This feature appears in V137, now available for purchase

At six years old, Em Beihold saw a piano in a store window and begged her parents to let her learn the instrument. “I thought that the cool kids played piano,” she says with a laugh. They agreed on the condition that she practice, something she admits she “didn’t really do.” But she did start writing songs at about seven. Raised on a variety of musical influences including Queen, the soundtrack to Hair, and her personal icon, Regina Spektor, the singer-songwriter realized she could wield the same magical power as her favorite artists. “I thought, if someone else writes a song that can make me feel that way, then I can do that too,” she says.

Fast-forward to 2022. At a time when having one hit on the platform is a feat, Beihold has had three of her irresistibly-catchy pop songs go viral on TikTok. You’ve probably heard her most recent chart-topper, “Numb Little Bug.” The saccharine sad-pop anthem caught on with Gen Z due to its candid discussion of mental illness, inspired by Beihold’s experience on antidepressants that left her feeling like the titular insect. On other tracks like “Groundhog Day,” “12345,” and “Too Precious,” Beihold delivers lyrics both melancholic and funny, intimate and universal—all in an enchanting, crystal-clear falsetto.

If she’s not a contender for the voice of a generation just yet, the release of her debut EP Egg In The Backseat in late July is sure to cement her status. The 23-year-old artist promises more “mental health anthems” as well as tracks about “boy drama,” which will advance her sound in a new direction while keeping with the ethos of her previous hits. She’ll also be traveling across the pond for a mini headline tour in Berlin, London, and Amsterdam, an experience she’s equal parts nervous and excited for. After that? Opening for King Princess in October. It’s clear the flourishing musician has a big year ahead of her, which she admits can be overwhelming. “It’s been crazy,” she says of the life-changing last few months. “I’m very grateful for it, but it’s really intense, too—I’m navigating a crash course in the music industry while a lot of things are coming at me at once. At the same time, it’s what I’ve always wanted.”

With her unapologetically quirky attitude and unmatched fl air for writing lyrics that encapsulate the feelings of an entire generation, it’s easy to understand why Beihold has found herself in the spotlight—and furthermore why it won’t be dimming down anytime soon.

This feature appears in V137, now available for purchase