Emma Gatsby Feels at Home on "Sanctuary" [Premiere]

image

Emerging singer-songwriter Emma Gatsby's life is, well, like something from out of a novel. More specifically, The Great Gatsby. No, seriously. She was actually raised on the estate in New York that F. Scott Fitzgerald based the novel on. Unfortunately, like the titular character, she was unable to avoid tragedy. Emma lost her parents in her adolescence and had to move around between boarding schools and guardians until she was able to gain her emancipation at the age of sixteen. Although her parents were gone, they left her with a huge love for music. When she was a child, she used to dance around the piano while her father played. Her mother, whom was the principal pianist for the Long Island Philharmonic at the time, trained Emma to play the cello for two hours a day from the age of three. Shortly before he passed away, her father gave her a guitar which ended up being the perfect vessel to help her write and express her thoughts and feelings about her new reality.

When Emma turned nineteen, she began releasing music and things started picking up quickly. Her first single, "2 Steps Ahead", saw a lot of success. A catchy pop tune that was highlighted by various publications and was eventually remixed by electronic producer, White Cliffs, which helped the song go viral. While this brought her a lot of attention, Emma was still in the process of finding herself and defining her sound so after things settled down, she took some time off. Fast forward to 2020 and Emma is back with a new direction and most importantly, new music!

Sweet Nostalgia is Emma's debut EP and it will be released later this month independently. In January, she released "Alone", a resonant re-introduction co-produced by Ones to Watch favorites Channel Tres, August 08, and Johan Lenox. Today, we have the exclusive premiere of her brand new single, "Sanctuary." Speaking on the song, Emma says:

“At the time when I wrote this song I was dating someone who was also in music. A lot of time I struggled with the anxiety and pressure of having such big goals - we both did but during the better moments of that relationship I felt it was the only safe haven I had in really challenging moments… it was an escape from the constant crippling fear of the unknown of our futures..”

Based on the music we've heard, we can tell that Emma sounds more at home in her sound and we can't wait to hear more. Stream the exclusive premiere of "Sanctuary" below and check out her new EP Sweet Nostalgia when it drops!

Related Articles

Molly Grace Celebrates Pride Month and the New York Knicks Pre-Show in Brooklyn [Q&A]

Molly Grace Celebrates Pride Month and the New York Knicks Pre-Show in Brooklyn [Q&A]

June 18, 2026 Before her midnight show in Brooklyn, we sat down to chat with Molly Grace about our love for pop music, her special Pride Month tour, and, of course, the New York Knicks.
Author: Chancey Stefanos
Pop
Brenn! Is Pulling Out To Win On Americana Drenched Debut Album 'AMATEUR AT BEST'

Brenn! Is Pulling Out To Win On Americana Drenched Debut Album 'AMATEUR AT BEST'

June 17, 2026 AMATEUR AT BEST is a compelling debut full-length—one that suggests Brenn! is anything but an amateur and firmly establishes him as an one to watch.
Author: Josh Kitchen
Pop
Cherry Bomb Releases Glitter-Coated Anthem “Sorry You’re Not Sorry”

Cherry Bomb Releases Glitter-Coated Anthem “Sorry You’re Not Sorry”

June 16, 2026 Since unveiling her solo project earlier this year, Mandy Lee has been steadily building a world that feels larger, louder, and more theatrical than anything she’s done before.
Author: Alessandra Rincon
Pop