Returning to Nashville for the first time after opening for Lewis Capaldi at the Grand Ole Opry, Em Beihold’s performance headlining the “MAYBE LIFE IS GOOD” tour left the crowd at the Basement East feeling like life is better than it was before. Em Beihold electrified the space opening with a record that perfectly captures “going through the motions” of life and wishing you could just enjoy the ride, “Roller Coasters Make Me Sad.” The viral piano popstar channels the likes of Regina Spektar and Olivia Rodrigo. Unabashedly afraid to tackle the topics that keep us up at night, being at an Em Beihold concert is a group therapy experience. Approaching mental health with care and comfort, Beihold’s music expertly voices late-night-existentialism without draining or digging up dark feelings.
Rather than accentuating pain, Em Beihold alleviates it. “Numb Little Bug” was the second single released from her debut album “Egg in the Backseat” and is easily her most recognizable record, charting at No.18 on The Billboard Hot 100 chart. This song is a perfect catalyst for the pop artist’s discography, capturing the central theme of mental health as well as the upbeat keyboard-heavy arrangements that define Beihold’s sound. Floating onto the Basement East’s stage, Em Beihold brings a vibrant performance as an artist and an advocate for mental health. Introducing “12345” the artist gave a heartfelt nod to her fans who struggle with panic attacks and revealed that a portion of all the ticket sales for this tour are going to the nonprofit Active Minds—the nation’s leading organization promoting mental health education to teens. Beihold brings a healing touch and playful approach to the Nashville music scene and fans struggling with mental health.
Em Beihold is an entrancing performer. Her rich timbre and effervescent movement is ballet-esque, balancing powerhouse sound with whimsical expression. Sharing intimate details from her life with the Nashville crowd, Em reveals that before her first big hit “Groundhog Day” went viral she had been rejected from American Idol and The Voice. The artist was discouraged by the series of rejections and took a job as a production assistant for The Voice within the headspace that if she couldn’t be a performer she could work with performers. Three days later “Groundhog Day” went viral on TikTok and led to Em Beihold signing a record deal. Em Beihold brings empathy and energy into every room she walks into and the “MAYBE LIFE IS GOOD” tour puts that on display. With a captivated crowd, Em brings on stage a member of her own touring crew, Leah, to duet a song in the roadie’s hometown show. The pair met while touring with Stephen Sanchez so naturally the two sang Em and Stephen’s viral hit “Until I Found You.” This romantic ballad showcased Beihold’s vocal agility, writer’s range, and shined a spotlight on another powerful voice touring with Miss Beihold.
Writing explicitly about traditionally taboo topics has been a trend in modern pop for many years, but Em Beihold effortlessly balances authenticity with artistry by expressing her anxiety through potent metaphors and universal parallels. While a majority of listeners can’t relate to the explicit experience of having a panic attack, they can relate to the experience of getting on a roller coaster. Her insightful and all inclusive approach to mental health and music is what sets Em Beihold apart from the other explicitly pop singers of today.
- Isabella Ellis
Photos Courtesy of Abigail Klotz (For Bell Music Magazine)
