The Crescendo Café will be graced Thursday with the smooth voice of folk singer Emily Mure.
Mure’s musical roots branch back to her childhood, where she was inspired to play the oboe from her musician father and grandfather. After learning how to play guitar, Mure began to write her own songs, though the vulnerability of songwriting continues to be an obstacle for Mure to this day. At the same time, she manages to find pleasure in playing music and meeting new people from across the country — something she hopes to do here in Madison.
“I’ve never been to Madison, Wisconsin and I haven’t spent much time in Wisconsin in general, but I hear it’s a really great place culturally,” Mure said. “I’m just really excited to be in the city and play this venue.”
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Those attending the $7 show will be enchanted by Mure’s slow, acoustic melodies. Her music style is tailored to those who want to sit down with a glass of wine and relax, Mure said. When she plays live, she is wrapped up in her performance, but others have described the atmosphere as a calming, serene musical experience.
Even though she isn’t the performer to get on stage and rock-out, Mure’s intimacy makes up for this. She writes about personal struggles, such as the battle to find confidence and self-worth, evident by her recent album title, Worth. Knowing that other people can relate to these personal lyrics makes the writing process a little less difficult, Mure said. Being personal and individual can be hard for all musicians, but Mure encourages aspiring musicians to do the same.
“It’s really easy to get wrapped up in what other people are doing and how you think you should go about your music … and I think that’s a battle for all musicians,” Mure said. “My biggest advice is really allowing yourself to be whatever it is that you are. Try not to get too caught up in what other people are doing or feel like you should be a certain way.”
This advice seems to be working for Mure. She began her tour Oct. 9 and will continue performing until December. But, Mure is focused on more than just touring. She hopes to reach bigger audiences through licensing endeavors, which includes getting the music from her album onto TV shows and movies.
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This album is both similar and different to her past works. There was more spontaneity and experimentation in the studio, which led to more reverb on her voice and simpler lyrics, Mure said. The similarities include the combination of Mure’s classical background with the strings found in folk music. In the future, she plans to take these sounds to venues with great acoustics, such as The Egg in Albany, New York.
“It’s shaped like an egg and the acoustics are amazing,” Mure said. “It’s a big theater, so I’d really love to play The Egg some day. It’s not every day that you go to a venue shaped like an egg.”
Until she accomplishes that goal, Mure will continue on the road for her current tour in cities such as New York, Kalamazoo and Buffalo with her opener Bradley Thomas.
“I love playing new places and new venues and getting to see old friends and meet new people,” Mure said. “It’s really the experience of traveling and sharing my music with new people. That’s the reason I love touring.”
