From Peachtree Corners to Nashville

“My dad was constantly playing music around the house,” Emily Hackett said, pushing her wavy hair back behind one ear, “and I just became completely enamored with it. He was that guy who brought his guitar everywhere, so live music was introduced to me at a very young age.”

That love for music was strengthened through her involvement in the Norcross High School drama program. “Gina Perish, who everyone loves, was quite the character and became like a second mom to me,” Emily said. “She was the one that showed me what I was really capable of when it came to performing.”

Emily also attributes her songwriting success to the collective efforts of her language arts teachers. “At the end of every year, I always left my language arts class having learned something about myself as a writer. Through developing my writing in class, I was able to take some of that skill home and enhance my songs.”

Although she was certain of her direction after high school, the journey toward her dreams was not always simple. In fact, in her attempt to establish a professional music career, she often struggled with the concept of finding her own voice and individuality in her work.

Looking back, she said that she wishes she knew not to “chase what’s cool” because being different and true to yourself is what makes people successful. She cited artists like Elton John and Billie Eilish, who turned away from the established norms of the industry to create something novel.

That individual spin can be heard in Emily’s unique, yet relatable, music. It’s her honest songwriting that not only connects to the hearts of the audience but also helps her move through the trials of her own life. For example, her song “Easy,” which focuses on a past relationship and the hurt that she caused someone, was “therapeutic for her” and gave her the opportunity to convey an important message to her fans.

“First, if you’ve been there before, it’s okay. It’s not okay to treat someone that way, but it’s okay to talk about it. Because I think to talk about it, hopefully, will prevent people from wandering into the same mistakes,” she said. And even though Emily shared that it was a difficult song to release and to be honest with herself about, it was written so that other people could feel confident about coming to terms with themselves after a time like that.

But a tough experience isn’t always what it takes to make a great song. In fact, Emily claimed her greatest inspirations have come from other artists. “Kacey Musgraves, for example. Lately, she’s really just come into her own in a big way. And I’ve always been a fan of hers, especially as a writer, because her music lets you discover things about yourself.”

Emily continued, saying that the artists she has collaborated with also have influenced the way she creates new music. “Even though my songwriting process is always different, Nashville is a really collaborative town, so you have to be able to write with other people and let your music grow from that.”

By drawing inspiration from the experiences of other writers, Emily is able to add another layer of meaning to her music. This deep emotion gives her fans something very real to connect to, which undoubtedly attributes to her accomplishments as a musician.

An example of her success was being named CMT’s Next Woman of Country. She said that the honor of winning the award wasn’t in the recognition alone. “It was an amazing experience, but right now I don’t have management, I don’t have a publishing deal, and I don’t have a record label,” she said. “So, for me, the best part about winning was that I was the only one of the nominees that aren’t signed to anyone. It taught me that I can love collaborating and the team mentality, but I don’t need it to be appreciated as an artist.” While she loves having a support system to help her put out her music, Emily has the ability to take her career into her own hands.

As years pass and she becomes more and more successful, Emily always makes time to come back home to Peachtree Corners. She said after living in the city of Nashville for almost 10 years, she has come to recognize the suburbs as an exceptional place to grow up.            

She remembers the welcoming spirit of her hometown, the people of the community and the constant support they gave her as a musician. And staying true to her love of nostalgia, she completes each trip with visits to family favorites like Happy Sumo, Jason’s Deli and Dominick’s.