LA Songwriter Emily James Just Wants To Feel Something On New Song “This’ll Only Hurt For A Minute”

Today, LA singer-songwriter Emily James shares another taste of her forthcoming EP The aLtErNaTeS, Pt 2. The nuanced pop ballad, “This’ll Only Hurt For A Minute” is about letting your guard down and allowing yourself to feel the pain of heartbreak in order to find healing. Emily wrote and produced the song herself, tapping into a range of complex internal emotions which contributes to the intimacy of the song. She sings from the heart, inviting the listener to lean into the hurt and the angst embodied in the track. The aLtErNaTeS Pt 1 and 2 ultimately aim to shed light on the difficult journey of navigating heartbreak and finding inner peace.

Listen to “This’ll Only Hurt For A Minute” on all digital retailers (here)

“I wanted ‘This’ll Only Hurt for a Minute’ to feel like going into a dark room, lighting a candle and letting yourself feel all of the emotions in order to get through the pain,” Emily explains. “I think a big part of healing is to not be afraid of being consumed by those darker emotions; allow them to come up, roll through you, and then eventually let them pass. It’s like a storm you have to stand in the middle of until it’s run its course.”

“This’ll Only Hurt For A Minute” follows the heart-wrenching “London” which will appear on the anticipated new EP The aLtErNaTeS, Pt. 2, due out July 26th via Nettwerk. Pt. 2 continues the story from The aLtErNaTeS, Pt. 1. While Pt. 1 details the push and pull of falling in love and then falling apart, Pt. 2 illustrates the post-breakup healing journey, and navigating the highs and lows that come along with it. 

LISTEN TO “THIS’LL ONLY HURT FOR A MINUTE” HERE:
https://youtu.be/cvH-00W1EW0

Listening to Emily James feels like a conversation with a close friend. It’s open. It’s honest. It’s heartfelt. It’s real. She translates this discourse into instantly relatable and real pop music with all the emotion intact. Breezy instrumentation underscores her dynamic vocals as she depicts the ups and downs of life and love with a filmmaker’s eye for detail. Her conversational lyricism, eloquent songcraft, and artful production have consistently captivated a growing fanbase as well. Following widespread acclaim from the likes of American Songwriter, Ones To Watch, and many more, the New York-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and producer engaged a new kind of conversation with The aLtErNaTeS, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2. This series of releases, split into what Emily has dubbed “chapters,” chronicles a modern-day love story.

“These songs are inspired by a blend of my own experiences, relationships my friends have been in, and conversations we’ve had,” she reveals. “When I put everything together, it formed into a story arc. I’m splitting the project into two parts; two EPs. Part 1 illustrates the slow fall and demise of a romantic relationship, and then Part 2 describes the journey towards healing on the other side of that. Each EP is split up into three pairs of songs, which are the “chapters” of the story. I see them as “chapters,” because the two songs in each pair, or, chapter, comment on the same situation, while having a different emotion and perspective towards it. I came up with the aLterNaTeS concept because I find I always have a multitude of feelings about one moment. I think we all do. For instance, we tend to show our ‘external emotions’ to the people around us, while our ‘internal emotions’ are the ones that come out when we’re alone. The music essentially illustrates the range of emotions that go into a single situation.”

Emily established herself as a prolific songwriter with a series of fan favorite EPs. She first honed her craft across the Emily James EP [2016], before cutting her teeth with Til the Morning [2018] and Foreign Land [2019]. She continued to reach new heights with her next EP, Dreaming [2019], entirely writing and producing the project herself. While the pandemic halted touring, she took the opportunity to further endear her devout fanbase with Moments That Mattered [2020] and Wanted You To Know [2021]. Along the way, “bartender” has tallied 6.2 million Spotify streams, while “Brooklyn” has generated over 7 million Spotify streams. The latter paved the way for her Illuminate EP in 2022. In its wake, The Honey Pop professed, “We’re sure that before too long, the whole world will be talking about Emily James because her talent and creativity are never-ending.” Offering high praise, American Songwriter also pondered, “Could she be the next Taylor Swift? We wouldn’t be surprised.” As 2023 rolled around, Emily unleashed the undeniable Grey EP, scoring another gem with “For an Evening.” Meanwhile, it reeled-in further praise from the likes of SWEETY HIGH, EUPHORIA, and more.

Throughout 2023, she pieced together what would become The aLtErNaTeS. Under the influence of the ethereal textures of Swift’s folklore and Hozier’s Unreal Unearth as well as classic records by Fleetwood Mac, her sound naturally evolved. Once again, Emily also played a big role in the sonic architecture by producing and arranging the majority of this series herself.

“I do a blend of co-producing and producing on my own,” she affirms. “When I’m by myself, I tap into my unique sound and perspective. When I’m working with other people, I’m able to combine with their unique sounds and perspectives, to create songs I never would’ve conceptualized by myself.”

“When you listen to The aLtErNaTeS, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2, I hope you see pieces of yourself reflected,” she leaves off. “I’d love for you to feel seen and experience the comfort of knowing you’re not alone. There’s nothing more meaningful to me than when a person reaches out and says my song has helped through a difficult time.”

Track List:

1. London
2. Since We Broke Up
3. This’ll Only Hurt for a Minute
4. Do You Think About Me?
5. Somebody That You Can’t Have
6. I’m Good