Emma Withers is the vocalist for the London-based alt/indie band Francis. The band, formerly known as Emma & the Idles, have been hailed as ‘Jessie J meets Joan Jett’ because of their balls-to-the-wall approach to their sound and sharp songwriting style. The tragic murder of Sarah Everard inspired their single, “Pin Me Down.” It tackles a subject that is difficult to talk about but shared by many women, that of sexual assault, candidly focusing on the mental strain, particularly in the aftermath, and the struggle behind closed doors.
I write and sing from the shoes. ~ Emma Withers
Let us know about the inspiration behind your music.
I wanted to capture the raw emotion of girlhood, female suppression, love and empowerment. There is an explosion of anger and acceptance within the song ‘Pin Me Down’ which is for the most part incredibly vulnerable, but for me there is a strength in being that vulnerable, and it ends with an intentional feeling of closure. This song is about sexual assault, so it is hard to talk about, but I am incredibly happy I did it, we arranged this song with the intention of moving through the emotional stages of the grieving process.
What was the recording process like?
Lightship 95 was where we recorded. The end of Pin Me Down was re-written in the studio on Dave’s suggestion, and is now my favorite part of the entire project. When you just flow in the moment, there is a certain magic that can happen and I think that happened here. I did a few takes for that ending, screaming into the mic, until I got all of the emotion out.
What do you want your fans to take away from your music?
I want ‘Pin Me Down’ to help survivors of sexual assault, make them feel not alone, and empower them. I want people to enjoy the music in a way that is real to them, I don’t care about it being cool, I want them to scream this stuff at the top of their lungs.
What drew you to the guitar when you first picked it up?
Three years ago, I wanted to go with myself while I was busking, and now, I write every song on it. I used to play the piano, but I am not a natural pianist and prefer the guitar.
What brand do you play, and why?
I picked the Gretsch because they look gorgeous, but they don’t hold tune very well. It is time for a new one.
Who are you influenced by?
Kate Bush has been an influence to me since I was a kid. She blew everything I thought I knew about being a music artist out of the water, and it was completely under-rated, but I was listening to a lot of old rock artists, and she bleweverything I thought I knew about being a music artist out of the water.
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