2021: A YEAR OF LEARNING AND DISCOVERING

A Month-by-Month Look Back...

JANUARY:

I kicked off the New Year with family in Arizona, but my mind was busy with plans and dreams for the upcoming year. I was hard at work and eventually launched my very own subscription based internet community: The Community by Emily E. Finke on January 28th. My goal for the first year was to have 10 members. As of Dec. 31st, 2021, The Community is a booming success with 22 members!

FEBRUARY:

I purchased my very first microphone and recording equipment, and my career was forever changed. I had no idea at the time that I was on a new road of discovery that would lead to audio engineering and releasing fully self-produced music. I was just a girl with stars in her eyes trying her hardest to become better and achieve greater things.

MARCH:

Perhaps not the busiest of months in quality but certainly in quantity. March saw a boom of content released in The Community and on YouTube thanks to my new recording equipment that I was eager to learn all about. I also worked my first Brand Ambassador job in over a year and had an absolutely wonderful time back on the job working for Hyundai at the Sebring International Raceway's "12 Hours of Sebring"!

APRIL:

With a solid understanding of my recording equipment acquired, ideas started popping up like daisies, the first of which was to diversify. Enter my friend and fellow musician, Gene Goodwin. We recorded our highly regarded cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” as a trial run with the new equipment, and a new world of opportunities was revealed! Throw in a new short story written and shared in The Community, and April was a fairly successful month.

MAY:

With the year almost half gone, it was time for a slight shift in projects. When I purchased my recording equipment in February, my goal was to release fully produced music videos. Now, with the learning curve overcome, I could make this goal a reality. May was full of lots of “first” and “new” things as I planned and began work on my first video including sewing/making my very own costume complete with this turn-of-the-century hat.

JUNE:

June launched my career in a whole new direction with a vast store of possibilities open before me. Not only did I produce, film, and release 2 music videos in the month of June, I also released one of the songs as an official single! “In the Good Old Summertime” will forever stand as a symbol of my hard work, dedication, and faith as I put my trust in God to lead me through this journey. He led me to where I never dreamed I would go and helped me create something of which I could not be prouder.

JULY:

With the previous month’s successful release under my belt, I was more motivated than ever to explore the possibilities and unleash my creativity in this new medium. The weeks were flying by and the year was already half gone, but I was doing what I loved. For that, I was extremely grateful. But new opportunities were around every corner, and I was once again back at work as a Brand Ambassador, this time for NBC at Universal Studios as the lead BA overseeing and working with a great group of BAs. I had so much fun! Add a wonderful holiday (July 4th) to the mix, and it was a pretty swell month.

AUGUST:

“Alexander’s Ragtime Band” finally worked its way out of production and into the world of music as my 2nd single of the year! Complete with my favorite music video that I created this year (and possibly ever), I would say this month was a success. After 8 months of exciting projects, lots of learning, unrelenting work, and one last song through production and sent to be mastered, it was time for a break.

SEPTEMBER:

Remember that break I mentioned? Yeah, I couldn’t take it yet. There was a new song to prep for release, new videos to record with Gene, and a secret project which had been brewing in the background for months was nearly ready for production. “Till the Clouds Roll By” finished out my year of song releases, and, with a few days left in the month, I finally took a break.

OCTOBER:

That break didn’t last very long, and I was soon back at work preparing for an upcoming recording session, writing poems, celebrating my 22nd birthday, working through some life changes, and I even started writing a novel called “A Place Among Giants” of which I have been sharing one chapter at a time in The Community. On top of all that, Christmas content plans were well underway.

NOVEMBER:

Rehearsals, recordings, rehearsals, recordings, and more rehearsals… November flew by in a whirl of music. The month began with a rehearsal for my upcoming recording session followed closely by the recording session at Echo Beach Studios. It was the best feeling in the world to be back in an actual recording studio with a group of musicians! Aside from a marvelous Thanksgiving holiday, the recording session was the highlight of the month. But Gene and I were also very busy rehearsing and recording songs for Christmas videos, and I was also rehearsing songs for 2022 with my vocal coach. A new chapter written for my novel and a new music video shared in The Community rounded out the month quite well.

DECEMBER:

Holidays are no time for slowing down! It was a busy month with the filming of Christmas videos, one last recording session at Echo Beach Studios to record my final vocals, editing and posting the Christmas videos throughout the month, and a LIVE Christmas performance intermingled amongst time with family and friends, watching all our favorite Christmas movies, and lots of work and planning for the New Year. Remember that secret project I mentioned? It’s coming early 2022 due to lots of hard work through the holidays. It's been an extremely busy month and year, but I am happy to report that I am currently taking a short hiatus, spending lots of time with my family, and heading into the the New Year well-rested.

I never anticipated this year would be the year it turned out to be. Amidst some health concerns and life changes, God has been good through it all. There have been new friends, old friends, drawing closer as a family, and many new experiences, knowledge, and opportunities gained. Overall, it’s been a wonderfully successful and blessed year, and I am extremely grateful for every one of you who has been along with me on this journey. It's been fun looking back and reminiscing, but it's almost time to close this chapter called 2021. I'm looking forward to the New Year with great anticipation as I have big things planned for 2022!

May God bless the upcoming year in a big way, and may He keep you safe and healthy. Cheers, friends! See you all in 2022!