Born to an Italian father and Dutch mother, Emma Castellino grew up in a small village in the French countryside near Lyon—a singer-songwriter and producer building her career entirely on her own terms, a true DIY artist from day one.
Before music took over, Emma was on track to become a professional football player. But music was always there, quietly waiting. Growing up, her father filled their home with Pink Floyd, John Mayer, and Ronny Jordan, eventually inspiring her to pick up the guitar.
Emma taught herself everything « in secret, » writing her first songs around sixteen. « I create because that’s what I’m here to do, » she says simply. What began as a private outlet became undeniable by late 2019, when she released her first original track. The floodgates opened. Within a year, she’d released seven singles, two EPs, and a full album—all self-produced.
For Emma, the creative process is instinctive, almost mysterious. « My latest theory is that my subconscious is the genius—I’m just here to execute, » she laughs. « How many times I’ve come up with words or melodies that came out of nowhere… but it’s always expressing something, even when we’re not conscious of it. » It’s precisely this unfiltered honesty that allows listeners to connect, even when they don’t catch every lyric. The feeling is there, in the music.
The pace shifted when Emma moved abroad to study in Malta for three years, though she continued releasing music, including a short album that captured her time there—ilostmyway. It was also during this period that her EDM project colormeblue. emerged, notably with a remix of heylucas’ « my rose » that landed a Netflix placement in Never Have I Ever.
After earning her communications degree, Emma finally committed to music full-time. True to form, she set herself an ambitious challenge: releasing two songs per month for an entire year, from July 2023 to June 2024, in a series she called « tapes. » She compiled the project into a double album, mysideofthestory (the tapes), released in December 2024.
With that marathon behind her, Emma turned her attention to live performance. In October 2024, she stepped on stage for the very first time—no small feat for someone admittedly shy. But she took to it quickly, gaining confidence through a handful of 2025 shows before forming her first proper band.
Emma doesn’t believe in forcing creativity. « Sometimes we just have nothing to express—why force it then? It’ll come naturally when you have something to say. » The best tip she’s come across? « Record melodies you hear in your head. That’s genius. It’s my mantra since then. »
For her, music is a companion through life, albums especially. « I love albums. I know specifically what I was going through and where I was at the time of each favorite album of mine. » She appreciates listening so much that sometimes she thinks, « Why bother go through the hassle of making some? » she laughs. « But still, it makes me want to do that my whole life. »
Never one to sit still, she produced and released a small EP in summer 2025 and is now planning to release singles throughout 2026 while preparing for her first band concerts and the recording of her « debut » album, set for 2027.
Her music isn’t about delivering a specific message—it’s about creating space for whatever resonates. « The music is not about me, » she insists. « It’s my experiences, but everyone will connect with something different—a lyric, a rhythm, a guitar riff. And it could even have a different meaning than mine. »
