Canadian singer-songwriter Miss Emily pays tribute to the #MeToo movement in the video for her stirring new single Hold Back the River — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
“This video is dedicated to victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault. You are not alone,” says the Kingston artist of the powerful gospel number and its accompanying clip, a striking visual metaphor that depicts women opening the doors of their own prison cells and moving into the world together. “The #MeToo movement has shone a light on victims who have suffered in silence, some for many years. Change is happening and together we can make a difference.”
Hold Back the River is the third single from her fifth studio album In Between, written and produced with the help of Tragically Hip bassist Gord Sinclair and guitarist Rob Baker. Recorded in Sinclair’s living room using his mother’s piano, In Between chronicles the emotions inherent in the loss of friends and takes a realistic, even gritty, peek inside love, relationships and redemption; wrapped in the soul-stirring vocals of a woman who has seen both sides of life as a musician. It’s a record that beckons the listener to walk with her as she soulfully strolls the humid streets of Memphis, wanders across the jazz-cool avenues of New York City or dances through raucous and funky block parties in Motown.
They’re just the latest stops on Miss Emily‘s lifelong musical journey. In the 1990s, a 12 year-old Emily Fennell was making her way around Southern Ontario, singing at county fairs and winning competition after competition. She was literally finding her voice. While the other young vocalists were singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow or I Will Always Love You, she stunned judges and audiences with k.d. lang‘s version of the Patsy Cline song Three Cigarettes and an Ashtray. That choice and her spellbinding performance say almost all you need to know about the woman who would become Miss Emily. She is never predictable and always willing to take a risk.
Her music spans genres, crosses barriers and creates bridges. Her performances are foot-stomping, heart-wrenching adventures in rhythm, blues, jazz and rock and roll. For 15 years Miss Emily has captivated listeners across Canada, the U.S. and the United Kingdom with her unique combination of passion, talent and an unparalleled work ethic. It began with playing night after night in bars and nightclubs where she learned her trade and gained a loyal following, giving her opportunities to become a regular at large outdoor venues like Ottawa Bluesfest. In 2011, in front of 25,000 people outside the town of Bobcaygeon, she opened for The Tragically Hip and began a relationship that would change her career.
For more information on the album, the new tour, and everything In Between, go to www.themissemily.com.
