Contest Winner, A-side’s 2021 Debut Guest, & Talented Musician on the Rise: Emma Gerson

Photo: Tovah Popilsky

“Music is the greatest gift I have to share with people” 

-Emma Gerson

On November 5th 2020, BCEC partnered up with SoundOff to debut their virtual music competition. Applicants were asked to submit a song to SoundOff, which was then voted on by the general public, and BCEC would come to pick two winners with the most votes, one of which was local UC Berkeley student, Emma Gerson.

Emma Gerson is certainly no stranger to the arts. Growing up in the musical hub of East Village Manhattan, she was always surrounded by music. In fact, Gerson’s father owns a record label, and her mother, Ruth Gerson, is an established singer herself. When Gerson was younger and her mother couldn’t find a babysitter, she would take baby Emma to her performances. 

Gerson would sit in the back of bars and venues, watch her mom sing a melody of blues, and be enticed by the marvel of it all. She was always watching, and this act of watching blossomed her love for music. She’d sit there, observing her mother, and think to herself: This. This is what I want to do. 

So, she did exactly that.

Photo: Tovah Popilsky

Gerson has written over 70 songs, which are under pre-production, and has 12 finished tracks planned for release within this next year. Several song sessions are already out on her Instagram and she has an album and music video in the works. Now, with this contest win under her belt, Emma is only going to shine bigger and brighter.

Gerson told us she initially wasn’t going to enter the contest, but through a last-minute whim she submitted her song “Throne,” and sure enough, the people loved it. 

Gerson describes the choice of song as random, but fun. She felt the upbeat, cheery, and unique nature of the song, paired with its specific meaning, was a solid choice for BCEC’s song contest. She reveals the track was inspired by her first year at Cal and works to illustrate her frustrations towards the environment of the school.

Gerson recounts the creative process for “Throne” as a sudden burst of creative rage-fueled energy. She rode a wave of strong feelings and within a mere 20 minutes, the song was produced–deviating from her usual production process, which normally takes days to months. 

Written in her Unit 2 dorm room, “Throne” critiques the competitive atmosphere Gerson witnessed within her UC Berkeley classes. With lyrics reading: “By the time you get your kingdom come, your friends will all be gone, and you’ll be all alone, sitting on that throne,” Gerson portrays her disappointment with the phenomena of hyper-individuality at Cal, as opposed to the cultivation of community, which she views as a necessity. 

Emma Gerson is both a student of the arts and politics. At one point, Gerson thought the two existed as incompatible entities and thought she had to be forced to choose between her passion for political change and her desire to create art. However, once coming to Cal and learning more about political art and activism, she realized the two are incredibly connected, and grew to understand her artistry, and her purpose, in greater depth.  

Photo: Tovah Popilsky

Gerson expresses how this current period of quarantine has helped make developmental strides in her music, as she’s been writing and producing more tracks this year than ever, writing up to almost a song a week. 

 “Every day became about writing”

During this time, she also began to understand the cultural properties of music in deeper detail, and began viewing art as a mechanism for healing. 

She’d go to the park, sit in the grass, and spend her hours of sunlight writing music. This is when the clarity of her musical ventures became even more rigid; this is what she is going to do, this is what she is doing. 

Photo: Tovah Popilsky

Gerson describes her upcoming album as extremely scary, extremely vulnerable, but something she’s extremely ready for. “This [project] is something I’ve been wanting to do my whole life.” She outlines this album as her biggest project yet, being paired with single drops and music videos; it will be her official debut as a musician. 

Gerson credits classical music inspirations such as Joni Mitchell and Aretha Franklin, new age artists like Hope Tala and Noname, and her mother for the sounds on the album. Gerson’s style can be specified as a mix of pop, folk, and RnB all tied together with modern melodic beats, and her exceptional writing style which works to paint a poetic narrative with her words. 

Fans of Gerson can find more of her work on Instagram @emma.gerson and most streaming services under “Emma Gerson.” Follow her to stay up to date with new releases, the upcoming album, and her musical journey. And make sure to keep an eye out for our future A-side Session featuring Gerson, where she debuts our 2021 series at our new location. All in all, Emma Gerson is a musical force, one you do not want to miss out on!

If you want to get involved with The B-side, we are currently accepting Spring applications. Click this link to check out apps, or on our Instagram link tree @BerkeleyBSide

If you want to get more involved with BCEC, check out their Spring Recruitment and visit BerkeleyBCEC.com or @CalBCEC for ways to get involved.

Article by Sunny Sangha

Photography by Tovah Popilsky