Appalachian Voices: Emmalea Deal and the Hot Mess

Don’t look now, but there’s a musical movement coming from the Appalachian Region. As a native of the Appalachian region in Ohio and an alumni of Ohio University and West Virginia University, it’s on me to share some of these voices! Today we’re chatting with a killer band Emmalea Deal and the Hot Mess who are from West Virginia!

You are part of an emerging group of singer/songwriters and bands on the scene coming out of the Appalachian region (I’m from there too!), particularly West Virginia. Can you share how the region has impacted your sound and upbringing in music?

"My upbringing in Appalachia has definitely shaped who I am as an artist. Part of me grew up on bluegrass, roots, and country music because of my grandparents. I often would be a part of family jam sessions and would later start playing guitar with some help from my Grandpa and Brother. Thanks to the internet and video games like guitar hero and rock band- the other part of me growing up was exposed to rock and alternative music fairly early. As a young teen I went onto play traditional country and bluegrass in part of several bands locally but never felt like I was truly making the music I was connected with. No offense to those genres of course, I appreciate them a lot. I’ve played and enjoyed lots of music, but Appalachian culture and music is something that's always stuck with me fondly."

One thing I love about your music is that when people think of Appalachian music, they think of folk, bluegrass, country, and/or Americana. You all really bring the heat with a sound that is part throwback to grunge, while simultaneously bringing elements of punk, rock, and emo. How did you all arrive on the sound that you achieve as Emmalea Deal & the Hotmess?

"Everyone in this band grew up on alt music, so I think it just comes natural from our upbringing. We had a lot of cool little music scenes all over WV as well. We don’t really write with the intent to put something in a box, so it’s given us a lot of flexibility to touch on aspects we like to hear in our own music."

(Photo Credit - Rachel Taylor Photography)

Emmalea, you have some of the most powerful vocals I’ve heard in a while. You have a wide ranging register and can bring cleaner vocals, while also not being afraid to muddy it a bit with some bite that verges on screams. What’s clear is you take care with what you lay on tracks. What is your vocal background?

"Thank you! My voice was my first instrument. I was very vocal growing up- always singing, talking, and doing impressions. I knew from an early age I really enjoyed using my voice, so I sang and practiced any time I could. My voice does have a bit of rasp to it naturally- so I like to play off that into screaming territory at times. I am mostly self taught but have learned a lot from the musicians and producers I have worked with. Oh and also YouTube, YouTube has been an extremely useful tool."

We’re a little over a year out from the drop of your debut Why Do You Look Like Me? and y’all have been releasing some singles in the past month or so. Can you share some of the background on working through your debut and how that’s differed from the latest music y’all have released?

"Why Do You Look Like Me? felt very much like closing a personal chapter in my life. Most of the songs on that album had been in the works, had multiple revisions over the years, and I was in a bit of a creative slump-until the hot mess was formed. I like to think of it as something that bridges the gap between my past solo work and the band. With the more recent music we’re releasing it feels like we’ve really found a sweet spot in our creative process. There has been so much collaborating and writing between us this time around. The music we are currently working on has challenged us all in different ways, but it's very worth it because I can hear how we’ve really come into our own. I personally think the new songs are going to keep people on their toes."

Y’all did a pretty killer cover of My Chemical Romance’s “The Ghost of You”. How do you go about making a cover that on one hand stays true to the original but simultaneously puts your own stamp on it?

"Honestly this one came from a cover gig— emo night sort of thing. We picked that one to go into the regular set, so I think it evolved more as we performed it. I think we unconsciously made little changes as playing the song became more familiar to us vs. the original. We doubled down on that in the studio and tried to reference MCR’s version as little as possible. Glad you enjoyed it!"

I love your merch! Can you share the background on some of the cool design work that goes into your shirts and album art?

"My favorite part about our merch is collaborating with other artists to create something special. We have worked with multiple local and non-local graphic designers, digital artists, and tattoo artists for the merch we have released- as well as a few designs sketched up by myself. Most of our art is inspired by tattoo aesthetics, anime/comics, and weird critters (aka the two headed rat hoodie or mantis shooting laser beams from its eyes). Soft Core Ink is the genius behind all of our album art so far. He always manages to capture the essence of the song perfectly!"