So Where To Today?

Winner of the 2024 Smokefree Rockquest Solo/Duo category, Emerson has spent 2025 cementing her place as one of Aotearoa’s most exciting new pop voices. In the past year, she’s opened for Borderline, Will Swinton, and Frankie Venter, completed her first national tour with Dani Josie (Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland), and two headline shows at Big Fan and The Tuning Fork. Her momentum has also taken her onto some of Aotearoa’s biggest industry stages, performing at IMNZ’s Going Global Showcase and NZ On Air’s showcase series, where she made the most of every networking opportunity. To close out the year, she’ll take the stage at Rhythm and Vines — her first-ever festival appearance, marking another milestone in a breakout year. As a songwriter, Emerson was selected for Parachute Studio’s Song Week curated by Alice Ivy, collaborating with icons Gin Wigmore and Ladyhawke. She also spent time in Melbourne and Sydney writing with a range of artists and producers through Unified Music Group and Mushroom Music Publishing. Her upcoming single “Amy” marks her sixth release of 2025, following four tracks that have hit the NZ Hot 20 charts. Earlier this year, her breakout single “You Really Must Hate Me!”, co-written and produced by Harry Charles, surpassed 100,000 Spotify streams, earned a feature in Beats Per Minute (US), and landed on four Spotify Editorial playlists, including Fresh Finds Pop, hits different, Pop n’ Fresh, and New Music Friday Denmark. Follow-up single “Tip of My Tongue” continued the streak, featuring on four Apple Music and two Spotify editorials, as well as a sub-A rotation on ZM radio. A multi-instrumentalist and seasoned performer, Emerson grew up in musical theatre and competitive dance, bringing that same powerhouse stage energy to every show. Since 2022, she has sharpened her artistry through a string of successful local indie bands—switching between bass, rhythm guitar, piano and lead vocals—before stepping fully into her own as a dynamic pop artist and songwriter to watch. Beyond her solo work, Emerson has become a sought-after collaborator, writing and toplining with artists such as Gin Wigmore, Frankie Venter, Teo Glacier, Keenan Te, Macey, Rosetta, and Lucy Gray.