Interview / Erica Russell
Photos / Tan Camera
Emmie might best be described as that amazingly in-the-know, colorful, no-fucks-given girl from your 6th grade music class in 1998. You know the one—she always had the best Spice Girls CDs (the ones with the rare b-sides), had the coolest clothes from Delia*s catalog, and her Lisa Frank planner and sticker collection put yours to shame. But despite her unwavering coolness, she was totally everyone’s bestie—and was always the life of the party, even if everyone’s dads had to pick them up at 10 pm.
Luckily, it’s totally 2016, and you can rest assured Emmie doesn’t have a bed time. Good thing, too, because the girl positively lives for the nightlife, from hosting her own Slumber Party show—a series in which she literally interviews your music faves while in her PJs—to DJing the hottest parties, music shows, and fashion events from the LES to Bushwick and beyond.
We caught up with our honorary BFF to play a virtual game of Truth or Dare, because what could possibly be more appropriate for a professional slumber party hostess than that?
Truth: Who are you and how would you describe your job?
Hi, I’m Emmie! I’m a human bean from Brooklyn. I wear many hats/wigs. I DJ and promote events in NYC, I’m a professional BFF, I create and host my web series, Slumber Party @emmieshouse, and sometimes they let me talk about music on Beats1 radio for Apple Music.
Dare: We dare you to tell us a totally embarrassing fact about yourself.
There are too many to choose from! So here are a few: I love dad rock. The Eagles are unironically one of my favorite bands. If your dad likes it I probably do, too. Also I live for useless facts and often listen to podcasts about the history of New York City, and strategically plan my social life so that I can watch as much Jeopardy as possible.
Truth: What music did you grow up listening to?
One of my first musical memories was listening to One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men. I had that single on a cassette and I would just listen to it on repeat, like actually on repeat as it was the same song on both sides. Long live my scary huge boombox that I would always stub my toe on.
Then of course came my obsession with the Spice Girls followed by boy bands of all shapes, sizes, genres, etc., so like everything from the obvious BSB and N*Sync but also the “bad boys” like Blink 182 and Sum 41… and the obscure bands like BBMak and Evan and Jaron. Then it was anything on TRL but also whatever my brother was listening to—D’Angelo, Ben Folds Five, Beastie Boys. Whatever my dad was listening to—Ella Fitzgerald, The Eagles (obviously), Fleetwood Mac, the Big Chill Soundtrack, Linda Ronstadt… Then I became more intense about discovering new music, but also old music that was new to me, like the Beatles, Michael Jackson, my main bae Otis Redding. And then I discovered Radiohead and was like BYE!
Dare: We dare you to share the name of your biggest crush.
Jeff Goldblum in Independence Day. (Editor’s Note: SAME, GIRL.)
Truth: How did you get your start as a DJ and party host?
When I first moved to NYC after college my best friend Lizzy (she’s the co-founder of Neon Gold/the MS in MS MR and my creative guiding light/soul sis) and I wanted to start putting on a monthly show/party, so we linked up with another friend and started putting on this monthly punk show in a karaoke bar in Chinatown called FUZZ. It was so crazy and fun… Budweiser was the main staple of my diet. Then that just sort of launched me into collaborating with friends on other parties and DJing their events like early communion shows, the vintage crawl, Neon Gold’s Pop Shop (and other fun parties with NG), DJing, emceeing Charli XCX shows, DJing on tour with MS MR, opening for Marina and the Diamonds at Webster Hall… Really it’s just been about having fun with friends and celebrating each other!
Dare: We dare you to tell us your guilty pleasure film.
I really ONLY like “guilty pleasure” films tbh. Bring It On, Spice World, Empire Records, Romy and Michele’s High school reunion, Crossroads, and the entire Scream franchise are all masterpieces to me!
Truth: What is your favorite retro fashion trend, favorite album of all time, and favorite city?
Trend: Smiley faces on everything/Joe Boxer-core
Album: Wahhhhh, favorite album OF ALL TIME? Impossible to choose so here are a bunch that I luv and listen to frequently—Jagged Little Pill, Pet Sounds, Hounds of Love, Feels, Lungs, Black Album Linda Ronstadt Greatest Hits Volume 2, OK Computer, and Tusk!
City: New York City… Best Friends 4eva!
Dare: We dare you to share which music you really can’t stand.
I can typically find something in every genre that gives me some sort of joy (see previous statements on “dad rock”) but I guess heavy metal hasn’t always gelled with me… unless it’s Heavy Metal Parking Lot.
Truth: What dream do you have for your career?
Just trying to create an empire/emmie-pire. Slumber Party is one piece of the emmieshouse puzzle; I wanna someday have a longer form show in which Slumber Party is just one segment. That’s definitely a dream of mine! I would also like to produce and direct for other people! Also lots of merchandise is definitely apart of the emmie-pire plan, something tangible and special that people can have forever: a scrap book, pajamas, a scrunchie… Slumber Party forever!
Dare: We dare you to play Bloody Mary in the dark and tell us who pops up in the mirror.
Jeff Goldblum from The Fly! (Editor’s Note: Still hot though.)