*WARNING - This blogpost contains spoilers for Emma's setlist, if you're going to her tour and want to be surprised, don't read this.*
If you know me, you'll know I am a fan of Emma Blackery and have been supporting her since 2013. I think that her videos on YouTube are really funny and original and she also talks about serious topics in a honest way which I admire. I soon discovered that Emma is also a singer and songwriter and fell in love with her songs. Since discovering Emma in 2013, I've had eight tweets and several likes from her which may not mean much to some people but to me they mean a lot.
When Emma announced she was going on tour and she was coming to Manchester, I couldn't have been more happier. I got myself a ticket and a VIP Upgrade which meant I was going to finally meeting Emma after supporting her for three years. Despite being really excited to meet her, I was also a bit nervous. I was attending the concert and queueing by myself which I've done before lots of times but it still makes me anxious especially when I'm the only one by myself. I got to the Sound Control venue in Manchester at about 5pm and, of course, there was a big queue of people. I went to the back and waited patiently. At about 6pm, those with a VIP Upgrade were let in and, after being handed a VIP laminate and a signed poster, we waited in a room in a queue. At about 6:20pm, Emma's tour manager showed up and explained the rules of the meet and greet. No selfies or videos were allowed but he would take a picture of us with Emma. And, at 6:30pm, I saw Emma walk down the stairs and the excitement started to creep in. I waited about half an hour in the queue and, at about 7pm, I met Emma!
Emma greeted me with a hug and was like 'Nice top' because I was wearing her top I bought from the merchandise stand at the Busted gig. I told her I wore it specifically for tonight and I handed my two tickets for her to sign and told her that I saw her at the Busted gig in Manchester and that she was amazing and she was like 'thank you so much!'. We then posed for the picture and we hugged again and I said 'see you tonight!' and I walked up the stairs feeling like the happiest girl alive.
At 8pm, the support act, Arthur Walwin, performed a few of his original songs and was amazing and really got the audience jumping. Arthur is a friend of Emma's and has produced some of her songs and also features in her song, Next To You. If you ever get the chance to see him, you should go because he is a brilliant performer.
Her next song was 'Go The Distance' which was one of the first songs she released in 2013. This song is completely different to STBY as it's about being in love with someone and thinking that you'll 'go the distance' with them. It's a pop song that, again, I'm sure a lot of people who are in love or in a relationship will be able to relate to. The whole audience was singing along as this is one of her best known songs.
'Look What You Made Me Do', which also features on Emma's latest EP, was her next song that she performed. This is my favourite song from her latest EP as it's a pop/rock song about being in love and waiting for that person to notice you which is something I, and a lot of people, can definitely relate to.
In 2014, Emma released her 'Perfect' EP which features a song called 'Pictures' and this was Emma's next song. This is very similar to 'Go The Distance' as they're both about being in a happy and loving relationship with someone. A lot of couples tend to take a lot of selfies and pictures which is cute but in this song Emma says that she and her partner aren't taking pictures as they're too busy having 'fun fun fun fun fun'. This is definitely one of her most upbeat and energetic songs. She then performed 'Perfect' which is a song she wrote for her viewers and tells them that despite the imperfections, we're all the same, we're only human and tells us that 'you're perfect the way you are'. If you ever feel insecure, I recommend listening to this song as it will improve your mood and make you feel a lot better about yourself.
I mentioned earlier that Arthur Walwin, Emma's friend and support act, featured on one of her songs, 'Next To You', which was the next song Emma performed. This is a sweet and slow song about how happy you are waking up next to your partner.
A few months ago, Emma announced she had ended her relationship with Luke Cutforth who she had been dating for over three years after they met through YouTube (he's also a YouTuber). Last month, Emma uploaded a video of her singing an original song she'd written called 'Instead' which is about someone who is finding it difficult to get over an ex-partner. Emma notes that her ex is 'kissing her' and she feels that he should be 'kissing me instead'. It's a really beautiful but sad song and really shows off Emma's vocals really well.
I think that the song that Emma will always be remembered for is 'The Promise' which was the song she performed after 'Instead'. Emma wrote this song for anyone who has struggled with depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and/or negative feelings toward themselves. This is her best song because it's so honest and heartfelt and will help a lot of people going through a dark time right now. A lot of people in the audience, including me, began crying as it's a song many people will be able to relate to. If you haven't listened to 'The Promise' yet, I highly recommend that you do especially if you're struggling.
Not all relationships are perfect. Unfortunately, many partners cheat on their other half which leads to the relationship ending. Emma's next song 'Lies' is about her being in a new relationship but her ex-boyfriend is trying to get her back by saying he won't cheat but he continues to do so: "You said you wouldn't cheat anymore, you lied".
When Emma first began dating Luke, the pair kept their relationship private and, it wasn't until October in 2014, that the two announced in a video that they'd been dating. When I found out, I was a bit surprised as I thought they were just friends. However, I couldn't have been more happier for them. The next song that Emma performed was 'Undercover Lover' which is about how she didn't want to be an 'undercover lover' and 'dirty little secret'. This is my favourite song from her 'Perfect' EP.
The final song from Emma's 'Sucks To Be You' EP, 'Let Me Be', was her next song. This song takes place after a break-up and her ex-boyfriend prefers the girls that 'live in limousines' and that he can 'go and party but that shit ain't me'. Emma also can't get her ex-boyfriend's new song out of her head and just wants him to 'let me be'. This song is very similar to the sounds of her other two songs on the 'Sucks To Be You' EP.
Emma then went off stage and, after the audience chanted 'One More Song', she came back on stage and jokingly said that she considered leaving her band on stage for ten minutes for a prank as they wouldn't have known what to do which made the audience laugh. The penultimate song Emma performed was 'Don't Come Home' which is a slow and sad song about the end of a relationship. During the slow songs, the audience used their phones' lights and waved them which she found beautiful and made her tear up a bit. Her final song was 'Fear The Future' which is a song from her 'The Promise' ep. This was a slow ballad about not fearing the future when you're in a relationship with someone. It was a great song to end the gig with and, after thanking the audience for coming and her band, she went off stage.
Overall, this was, by far, one of the best nights of my life and best gigs I've ever been to. Despite Emma's worries that she might be suffering from a cold last week, she managed to perform every song perfectly and was full of energy throughout. At various points in the gig, she jumped down to the barrier and sung to fans in the audience which I loved as it showed how much she loves her fans.
If you ever get the chance to see Emma Blackery perform live, I'd highly recommend that you go as you won't regret it. I promise (pun not intended).
Thank you, Emma Blackery, for an incredible night.
And thank you for reading this blogpost,
I hope you enjoyed reading it.
❤
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