“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” — Maya Angelou

Happy Monday, friends!

It’s February — the month of love, and historically, a time to celebrate Black history, resilience, and excellence. But - and please forgive me for my tone here - according to the powers that be, Black History Month (along with Pride, Hispanic Heritage, Women’s History, and just about every cultural recognition you can think of) has been canceled.

Well. That’s cute. And while a little bit of hope pulls at my heart strings [damn you, Pandora's Box!] with the idea that maybe it's so that we can start honoring these communities and causes all year long; either way, here’s the thing: they can cancel the month, but they can’t cancel us.

Black history isn’t just a month—it’s every single day. Women’s contributions can’t be erased because women have been making history since forever. Pride is year-round because queer love, joy, and resistance are nonstop. America will always be Indigenous land, so we don't need to just remember in November. Holocaust Remembrance Day? Yeah, forgetting is how history repeats itself, and we’re not letting that happen. MLK’s fight for justice wasn’t a holiday—it was a movement that will continue forever. Disability awareness? Can’t delete that either.

So let’s be clear: they can cancel the celebration, but they can’t cancel the legacy.

And that brings me to another thing that’s been weighing on my heart lately.

Are We Actually Living While We’re Here?

This past Saturday, I sat in a room full of people who loved my dear friend Renee Allen [one of her episodes as above — my performance was at the end of the show] who we lost far too soon. And at her funeral, a quote hit me like a drumbeat straight to the soul:

“The true tragedy in life is not death. It’s dying without actually living while we’re still on earth.”

And I can’t stop thinking about it.

Because if you’re reading this, Emma; I want to remind you of something:

You’re still here.

You still have a voice, a story, a song to share. You still have love to give, lessons to learn, and a life to live out loud.

And in a time when we might feel as if they're trying to erase, silence, and rewrite history to make it more comfortable for some — we have a responsibility to be louder, bolder, and more unapologetically ourselves than ever.

This is why I do what I do. This is why I write music that speaks truth, resilience, and healing into existence. And this is why I want to invite you to be a part of it.

This is why I revel unapologetically in my joy - as per the music video for my song "Chasing Love Songs". ;-)

So... What’s Happening This Week

New Single Drops March 15! It’s almost here—my first single of 2025. More details coming soon, but mark your calendars for March 15!

Pre-save Grieve [and the remixes] here!

A Massive Thank You to My Newest Community Members!

Shoutout to Catherine, Carol, Mandi, and Arthur for joining my Patreon family! Last week’s exclusive demo was Clear—a song I wrote at 12 years old about mixed signals and self-worth. (Yes, I was already writing about emotional intelligence before I hit my teenage years. No, I don’t know how.) Hear it now—only on Patreon!

Join me for a free week on Patreon here!

Live Show This Saturday! I’ll be performing at Chicken + Whiskey across from Nats Park on Saturday, February 8th. Let’s turn up, celebrate resilience, and make sure our voices are heard in full volume.

Latest Blog Post: Lessons I Learned from Loss Renee’s passing has reminded me of so many lessons I learned from losing my father in 2018 and my surrogate brother Fraser in 2008. If you’re navigating grief, love, or the complicated in-between, I hope this blog brings you something meaningful. Read it here.

Read my latest blog: Lessons I Learned from Loss: Quotes for Legacy here

So, friends, what’s Your Legacy?

They can cancel months, but they can’t cancel who we are, what we’ve built, and what we continue to create.

So I’m asking you—how do you want to be remembered? How are you making your mark, using your voice, and showing up for the things that matter?

Let me know. Hit reply. Let’s talk.

And whatever you do — don’t let the world write your song.

Rock on, stay inspired, and have an amazing day on purpose.

~ Emma G

P.S. If you need a reminder that your voice matters, let's jump on a call, and talk about turning your legacy into lyrics. Let’s keep making noise.