Born in a small town in northern Massachusetts, Emma Burgess grew up without much money or many friends, the latter thanks to the fact she moved around a lot as a kid. She did teach herself how to the play the guitar, however, and it was a guitar she brought with her on her drive across the country to Los Angeles, where she hoped to break into the entertainment world. Using the her birth name Brandi Emma, she found a few bit roles as an actress, as well as singing backup for acts like Peter Bradley Adams and playing regularly at local venues. It was at one of these venues that the head of indie label Love Yourself Records saw her performing and, impressed by what he heard, approached the young musician about signing with him. She agreed, and deciding to perform using the name Emma Burgess, released her full-length debut, Swim, in 2007. ~ Marisa Brown