{{short description|Canadian musician and photographer}} {{distinguish|Emma Lee}} {{for|the Johan Palm song|Emma-Lee (song)}} {{BLP sources|date=November 2016}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Emma-Lee | image = Emma-Lee 6 06 2014 -6 (14182133657).jpg | image_size = | caption = Emma-Lee, June 2014 | birth_name = Emily Margo Doty | birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada | genre = Pop | occupation = Singer, songwriter, photographer | instrument = Vocals, guitar, piano | years_active = 2004–present | label = | associated_acts = | website = {{URL|emma-lee.com}} }}
'''Emma-Lee''', is a Canadian pop singer, songwriter and photographer<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/594464 |title=Toronto singer Emma-Lee ready for her close-up |website=Thestar.com |date=2009-03-01 |access-date=2011-08-12}}</ref> from Toronto, Ontario. She is considered a mezzo-soprano and is a self-taught vocalist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://awmusic.ca/2009/03/08/emma-lee-never-just-a-dream-review/|title=Emma-Lee Never Just a Dream Review|publisher=awmusic.ca|access-date=2012-06-21|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115070428/http://awmusic.ca/2009/03/08/emma-lee-never-just-a-dream-review/|archive-date=2013-01-15|url-status=dead}}</ref> She has written hit songs for other artists in both the pop and country genres.<ref name="canadianbeats.ca">{{Cite web|url=https://canadianbeats.ca/2017/10/06/review-emma-lee/|title=Review - Emma-Lee |website=Canadianbeats.ca|first=Lizzie|last=Sharpe|date=6 October 2017 |access-date=3 June 2023}}</ref>
==Early life== Emma-Lee was born in Toronto and raised in Markham, Ontario. She started playing guitar at age 14 and credits her father for teaching her. She soon began writing her own songs.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.bossmag.biz/documents/Boss-Spring-Summer-2013.pdf|title=Emma-culate|journal=Boss Magazine|access-date=2015-02-04|date=Spring–Summer 2013|pages=54–55|first=Kern|last=Carter}}</ref>
===Published works=== ====Albums==== =====Never Just a Dream===== She released her debut album ''Never Just a Dream'' in 2008 to critical acclaim from the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://emma-lee.com/site/?p=68|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122082334/http://emma-lee.com/site/?p=68|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-01-22|title=Gold Sprinkled Dream|publisher=Globe and Mail|date=2012-12-19|access-date=2012-06-17}}</ref> The album was picked up by Bumstead Records and re-released on March 3, 2009. Her vocal style is frequently compared to k.d. lang,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/emma-lees-never-just-a-dream-1|title=Emma Lee's Never Just a Dream - Americana and roots music|publisher=No Depression|date=2009-05-05|access-date=2011-08-12}}</ref> Norah Jones<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.showbizmonkeys.com/music.php?id=847 |title=Album Review: Emma-Lee - Never Just a Dream | Music |publisher=ShowbizMonkeys.com |date= |access-date=2011-08-12}}</ref> and Feist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/discs.cfm?content=164195 |title=NOW Magazine // Music // EMMA-LEE |publisher=Nowtoronto.com |date= |access-date=2011-08-12}}</ref> ''No Depression'' magazine described ''Never Just a Dream'' as "an album so full of ideas and potential that it is hard to know how to properly frame a description of its contents. It is a collection of songs that is far more than the sum of its influences"<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/emma-lees-never-just-a-dream-1|title=Emma Lee's Never Just a Dream|publisher=No Depression.com|author=Doug Heselgrave|date=2009-05-05|access-date=2012-06-21}}</ref> and dubbed her "the voice to remember from 2009."<ref name=autogenerated1 />
Emma-Lee's song "That Sinking Feeling" was featured as the single of the week on iTunes Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=407744 |title=Free iTunes 2008 - MacRumors Forums |publisher=Forums.macrumors.com |date= |access-date=2011-08-12}}</ref>
In November 2016 she released her first Christmas recording "It Won't Be Christmas" (by songwriters Karen Kosowski & Julie Crochetière) to radio and iTunes.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Heldman |first1=Linda |title=Christmas Comes Early For Emma-Lee |url=https://canadianbeats.ca/2016/11/21/christmas-comes-early-for-emma-lee/ |access-date=24 December 2018 |publisher=Canadian Beats Media |date=21 November 2016}}</ref>
===== ''Backseat Heroine'' ===== On February 7, 2012, she released her long-awaited second album ''Backseat Heroine'', co-produced by Emma-Lee, Karen Kosowski and Marc Rogers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.karenkosowski.com/2012/02/07/backseat-heroine-released-today/|title=Karen Kosowski Backseat Heroine Released|access-date=2012-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204121635/http://www.karenkosowski.com/2012/02/07/backseat-heroine-released-today/|archive-date=2015-02-04|url-status=dead}}</ref> The album features collaborations with Nicole Atkins, Jill Barber and Luke Doucet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=74662|title=Emma-Lee To Release Backseat Heroine Out February 7th On Eone Music|publisher=Top 40.com|access-date=2012-06-17}}</ref> Most of the album was tracked at The Chalet, a studio near Uxbridge, Ontario.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://raisedoncanadianradio.blogspot.ca/2012/05/artist-emma-lee-album-backseat-heroine.html/|title=Raised on Radio Song of the Day|publisher=Raised on Radio|date=2012-05-08|access-date=2012-06-17}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ''Backseat Heroine'' blends multiple musical genres including pop, country, soul and rock. According to her online biography, "Emma-Lee's goal was to make a record that lived and breathed in its own world and could cross genres while still being a soundscape that was complete from start to finish."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://emma-lee.com/site/?page_id=8|title=Biography|publisher=Emma-Lee Official Website|access-date=2012-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204121616/http://emma-lee.com/site/?page_id=8|archive-date=2015-02-04|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Discography== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=November 2016}} ===Albums=== * 2009: ''Never Just a Dream'' (Bumstead Records) * 2012: ''Backseat Heroine'' (eOne Music Canada) * 2017: ''Fantasies: Volume 1'' (Special Agent)<ref name="canadianbeats.ca"/>
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Single ! colspan="3" |Peak positions |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="40"| CAN AC<br /> ! width="40"| CAN Hot AC ! width="40"| CBC Radio 2
|- | 2011 ! scope="row"| "Shot in the Dark" ||— || — ||— |- |- | 2014 ! scope="row"| "What Would Tom Petty Do" ||— || — || 9 |- | 2015 ! scope="row"| "All the Way" || — || — || — |- | 2016 ! scope="row"| "Worst Enemy" ||18 || 24 || — |- | 2016 ! scope="row"| "It Won't Be Christmas" ||4 || — || — |- | colspan="5" style="font-size:8pt" | "—" denotes releases that did not chart |}
==Awards and nominations== * 2014, won for best female vocalist in NOW Magazine's best of Toronto feature.<ref name="Archived copy">{{cite web |url=http://www.nowtoronto.com/fbApps/bestof/winners.cfm?category=152 |title=NOW's Best of Toronto - Best Music |access-date=2013-11-13 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113081310/http://www.nowtoronto.com/fbApps/bestof/winners.cfm?category=152 |archivedate=2013-11-13 }}</ref> * 2013, her album Backseat Heroine won "Best Adult Contemporary Album" and the video for "Shadow of a Ghost" was nominated for "Best Short Form Music Video" for the 12th annual Independent Music Awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=12th Annual Independent Music Awards|url=http://www.independentmusicawards.com/imanominee/|website=Independentmusicawards.com|access-date=6 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424061538/http://www.independentmusicawards.com/imanominee/|archive-date=24 April 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> * 2013, her album Backseat Heroine won the 12th annual Independent Music Awards Vox Pop Fan Choice Award for "Best Adult Contemporary Album" and the video for "Shadow of a Ghost" won the Independent Music Awards Vox Pop Fan Choice Award for "Best Short Form Music Video."<ref>{{cite web|title=12th Annual Independent Music Awards|date=6 August 2013|url=http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima/2013/12th-ima-vox-pop-winners//|website=Independentmusicawards.com|access-date=13 August 2013}}</ref> * 2013, won for best female vocalist in NOW Magazine's best of Toronto feature.<ref name="Archived copy" /> * 2012, nominated for a CBC Radio 3 BUCKY award in the category of Hottest Pipes.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wright|first=Graham|title=Vote now on the 2012 Bucky Award Short List|url=http://music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2012/11/Vote-now-on-the-2012-Bucky-Awards-short-list|publisher=CBC Radio 3|access-date=6 April 2013}}</ref> * 2010, Emma-Lee's song "Until We Meet Again" from the album ''Never Just a Dream'' won in the 9th annual Independent Music Awards as "best love song".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=74662|title=Emma-Lee To Release Backseat|publisher=Top40.com|date=2012-01-24}}</ref>
==Film/TV placements== * "Boomerang" in Syfy's ''Wynonna Earp'' * "All The Way" in CBC's ''Hello Goodbye'' * "Flow" in ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'', CBC's ''The Border'' and ''Bomb Girls'' * "Pick Me Up, Dust Me Off" in CBC's ''Heartland'' - performed by Carleton Stone * "Never Just a Dream" in CBC's ''18 to Life'' and ''Alias'' * "That Sinking Feeling" in Tyler Perry's ''Why Did I Get Married Too?''<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1391137/soundtrack soundtrack], IMDB.com. Retrieved August 2011</ref> * "Shot In The Dark" in HBO's ''Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures'', Lifetime's ''Dance Moms'', promotional ad for FX's ''Wilfred'', 2014 feature film ''The Scarehouse'' * "I Could Live With Dying Tonight" in NBC's ''Saving Hope'' and MTV's ''Teen Wolf'' * "Shadow Of a Ghost" in ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'' * "Figure It Out" in ''Beauty & the Beast'' * "It Won't Be Christmas 'Til You're Here" in CBS' ''NCIS: Los Angeles'' - performed by Julie Crochetière
==Collaborations== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=November 2016}} * sings backing vocals on the album "Let Me Prove It To You" by Steve Strongman (2014) * sings backing vocals on the album "Rustbucket" by Sean Pinchin (2013) * sings on "I Put a Spell On You" and "Ne Me Quitte Pas" on Jesse Cook's ''The Blue Guitar Sessions'' album (2012) * sings a duet with country music artist Josh Macumber on his song "Tomorrow" (Josh Macumber Was Here, 2012) * sings on "It Was You" by Peter Katz (Still Mind Still, 2012) * sings on Jill Barber's song "Took Me By Surprise" (Mischievous Moon, 2011) * sings on Rob Szabo's song "Something Like Me" (Rob Szabo, 2011)
==Songwriting credits (selected discography)== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=November 2016}} {| class="wikitable" |- ! Title !! Artist !! Album !! Label |- | Confession || MacKenzie Porter || Nobody's Born with a Broken Heart || Big Loud |- | Starts and Ends|| Brett Kissel || The Compass Project || Big Star Recordings |- | Bad for Me|| Tebey || The Good Ones || Jayward Artist Group |- | What Are You Gonna Tell Her?|| rowspan=2| Mickey Guyton || rowspan=2| ''Bridges'' || rowspan=2| Universal Music Group Nashville |- | Bridges |- | Home To Me|| Ross Ellis || Single || Sony Music Nashville |- | Good Love|| Shawn Hook || Take Me Home || Ultra Music |- | I Still See You At Parties|| Port Cities and Emma-Lee || Single || Independent/Warner Canada |- | She Drives Me Crazy|| Brett Kissel || Now or Never || Warner Music Canada |- | Hummingbird|| Brett Kissel || Now or Never || Warner Music Canada |- | Country Thunder|| The Washboard Union || Single|| Warner Music Canada |- | Memphis T-Shirt|| Melanie Dyer || Single|| Universal Australia |- | Lit In The Sticks|| Ryan Langdon || Single|| Hidden Pony |- | Wasted|| Sam Drysdale || Single|| Warner Music Canada |- | Wild At Heart|| The Abrams || Reminder|| Warner Music Canada |- | Care|| Whitney Woerz || Single|| 600 Volt |- | How It's Done|| Kendra Kay || Single|| Independent |- | Wasted|| Sam Drysdale || Single|| Warner Music Canada |- | Swerve|| Samara Yung || Single || Independent |- | Over Me|| Michelle Treacy || Insane || Independent |- | What A Song Should Do|| Tim Hicks || New Tattoo || Open Road Recordings |- | So Fresh & Legs|| Stacey Kay || 11 O'Clock Number || Independent |- | The Story|| Leah Daniels || The Story || LDM Entertainment |- | I Don't Wanna Know|| Kira Isabella || Sides || Creator |- | Anthem || Brett Kissel || We Were That Song || Warner Music Canada |- | No Last Call|| Dan Davidson || Found || |- | Pony Up & Jim, Jack, Johnnie & Jose|| Nice Horse || A Little Unstable || Coalition Entertainment |- | Colours|| Michelle Treacy || Single || Sony Music Canada |- | Live On Your Love|| SATE || Red Black & Blue || CLK Creative Works |- | Crush|| Madeline Merlo || Free Soul || Open Road Recordings |- | I'm So Over Getting Over You|| Kira Isabella || Single || Sony Music Canada |- | Salt Water|| Leah Daniels || What It Feels Like || Independent<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://topcountry.ca/leah-daniels-salt-water-music-video/|title=Leah Daniels - Salt Water Music Video|website=Topcountry.ca|date=4 November 2016}}</ref> |- | A Little Bit Goes A Long Way|| River Town Saints || Single || Open Road Recordings<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cmaontario.ca/newsletter-beta/2015/12/artist-of-the-month-river-town-saints/ |title=Artist of the Month: River Town Saints | Country Music Association of Ontario |access-date=2016-11-19 |archive-date=2016-11-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120150105/http://www.cmaontario.ca/newsletter-beta/2015/12/artist-of-the-month-river-town-saints/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | Only The Strong Survive|| Alee || Single || Wax Records |- | Sawdust || Victoria Duffield || Accelerate || Warner Music Canada |- | Pick Me Up, Dust Me Off || Carleton Stone || Draws Blood || Groundswell Music |- | One More Light || Alee || This Road Goes Everywhere || Independent |- | Cabin Fever & Man Up! || Tia Brazda || Cabin Fever || Rebeluck Records |- | Sheets || Carleton Stone || Carleton Stone || Groundswell Music |- | Fall Apart || Sabrina Carpenter || Single || Independent |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== <!-- per WP:ELMINOFFICIAL, choose one official website only --> * {{Official website|http://www.emma-lee.com}} * [http://emmalee.fanbridge.com/ Fanbridge]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Emma-Lee}} Category:Canadian women singer-songwriters Category:Canadian singer-songwriters Category:Singers from Toronto Category:Canadian women singers Category:Canadian folk rock musicians Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Independent Music Awards winners