to think it’s because of her.
TNE: Finish this sentence. “I can’t start my mornings without…”
EW: Coffee!
TNE: How do you take your coffee?
EW: Black! I’m so badass.
TNE: What is your typical breakfast solution?
EW: I’m definitely a quick and easy energy bar girl! I do love my morning Starbucks drive-thru runs though. If neither option is available, I skip it and wait. Don’t get it twisted though honey, on weekends I love a good home-cooked situation.
TNE: Where do you find your favorite coffee in Nashville?
EW: I like different spots for different moods. If I feel like reliving my college days with my best friend, Mac, I’ll spend the afternoon at Bongo Java on Belmont Blvd. BOX on 10th is where I’ll usually go if I’m meeting somebody for breakfast. Currently sitting in Stay Golden in Berry Hill though and wow I just ate the best omelet I’ve ever had so definitely recommend.
TNE: How do you get your creative juices flowing?
EW: I love collaboration, maybe it was the songwriter baby in me being raised in the world of Music Row co-writes–but being around other people gets both my head and my heart going. I love bouncing my emotions and thoughts off of other people and I love when they bounce theirs off of me. Throw up a track or a groove or some guitar chords and pretty soon melodies will start coming to me and we somehow marry them with the perfect lyrical idea. Before we know it, something exists that didn’t exist that morning when we woke up and that idea is always so exciting and fulfilling to me.
“Throw up a track or a groove or some guitar chords and pretty soon melodies will start coming to me and we somehow marry them with the perfect lyrical idea. Before we know it, something exists that didn’t exist that morning when we woke up and that idea is always so exciting and fulfilling to me.”
TNE: What healthy daily habits have you adopted?
EW: I’m a big believer that God made us all different on purpose so we all need different things and that’s okay! So for me personally, one of the healthiest habits I had to adopt was getting up every morning and having quiet prayer, meditation, God time. My sister calls it my “debitching.” Especially being in the music industry, it’s really easy for me to find myself in a self-centered spot. I lie to myself, I believe everybody else’s lies—having that intentional time in the morning reminds me that I’m part of a bigger story and fills me with peace and truth going into my day!
TNE: What is your makeup routine for rushed mornings?
EW: On days I’m super rushed I usually won’t use foundation so I make sure to wash my face and pile on the sunscreen ’cause mama don’t wanna look older than she is. From there I’ll slap on some concealer under my eyes, maybe a little bronzer on my cheekbones and forehead to not look like a pale, white morning ghost and some mascara.
TNE: Tell us a bit about how your routine plays into your work schedule?
EW: I don’t usually start work until 11 am on most days, which gives me plenty of time in the morning to make some coffee, do my quiet time, make sure my makeup is fire. Or, I watch a Hallmark movie until 10:30 and wear my PJs to work if that’s more the vibe. My routine is not super strict so I have tons of room to be creative, work less when I need it or work more if I’m really feeling it! Whoever I marry is going to have to be cool with loving a leaf on the wind.
TNE: In what moments have you been the most inspired to write music?
EW: Definitely on my darkest days. I decided pretty early on in my writing career that my pride and privacy was going to have to be on the perpetual chopping block if I was going to make game-changing music. My biggest songs have come out of times I didn’t even want to be in a writing room, but pushed myself to admit what I didn’t want to and put it into three minutes that might mean something to someone else.
TNE: What kind of music do you have playing in the background in the mornings?
EW: 100% Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Dean Martin. I don’t listen to a ton of new music because I don’t want to chase trends or find myself doing what other people are doing, so I tend to stick to the timeless romantic classics that make me want to drink wine and eat pasta.
