Emei on going from immigrant roots to viral star: “I’m very used to faking it till I make it”

From jazz nights in New Jersey to viral hits on TikTok, Emei’s journey has been anything but ordinary. Born to first-generation Chinese immigrants, she grew up on her godfather’s jazz records and endless loops of West Side Story, sparking her early love of music. While still at Yale, her breakout single Late To The Party went viral, racking up millions of streams and views.

​​Following the success of last year’s highly anticipated EP, RABBITHOLE, the L.A.-based rising star returned this year with the singles Talk Talk Talk, Stereo, and Crazy Stupid Love. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, the EP takes listeners on a whirlwind journey through love, friendship, mental health, and the twists and turns of young adulthood.

Balancing viral fame, touring, and meticulous studio work, she’s building a musical world that’s entirely her own – and she’s only just getting started. With millions of streams, social media followers and Spotify playlist support, she has already been named one of Spotify's Pop Rising Artists To Watch and was one of only 12 artists invited to perform on BBC Radio 1’s Future Pop show.

In this interview, she reflects on going viral at university, why Chappell Roan reminded her that cracking the music industry is a marathon, not a sprint, and reveals why she tells her reflection that she’s Beyoncé.

What are your early memories of music as a child in terms of what you were drawn to or that you remember having an impact on you?

I went to a lot of local jazz nights around New Jersey, where I grew up. My godfather, who I’m very close to, used to be in a jazz band, and when I was growing up, he was always telling me, “You’ve got to go and listen to these jazz bands” – that was the big thing. 

I also remember we had a CD of West Side Story in my dad’s car – for some reason, it was the only one we had. So any time we went anywhere, it was always West Side Story. I’d say those are my two earliest musical memories. My parents are both immigrants from China, so it’s not as if they had a huge collection of music or anything. For me, it was very much about whatever was there.

Onto more recent artists that have had an impact on you, what was on your Spotify Wrapped last year?

Chappell Roan, which is crazy, because I’ve been listening to her for about two or three years now. Back then, she was a small up-and-coming artist around L.A., and I went to one of her shows about three years ago, kind of by accident. There were only about 20 people there, all singing along to Pink Pony Club, and I remember thinking, “Wow, this is good; this deserves so much more attention”, and here we are! Then she just blew up. That's been very satisfying to watch.

Have you seen the viral video of a young, reserved Roan playing Pink Pony Club in a park to a handful of people, which then cuts to her headlining the biggest festivals in the world, with the crowds screaming the lyrics back to her?

Yes! I think it’s one of those things that’s inspiring because it reminds you that success takes time. We forget that you have to keep grinding, putting out music you love, even if it’s not getting huge attention. One day, a song might blow up, and suddenly everyone’s listening to the rest of your music and realising how good it is. 

That’s why Chappell is so big now – the rest of her music is just that good. It’s hard to remember sometimes that this is a marathon – you can’t expect things to happen overnight.

However, I feel like I’ve been really lucky. It’s only been about three years since I started my project, and to already be touring and doing all these things, I feel super grateful. But at the same time, in the back of my mind, I know this is just the beginning – a little taste of what’s ahead. There’s still so much further to go. As long as I keep making music I’m proud of and stay consistent, it’ll all work itself out. 

I just have to keep moving forward. It's hard to remember sometimes, especially with TikTok, because everything feels so important: every song, every release feels like, “If this one flops, my career’s over”. But that’s not even slightly true. It’s just really easy to get into your own head about it.

Do you feel the pressure to keep producing content for TikTok to stay relevant and try to have a viral moment?

It’s definitely a full-time job. I have mixed feelings about TikTok. Some days I think, “Wow, this sucks; I wish this wasn't part of my job, this isn’t what I signed up for”. But on the other hand, it’s opened so many doors for me. It’s how I connect with my amazing, beautiful fans, and that’s become really special to me. Still, some nights I’ll be editing a TikTok at midnight after a session, thinking, “I have to post today”. 

It goes back and forth, but at the end of the day, I'm making this music, and if it doesn’t reach anyone, that feels sad. A big part of it is making sure that, on the marketing side, we’re really hitting it hard.

You attracted initial attention from your Late To The Party single whilst you were in your senior year at Yale. This went viral, gaining 5.5 million streams on music platforms and 9.5 million views on TikTok and Instagram Reels. When did you notice it was going viral?

Oh my God, I remember this! It’s so funny because since then, I’ve got used to posting and having things do well, and it doesn’t feel anything like the first time. The first time was Late To The Party. There was this one video where I was singing in a basement at Yale, just for my closest friends – about 20 people – and they already knew the song because I’d been teasing it on TikTok for literally two months. All the views were around 500, just my friends, and they knew the lyrics.

We got a fun video out of it, but I didn’t think anything of it. At that point, I’d never seen a live performance of a song go viral. Most of the videos going viral then were cat videos – there wasn’t much variety. I had midterms and a weekend trip coming up, and on my way to Vermont, I randomly posted the video, thinking, “I don’t have anything in my drafts, I guess I’ll just post this”.

That night, it got about 10,000 views, and I thought, “Oh my God, my life is changing”. The next day, it was 100k, and it was so crazy. I just remember watching it grow while struggling to study for midterms. It was distracting! I’d be scrolling and updating the numbers while I was studying linguistics. 

It was definitely a crazy moment for me. I will always remember being in Vermont and checking those numbers over and over again. I was reading all the comments and fully in it, but also scared. It was a mix of emotions – scared but excited.

You must have managed it nicely, as you graduated from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science. Congratulations! Given that your parents are Chinese immigrants who came to the US with only 50 dollars to their name, was it important to your family to land what some would call a “proper” 9-5 job?

They’re comfortable with it, but realistic. When I was 15, I took a gap year from high school and did Chinese Idol, then signed a television contract. I worked in entertainment professionally at a very young age, but it was just a one-off, one-year experience. I feel really grateful for that year because it’s one of the main reasons my family is so supportive. It was like a test run – they saw I had potential, that I enjoyed it, and that it was legitimate.

If I’d decided to move to L.A. without a job and just release songs, I think they might have been less supportive. I was also lucky in a lot of other ways. Going viral before I graduated helped because I already had sessions lined up for when I moved to L.A., with mentors in place, and people willing to help. So all those factors together made my parents’ support possible. I feel very lucky, but I think everything had to happen the way it did for that to be true.

It’s funny because my dad had me as his number one on his playlist, which I think is the cutest, sweetest thing ever. He says he plays my music anytime he’s driving anywhere, so I’ve basically replaced the West Side Story CD, which is really sweet [laughs].

My mum is the same – they both go to all my shows whenever they can. They’ve been to every big L.A. show and even my first London headline show. They travel to support me, which is amazing. At the same time, they’re still nervous, which makes sense. 

If I had a kid doing something risky, I’d be nervous too. I’d want to support them but also check, “How’s it going? Have you thought this through? Do we have a plan?” Sometimes their questions annoy me or even hurt a little, but then I realise it makes total sense. They’re as supportive as any immigrant parents could be!

As a teenager, you competed on Dancing with the Stars in China, and you came third. What did you learn from your time on the show, and why did the focus switch from dancing to singing?

Let me just say: I’m just not a good dancer [laughs]. I think I was more suited to reality TV because, as a little kid, I said silly things that were entertaining to watch. When I was dancing, it was entertaining too, mostly because I’d mess up or do something ridiculous – I felt like I was the comedic relief. 

I don't think I got that far in that show because I was a fantastic dancer – I was entertaining. I got really used to talking in front of a camera and just being genuinely myself. That’s a really hard skill to develop, especially as an adult, so I think it’s helped me a lot. I’m very much myself because of it.

Your most recent EP, RABBITHOLE, was heavily inspired by Alice in Wonderland. The EP takes listeners on a journey that exploits the highs and lows of a young woman navigating life’s intricacies. Where did the Alice in Wonderland inspiration come from?

I wrote all these songs over the course of about a year and a half. The first one I wrote for this project was 9 Lives. I didn't write every song intending for it to be inspired by Alice in Wonderland – I was mostly journaling and writing how I felt in each moment. 

I looked back at all the songs and noticed that my favourites shared this underlying feeling: whimsical, but also of falling and spiralling. That’s when it all came together. Alice in Wonderland made so much sense as a theme, partly because my sister’s name is Alice, so it had been in the back of my mind for most of my life. Everything clicked, and that’s how the EP became what it is now.

Each song represents a different room in your mind. What is your personal favourite song on the EP?

I think 9 Lives is my favourite right now, though I hate picking favourites – it’s so tough. I just really love every single lyric. It’s been kicking around in my demo folders for so long, and I couldn’t find the right place for it. I don’t think it would’ve fit with the Scatterbrain project or End of an Era. 

Once it found its place, I thought, “I’m so glad people are going to hear this song”. It’s honest, vulnerable, and scary to release, so I was both excited and nervous. I played it live for the first time in Australia, and it was amazing.

SUGARCOAT sees you finding comfort in knowing that everything will be okay while continuing to sugarcoat the bad parts of your life. Is that something you’ve always done?

I’m very used to faking it till I make it. Since I was really little, that’s been ingrained in me. I remember reading a quote in high school that said, “If you smile, your mood improves by a certain percentage – even if you don’t feel like it”. I tried it then, and it stuck.

Now, when I perform, a big part of feeling confident and giving a good show is convincing myself that I’m awesome and a big deal. Before every show, I give myself a pep talk in front of the mirror, literally saying, “You’re Beyoncé, bro”. A big part of that is just telling myself, “Everything’s fine”, and shaping it in a way that I’ll have a great time.

Can you share an insight into the kit you rely on in your home studio to create demos and perfect your songs?

I just love having monitors that are crisp and clean. I’m using a pair of JBL 305P MKII powered studio monitors. When I’m listening to mixes and masters, especially while finishing music, they’re incredibly helpful. I really love having them. I’m technologically impaired; all my friends make fun of me for being a grandma, so it was a miracle that I even managed to set them up.

Having a home setup is always helpful, and I use an AKG P220 mic too for verses, edits, and sending things back and forth with my producers. It’s been really useful. I’ve also got some K240 MKII headphones. When I listen to mixes and masters, I like to switch between different devices – monitors, headphones, AirPods, even a phone speaker – to make sure everything sounds tight and clean. Having those headphones definitely helps with that process.

More from Emerging Headliner: 

Headliner interviews Chappell Roan about how an unforgettable night at a gay club led to Pink Pony Club and changed her life forever.

Photographer: JORDAN KELSEY KNIGHT