Sheffield-born, now Liverpool-based alt-country singer-songwriter See Emily Play is swiftly making a mark on the music scene through lyrical storytelling that explores mental health & unconventional romances with self-effacing humour & complex feminism.
On November 1st, this gifted artist unveils the brand new alt-country-infused single “WHAT THE HELL IS BDD”, which centres around Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) & shares an insight into See Emily Play’s own experience.
See Emily Play has kindly taken the time to chat with Fierce & Fabulous Revolution regarding the upcoming release of this song & the journey behind its creation. You can find the full interview below.
Hey Emily, thank you for this interview. Can you start by introducing yourself to readers who might be unfamiliar with your music?
See Emily Play: Thanks for having me! Sure, my name is Emily. I’m from Sheffield but am now based between Liverpool and Manchester. I write and perform songs under the stage name ‘See Emily Play’. My new single, WHAT THE HELL IS BDD, is released on the 1st November.
When did you first discover your passion for music?
See Emily Play: I wrote my first songs after teaching myself three chords on my Dad’s guitar when I was about twelve. I wanted to be like The Who and Green Day but I was never that cool.
Have you always known that you wanted to pursue a career within music?
See Emily Play: When I was younger I desperately wanted to write songs as a full-time job. I ended up pursuing a career as a legal historian instead! Realistically, very few people get to do music as a ‘career’ now. The music industry is kind of broken. It is really difficult to live comfortably from writing and performing alone. But, I’m happy to make music because it’s a nice thing to do alongside my job, and I will carry on doing so for as long as I enjoy it.
How would you currently describe your musical style?
See Emily Play: My music ranges from dark, melodramatic chamber pop to fun, upbeat alternative-country. I like words and telling stories, so a lot of it is very lyric and narrative driven. I draw a lot of inspiration from 70s pop music: Kate Bush, Fleetwood Mac, Carly Simon, as well as some country influences like Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton.
On November 1st, you’ll release the new single “What The Hell Is BDD”. How did the idea for this song come together?
See Emily Play: I wrote the song a few years ago. I was living in Adelaide and not in a great state of mental health. I wanted to write a song that was authentic to how I felt. I wasn’t so much sad as I was unbearably anxious, chaotic, and emotional, so I came up with the fast, rambling guitar rhythm and went from there. It was cathartic to write with complete honesty about the misaligned thoughts I was experiencing.
The song focuses on personal struggles with body dysmorphic disorder, how important was it for you to share this in a song?
See Emily Play: I think it was very important to me to write the song as a way of taking command of my own feelings: The shame about my appearance, and the shame about the shame about my appearance. It’s only recently that I’ve started thinking about the importance of sharing the song with listeners. I think if it helps to raise awareness and de-mystify body dysmorphic disorder that can only be a good thing. I’ve teamed up with the BDD Foundation on a campaign to raise awareness of the condition for that very purpose.
Did you always plan to release this song?
See Emily Play: I didn’t write it with the intention of releasing it at all. I stopped recording and performing music for a long time, but I carried on writing songs every now and then. In 2022 I was invited to do some backing vocals on a friend’s EP. I loved being in the studio again and decided I wanted to record some of my own songs. I thought WHAT THE HELL IS BDD should be included on the EP because it is quite different, sonically and thematically, to my other songs.
What does this song personally mean to you?
See Emily Play: Personally, I think it acts as a reminder that things can change. I still have issues with confidence and my self-image, but I don’t suffer from body dysmorphic disorder anymore. It’s testament to the fact that it is possible to overcome difficult periods in life and that things do get better.
What message would you like listeners to take from this song?
See Emily Play: Having a few demons doesn’t make you a bad person, and neither does having BDD!
Finally, is there a message that you would like to share with the readers?
See Emily Play: Please listen to “WHAT THE HELL IS BDD” on your streaming platform of choice from 1st November!
You can pre-save “WHAT THE HELL IS BDD” by clicking the link here.
Fierce & Fabulous Revolution 