Emanuel Wynter is a talented, independent artist who has plenty of exposure in the music industry. He plays multiple instruments including the violin, guitar, and piano, and he also is a singer and songwriter. Emanuel creates his music with a twist of a bit of jazz, blues, and neo-soul. Emanuel has a deep passion for music and it’s transparent in each and every one of his songs. His delivery is different and more compelling than most new era jazz and blue artists, which led him to score performances at tons of venues all across the USA.
“Iced Coffee” is Emanuel Wynter's newest (and our most favorite) release from 2019. Emanuel Wynter sways the listener with his beautiful distinct voice and urbane violin. The entirety of the song is smooth flowing and effortless. It gives the listener the comfort of their own bed, or the relaxed feeling of sleeping in on a lazy Sunday morning. No wonder why he has been receiving such positive feedback from the music community! Emanuel Wynter is exactly the artist we’ve been looking for because once you hear his stunning vocals and impressive violin and guitar, you will know exactly what you’ve been missing in life. Emanuel Wynter talent in incredible and unlimited when it comes to weaving together the perfect harmony while integrating his voice in all the right ways. Emanuel Wynter is definitely an artist to keep your eye on for future releases!
Listen to "Iced Coffee" here and get to know Emanuel Wynter below!
Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and background?
I was born in New York City where I spent the first 11 years of my life. Living there, I was always exposed to the arts, and my mom would take me to concerts at the Lincoln Center fairly often. My musical journey began when I started violin lessons in the first grade. In 2007, I moved down to Charlotte, North Carolina and began to develop an appreciation for blues and folk music. I really opened my eyes, not just to what kind of music was out there, but also to what I could do with my violin. I realized that though I was a classically trained violinist, I could still branch out and play other styles of music. During this awakening, I picked up other instruments, including piano, guitar, bass, and saxophone.
I started playing violin professionally at the age of 19, mostly as a hired gun; whoever wanted a violinist would pull me into their band for the night. My gig schedule became pretty busy rather quickly, and I had gained a lot of experience rubbing shoulders with musicians who had been playing professionally for years. It taught me a lot about playing music with people, as well as the non-music parts of being a professional musician. It also inspired me, from a creative standpoint. Early on, I knew that I wanted to be playing my own music to listening crowds, but I always saw it as a distant goal. However, playing violin for several acts that performed their original music solidified my musical aspirations. In September 2017, I wrote 'Cosmos', and it was a long process of refining that song and gaining the courage to share it with people, but that made releasing it this past December such a sweet achievement for me. With 'Iced Coffee' out and an album on the way, I'm very excited to be on this new journey of music making.
What inspired you to write your latest release “Iced Coffee”?
Whether I'm actively trying to write a song or just going about my day, I like to throw words together to see if they stick in my head. One day, I was in my car listening to music, and the phrase "iced coffee with caramel" popped into my head with a little melody that I liked, and it got stuck. At the same time, I was focusing on putting songs together for my upcoming album, so I began to write a song around that initial line in hopes that it could be added to the album. That's how Iced Coffee came to be.
What is the meaning behind your song “Iced Coffee”?
As I started writing the chorus for Iced Coffee, I thought about being in college. It's such an enjoyable experience, not only because it was my first taste of the independence that comes with living away from home, but because being on campus put me in a close proximity to my friends. My friends on campus were more accessible than any other friends I had prior to going to college. Of course, this accessibility extended itself to my romantic interests. As fun as it was, I did have some bad days, and on those bad days, I knew that what would make me feel good was a visit from a special someone and a pick-me-up beverage. The chorus of Iced Coffee is a spontaneous invitation for that person to come over. In my experience, meeting up at the end of the day with the person you've been waiting to see and a cup of iced coffee was a very warm and gratifying feeling, so I wanted to do my best to put that feeling in a song.
What does your writing process look like? How do you keep yourself inspired?
I haven't developed a definitive writing process, so the songs that I've written have all come about differently. There are songs that I've written based on a theme that I had in my head. With those songs, I knew what I wanted to write about, and I put words to that concept. There are other songs that were born from a single line, like Iced Coffee, where the concept was developed as I was writing. For some songs, the music came after the lyrics were written. For others, the music came before the lyrics were written. There is one song on the upcoming album where the lyrics and the music came at the same time. That particular song took me an hour to write. There are other songs that I spent days, even weeks, finishing. Creative ideas come and go as they please, so when I get an idea, I make sure to write it down in my notes. I see each note in my phone as a seed that can potentially grow into a full song. Sometimes, going through my notes sparks a burst of creativity as I revisit old ideas. Ultimately, I like to tap into my personal feelings, vague or specific, to inspire my songwriting.
Can we expect any projects from you in the rest of 2019?
I'm currently working on releasing my debut album titled 'These Past Two Years'. It's going to be collection of songs written about a two year span of my life, but a lot of the themes covered with be ones that people will be able to relate to. There will songs about happiness, love, heartbreak, hardships, nostalgia, and more. I'm very excited to be working on it, and I can't wait for people to hear it. At the moment, I'm shooting for a Fall '19 release.
Connect with Emanuel Wynter on social media: