Em grew up surrounded by music, dance, drama and art in a creative family that includes a contortionist, ballet dancer, actors and artists. Em’s love for music started to show at the age of two when she started to play her Grandmothers piano.
Throughout her childhood, she studied classical piano, flute, guitar, drums and singing and entered and won several international music competitions and scholarships.
In 1999, Em moved to London to study singing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama whilst attending City University to study composition, ethno-musicology and music technology. She became involved in Javanese and Balinese Gamelans, African drumming (with Barak Schmool of the F.I.R.E Collective) and spent 3 years learning the Tabla. As she started to broaden her horizons to encompass world music, she discovered an affinity for blues, jazz and soul.
Throughout her studies, she worked with guitarist Derek Pang in a folk/roots duo that saw her perform live on BBC Radio 1 and worked with various songwriters, publishing 3 songs under project Solstice with Tim Shepherd, two of which were released.
Upon graduating with honours, Em continued to expand her musical experience and became involved with various bands including a Afro-Cuban World Music project called Bush Taxi, as a singer/flautist, lyricist and hand percussionist. She later formed Jazz Quartet Acustica with Julian Jackson and a Wedding and Party band called Abnormally Funky.
In 2005, funded by the Milly Apthorp Bursary, Em took part in English National Opera’s vocal course The Knack with Director Mary King which led to several performances with Voice Lab at the Southbank Centre and a debut Opera at The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. She also began studying privately with Janis Kelly and working as a session singer for radio and television advertising.
In 2006, Em moved to Whitstable in Kent and started to learn the harmonica with the help of Brendan Power. She formed an original Blues band called Emily and the BEATS in which she sings, plays keyboards, hand percussion and harmonica.
Em recently set up an all female funk band Ladyfunk with Vanessa McGowan and has recently been recruited to play harmonica, hammond organ and sing with the all female blues band Chix wiv Pix.
Em has to date performed with Jamie Cullum, Brendan Power, Ramon Goose, Andre Canniere, Vanessa McGowan, Patrick Levett, Darren Altman, Paul Booth, Cy Winstanley, Bridget Mermikides and many more.
She has supported Hamish Stuart with Emily and the Beats at Moare Music 2008, Cathryn Craig and Brian Willoughby on the Folk Circuit and played at the Cambridge Folk Festival, Lounge on the Farm (2008-2009), Reading, Several Jazz Clubs as a Guest Musician and Prestatyn ‘Big Blues’ Festival, Wales. Venues Em has performed at include: The Landsdowne Club, The Natural History Museum, The Royal Courts of Justice, The Old Neptune, The Mayfair Hotel and The Ritz.
Em frequently performs solo shows and has a residency at Deco 5 Jazz Bar, Whitstable every Thursday.
“Emily’s live solo show incorporates a blend of old and new, blues to current r n’ b and even a little folk with an array of instruments to back up her arresting vocal performance”.
Current Projects
- Chix Wiv Pix “The Chix” (2010 – Current) * Blues, Rock * All Girl Band: Keys, Vocals
- Ladyfunk (2009-Current) * Funk, Soul * All Girl Big Band: Singer, Bandleader
- Smith, Power and Peasgood Trio (2009-Current) * Blues, Funk, Celtic and Beat-boxing Trio: Singer, Pianist
- Emily Peasgood and Frances Knight Duo (2010-Current) * Jazz, Soul, R ‘n B, Blues: Singer and Percussionist
- Emily & The Beats (2008-Current) * Funk, Blues, R n’ B, Reggae Band: Singer, Pianist
- Abnormally Funky (2005-Current) * Soul / Funk Party Band: Singer, Bandleader
Em’s Instruments
- Vocals
- Keys
- Percussion (Asalato, Djembe, Conga/Bongo)
- Flute
- Drum Kit
- Guitar (Acoustic)
- Harmonica (Blues, learning Chromatic!)
- Recorders