We first heard from Emiko in September of last year upon the release of her album “LA After the War.” That record introduced us to a vastly talented artist who is now enjoying her second successful career in music. At just 12 years-old she retired from a decade-long career as a world renowned concert pianist. Now the singer and multi-instrumentalist composer is an award winning songwriter whose music can be heard worldwide on television, in film and theater. She has shared the stage with legends like Cyndi Lauper and she has appeared on the pages of Billboard, Music Connection, FM Sound, Keyboard Magazine and many more.
As COVID lockdowns and quarantines brought Emiko’s touring schedule to a halt over the past 18 months she turned to her friends online for a new recording project. Those friends include celebrated English record producer Mike Exeter (Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi), Bill Hubauer of the Neal Morse Band and drummer/composer Vito Pandolfo. After some discussion and planning, the quartet decided to record a cover of the David Bowie classic, “Heroes.” The track was recorded with each musician working remotely from their homes in LA, PA and the UK. The song was chosen to honor the heroes of the pandemic, from frontline workers to the everyday heroes who gave of themselves to ensure that others could survive.
When we dove deeper into the lyrics, we realized just how appropriate the song was to be reimagined in this way. It touches on everything from the deeply personal domestic relationships, to political and socio-economic stances. It just seemed to be the perfect expression of what was needed today.
Emiko
“Heroes” opens on a percussive tom rhythm which serves as the heartbeat of the track throughout. Low rumbling piano chords meet ambient synths and anthemic guitars. The mix recreates the epic, cinematic feel of the original while taking full advantage of all the sonic possibilities of modern recording techniques. The vocal is sung as an ensemble with each singer’s part accenting the emotional and inspirational power of David Bowie’s masterpiece. It is a beautiful rendition of a classic, made all the more meaningful in the context of this already devastating decade.
Check out “Heroes” below. You can also hear the track on the Deep Indie Dive playlist or listen to it on your favorite streaming service. Follow the links below to connect with Emiko. Get on her socials and get in the loop on all of the current and future projects from this exceptionally talented and dynamic artist.