Emilia Tarrant – PRESHOW RITUALS

In this Preshow Rituals segment, the pop artist, Emilia Tarrant, reveals what she does before taking the stage. You can check out the story, after the break.

I’ve never been one to YOLO a performance, the thought of that scares the hell out of me. For as long as I can remember, my pre-show rituals have stuck, with organization being my core priority. The day before consists of writing lists, running through my setlist over and over, preparing my outfit, scheduling the next 48 hours minute by minute in my diary and of course, detangling what feels like a hundred leads.

The day of the gig is usually quite relaxed considering I do practically all the hard work beforehand. The most important thing for me is making sure my voice is warmed up and at its best. Something I have also noticed recently is that I’ve lost a lot of muscle in my arms the past year. Think it might have to do with the lack of hauling my Nord onto the keyboard stand, which I insist on doing without any help, every, single, show.

I remember the last show I did before the world plummeted into lockdown. It was at The Ned in London, one of my favourite places to play (especially as they provide the best free pizza for the artists). I always loved the green room there, so distant from the hall itself that I could practice my anxiety-relieving breathing exercises, without loud music coursing through my ears.

The last gig I did was different; to gig in September on a lake, outside in Somerset, is debatable, but it turned out to be one of my favourite gigs I’ve ever played. Although the green room was a tent, my guitar would not stay in tune, my jaw was chattering and my hands were the only things I was trying to warm (never mind the vocal when it’s 4 degrees on stage), playing to an intimate audience, with the sun setting behind me was the most magical experience. That night really threw me off my pre-show rituals, but that’s what being an independent artist is all about: making the most out of any opportunity that comes your way.

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