Ears Wide Open: Emily Vu

Chris Arey on September 22nd, 2020

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Garden Grove native Emily Vu is just 18 years old, but since the singer-songwriter emerged barely two years ago, she has been piling up fans and followers on streaming services and social media.

The multi-instrumentalist and pop singer reached a milestone on Friday with the release of her debut EP, “Lost &,” showcasing her work with such producers as Sir Nolan (Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez) and Andrew Schmidt, aka SZNS. Says Vu: “The EP consists of songs that I experienced when I was still trying to find myself, which is why I feel like it speaks a lot about the person I used to be compared to now. I called it ‘Lost &’ because this will be my first EP, as the second one will be coming later in the year and is called ‘Found.’”

The six-track collection leads with “Drifting,” a tune featuring rich beats and lush vocals in which Vu muses “You know that I love you, baby” in the chorus. “Drifting” is a track about holding onto a relationship that’s fallen on hard times. “Just Wait,” released prior to the EP with an accompanying music video by Juliana Carpino, is irresistibly catchy. With a Midwestern-emo guitar lick in the intro, percussive synths and Vu’s hopeful lyrics, this track is arguably her strongest. At its core it’s a pop song, but with its uncluttered production and Vu’s typically forthright vocals, “Just Wait” is spot on.

In terms of new music on “Lost &,” there are two tracks — “Someone Else” and “Last Fall.” “Someone Else” delves into the hardships of trying to envision a romantic life without that special someone. “Last Fall” recalls the meeting of a lover at party and the heartbreak that ensued.

The EP concludes with Vu’s first single, “What Happened, Happened,” the track that first put Vu on the map in 2019. She’s already moved past the kid stuff.

||| Watch: The videos for “Just Wait” and “Weekend”