Long Beach native Emmy Meli jokes that she’s been singing since she was in the womb. The soundtrack to her youth included the jazz greats Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald, as well as current icons Amy Winehouse & Lauryn Hill. Her music melds these influences creating a sound that is both modern and nostalgic. Emmy takes elements of classic jazz, pop, and soul, then filters them through her 23 years of lived experiences as a woman in music, fighting to take up space and carving her own lane. It’s no surprise that she’s behind the modern classic I AM WOMAN that sparked a feminist movement in 2022. That’s just the start of what’s to come for Emmy as she gears up for a busy 2024 with new music on the horizon.