My name is Emily Haavik, and I will be playing at the Homegrown Music Festival for the first time EVER.
I've been singing and playing piano my whole life, but I just started writing songs about five years ago. During my junior year of high school, my friends and I decided to start a band. One week we were each supposed to try writing a song. I was the only one who actually wrote one. We were sitting in my friend Spencer's basement, under a pool table, when I played it for them on a guitar. I was terrified but as soon as I finished they all told me how much they loved it. If they hadn't encouraged me, I never would have had the confidence to keep writing songs.
After that, I wrote and wrote. Writing songs helps me express passion, work through pain, and even figure out what to do in certain situations. Sometimes (prepare yourself) my songs predict the future. I know that sounds weird, but I'll write a song about how I wish something in my life was, and down the road I'll look back and realize the things I wrote actually ended up happening. It's kind of cool. There are some hotshot TV producers who want to make a show about me where I catch criminals before they commit crimes by writing songs about them. (Because we have to be careful of libel suits, I will now tell you that this is indeed false.) I also write a lot about social justice. When I stop caring and get apathetic, I write songs about the things I want to care about. Call me an idealist, but I still believe songs can make a difference.
Conveniently enough, I ended up getting into Homegrown the same way I started songwriting. A few friends and I were going to apply, and I ended up being the only one who remembered the application deadline. I am now scheduled to play at Homegrown! I've only performed in one real show, a coffee house night at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Other than that, I've done a couple open mic nights and talent shows.
If you would like to come see me play, I will be at Teatro Zuccone on May 6 at 7 p.m. I will be playing with some of my good friends: Kati Dean, who will sing some of her own songs too; Harry Short on bass; and Jason Noe on drums.
'For the Record,' written and performed by Emily Haavik
Do you have any stories about performing at Homegrown? Let us know in the comments.