Page 97 - Cityview_July_August_2014

Strutting about the stage
attention from everyone in the room like for herself in the music industry—but
wearing red cowboy boots and a light she’s dolly Parton or June Carter—all
on her own terms. in a world full of

brown vintage dress, emilie hamil-
of whom she counts as her musical
digitized cookie-cutter pop stars shaped
ton, more commonly known as emi role models. none of this is necessarily by record labels, sunshine’s authenticity

sunshine, flashes a quick smile toward out of the ordinary in east tennessee, and earnest talent is a breath of fresh air
the audience, followed by an enthusias- except for one thing: emi sunshine is 10 that represents the purity of the south.

tic “hey y’all,” and then begins finger- years old.
ask her who her heroes are, and she’ll

picking her ukulele with the skill and While most 10-year-old girls dream
respond without hesitation, “Well, i
passion of a seasoned performer. during of making their debut on the disney have three: Johnny, June, and Jesus.”

her set, she sings about heartbreak, Channel like Miley Cyrus, or follow-
she’s been seen playing in Market
faith, and even the dust bowl of the ing in the footsteps of country pop star square, at churches, on street corners,

1930s. she croons like Johnny Cash, taylor swift, sunshine, a native of Madi- and in concert venues around east

yodels like Jimmie rogers, and demands
sonville, tennessee, is creating a name
tennessee, and her goal is to one day

East Tennessee

has found its

next rising star

in 10-year-old

bluegrass singer

.

youtube videos of emi sunshine have
attracted thousands of views after

a video of her march performance
at the sweetwater flea market went

viral over one weekend.

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august 2014 cityviewmag.com 95