'Music has given me a purpose and way in life, it makes me matter to others and myself'
Emma-Jean Galliard is not your average Gen Z teenager. While many of her peers are eye-glued to TikTok chasing the next viral sound, she is at home listening to classics like Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel and Elton John. She’s also one half of a musical partnership with… her dad.
Dad Adrian and Emma-Jean are presently performing their collaborative production Striking A Chord at Theatre on The Square in Mandela Square. The show runs until 7 September and it’s a “don’t miss this” run that promises a 70-minute set filled with Broadway, pop and classical music. There’s no Khanye in the set. Phew!
The father and daughter collaboration began with a home video during the pandemic lockdown in 2020. Then 11-year-old Emma-Jean and her father sang The Prayer in their lounge, uploaded it to Facebook and within days were watched by millions. Mistakenly introduced by international media as Andrea Bocelli’s granddaughter, Emma-Jean had her first taste of stardom then.
They mistook her for Andrea Bocelli’s granddaughter
“Music was and has always been, the most constant aspect of my life therefore I could never see myself doing anything else,” she said. “The sudden recognition and appreciation was overwhelming and really opened my eyes to the endless opportunities that could lie ahead.”
Performing with her dad is part and parcel of what this Gen Z artist said is her path. “These opportunities to perform on stage with him are truly God sent,” she said.
“I sometimes forget how lucky I am to have such a patient and supportive singing partner and I couldn’t ask for more.”
Years of singing together has made their harmony and blend instinctive.
“Although we don’t realise it, as we have performed together for so many years, the way in which our voices blend in that sweet spot, hold a note or match each other’s phrasing is so in sync and definitely something completely unique to us.”
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It’s also 100% collaborative. “As a musician it is always difficult to decipher for yourself exactly what is going wrong or needs to be fixed, so having a second opinion is always very helpful even when we don’t really want to hear it,” she said.
Dad helps her with interpretation, while she keeps him honest on stagecraft. “I will give him tips on his dancing and how to make it a bit more natural for him and he will often give me tips on portrayal of lines and songs.”
She loves the classics
Unlike Gen Zs who follow digital music, Galliard developed a taste for the classics. “I mostly listen to music from the ‘ 70s to the early 2000s with Billy Joel, Elton John, Kings of Leon, Fleetwood Mac and the Goo Goo Dolls being some of my all time favourite artists and bands.”
She said those decades produced songs that endure. “It’s the type of music that really makes you feel something and in my opinion that is what music should do, it should be timeless and meaningful.”
Twenty first century music can be seen as mass produced, especially Gen Z’s playlists. “Music is definitely much more accessible and easies to record and share, serving as the reason my dad and I are where we are in our musical journey,” she said.
“However I do believe that social media can become controlling over the kind of content and music we release, taking away from the true intent we have for our music and focusing more on views and engagement.”
Striking a Chord, she said, captures both her nostalgia and ambition. The programme includes tracks like Time to Say Goodbye, Sound of Silence, I Dreamed a Dream and Defying Gravity. There are also Barry Manilow favourites, a classical mash-up of O Sole Mio and the songs that made their name, The Prayer and Pie Jesu.
“This show is really special. It’s fun, it’s moving and we can’t wait to share it with our South African fans again,” she said. “Expect goosebumps, and maybe a few giggles.”
School and theatre lives, separate
Theatre life is kept separate from her school life. “I tend to keep my music life quite separate from my school life as I haven’t always had supportive responses to my music from my peers,” the Gen Z artist said.
“So, many people at school would probably not know about our performances at Theatre on the Square. However, my close friends, who are coming are extremely supportive.”
“I want to pursue music as my career, my dream being to study overseas and eventually perform on all the major stages,” she said. Music gives purpose.
“It provides me with perspective on how different people connect to different songs and has taught me to appreciate just living in the moment. Most of all music has given me a purpose and way in life, it makes me matter to others and myself.
“I really hope that after each performance we were able to touch each audience member in some way. But most of all I want to leave the audience with hope. Our show talks to the hope of music, our futures and our country, if I can leave one person with a little bit more hope I will be overjoyed.”
Tickets for Striking a Chord are available through Webtickets.
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