Emerald Bluffs is a project started by Isaac Harris in Carbondale, Illinois, in 2020. Inspired by his own mental struggles and powered by his desire to share his art with a larger audience, Harris strives to tell his life’s story through song. He is entirely self-taught and is always developing his skills to continue to create new and interesting music through Emerald Bluffs. "All I Need" was inspired by Emerald Bluffs personal emotional state. He had been in a really low place mentally until he met his girlfriend, Reed. She inspired him and showed him he was capable of doing all he set his mind to. He wrote "All I Need" to honor that.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Emerald Bluffs, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
Hi Kamil I appreciate you wanting to sit down with me. I got into music in 2020 when the first Covid-19 quarantine hit. My friend Luke had given me a beat-up acoustic guitar that had sat in the backseat of my truck for at least a year, and I figured it was time to learn how to play. With all the time I had on my hands I was able to put a lot of effort into improving my skills.
While learning to play I realized my passion for songwriting. It was an incredibly therapeutic outlet for me and helped me stay sane during quarantine. Once the quarantine ended, I continued to ramp up my musical know-how and started studying theory while dabbling in playing several different instruments. Since then, I have played and written whenever I could whether it be on a lunch break or coming off a late-night shift at work. Music has become my passion and obsession.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I have always appreciated how original and honest the music of Neutral Milk Hotel is. They stay true to their own unique style and take creative risks. To be able to spend any time with them and to pick their brains would an unreal opportunity. They epitomize trusting your gut which is something I strive to do when I write.
Your latest song is 'All I Need'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
‘All I Need’ was inspired by my girlfriend, Reed. I had been going through a very tough time mentally and had just quit my job. I was down in the dumps and didn’t know how to proceed, but she continued to encourage me to follow my passion no matter the risks. So, in October of 2022, I decided to focus on my music and take some time away from full-time work. ‘All I Need’ speaks to the feelings of confidence and safety she has brought into my life.
‘All I Need’ came to me quicker than any song I had written previously and within 2 sessions I felt I had it right where I wanted it. Then there was the production. I have never fancied myself a producer and struggle with hearing loss, so I had been looking for a producer for some time. On a trip home from Bend, Oregon to Carbondale, Illinois, timing and preparation met to create a great stroke of luck and I was introduced to Wes Luttrell of Wally Opus Records. Wes allowed me to send him some of my work and his interest was immediately piqued by ‘All I Need’. He quickly got down to helping me make ‘All I Need’ what we both thought it could be. The song would not be what it is without his assistance.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
The majority of the music I am working on is very direct. I enjoy telling my story and don’t want to confuse listeners with riddles and hidden meanings. That being said, I may have a trick or two up my sleeve by the time I release my first album. Time will tell.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my overall effort and my willingness to stay true to my art at any cost. There have been countless days where I am so down on myself that I don’t want to get out of bed let alone be creative, but somehow, I almost always manage to sit down and put work in. If I had taken more days off and let the Black Dog win, I wouldn’t be where I am at today.
When I started writing I was very nervous of what people would think of my music even though at the time it was just for me. Because of that intrusive thought I would occasionally cater to what I believed people wanted to hear musically. Thankfully, I have a great support group that has encouraged me to be true to myself as an artist. My music wouldn’t be as unique if I did not have them around.
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
Lack of income. I wish I could sit and work on music all day, but unfortunately that can’t be my reality. I have to pay the bills somehow.
How do you structure your day?
During my time not working a 9-5 I have had the privilege of being able to go with the flow. Most mornings I wake up slowly, make breakfast, and have a cup of coffee before sitting down to work on something creative. Before I get too into my creative flow I try to stretch and get in touch with my body. Once I am limbered up, I work on projects for a half hour to an hour at a time. I find that spending more time than that can be wasteful and stressful. If an idea is going to come on a particular day, it comes in that first hour. I also try to work some exercise into my day and have recently begun bouldering.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I have always enjoyed spending time outdoors whether that be hiking or doing wildlife photography. My family instilled a love of nature in me at an early age and a lot of my music features nature-based motifs as can be heard in ‘All I Need’. Recently I have gotten into embroidery and love the creativity it allows me. With embroidery I find I have full control and perfection is what I make it. I feel similarly about creating music.
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
I love to sing in the shower and in the car as well. As a fully self-taught singer, those locations are where I have done almost all my practicing. As my mom likes to remind me, I wasn’t always a good singer growing up. I guess I have to thank her for allowing me to practice on the car rides to school all those years.
I’ll sing anything, but I prefer singing songs I believe compliment my vocal style. Current favorites of mine are Blind Melon and Marcy Playground.
What are your plans for the future?
My next step is getting a full-time job so I can fund the creation of an album. From there, I’m hoping to have my first album out by the end of the year so stay tuned. I am just getting started.