Miami Music Week was in full swing at the Ophelia Showcase held Thursday night at the MAPS Backlot in the heart of Miami’s Wynwood Art District. The atmosphere was vibrant, the crowd was energetic, and this Neon Owl team had the absolute privilege to sit down with the dynamic duo of Emma and Courtney, also known as Gem & Tauri, a new, but already established powerhouse in the Melodic House and Techno community. Our team was lucky enough to catch their first Miami Music Week set as Gem & Tauri right before we sat down for the interview, and we were all in agreement: “woah, that set was a switch-up that rocked our socks off!”. Though they stayed true to their house identity, being “funky, for funk’s sake”, this set featured heavier remixes and edits that had jaws dropping and fists bumping! Now, you may be wondering how this packed house of Bass music fanatics turned out in full support of their #funky vibes. That’s what this team aimed to find out!
Gem & Tauri first began their music careers in a partnership with Seven Lions in late 2019, but with the start of quarantine, they took their talents to the online stage in Seven Lion’s Visions streams, Anjuna’s Club Quarantine, Dirtybird, and many others. Since then, they’ve performed at iconic venues such as the Red Rocks and Gorge amphitheaters, with many festival and show appearances lined up for 2022! They attribute a lot of their success to their livestream sets, a medium through which they could showcase their funkiness without the immediate pressure of playing in front of large crowds. Slowly building up their discography with the release of their 4 track EP “All You Need”, working on a remix for MiTiS’ “Back to Me”, and even collaborating on an original with their good friend, Trivecta, in “Hear My Call”, they gained an insane amount of momentum when live shows returned, not to mention growing quite the adoring fan base. Even though they were a bit nervous at first, worried how their relationship would be received on stage or how Bass crowds would react to House music, those fears quickly subsided as they immediately felt “so welcomed” in the industry.
As many of our viewers know, being in a relationship while managing a business is not a walk in the park. It can be tough to keep the “Gem & Tauri business separate from [their] relationship, but [they’ve] learned how-to over time”. “It’s a bit of touch and go” learning how to manage each other’s expectations on stage and behind the scenes. Whether that means knowing when to “not mess with each other’s transitions” during sets or when to spend a night focusing on the Gem & Tauri business, and when to focus on their relationship. Granted, “the crossover can happen a lot, but [they] try not to make it SO strict to allow creativity to flow and flourish.”
Like for any business, they like to have their own dedicated roles in the brand. Emma is an amazing songwriter, having been the driving force in the lyrics of many of their recent tracks. Courtney’s main focus is on production, going so far as to enroll in production school. She feels it’s her duty to move to a place where they can create the music that they play on stage. Now that she’s in school learning the in’s and out’s of producing, she has fostered a huge respect for the producers that innovate so often in the industry. Sounds like their partnership is a match made in EDM heaven!
To us here at Neon Owl, the clear theme of this interview was authenticity and modesty in every regard. Emma and Courtney didn’t come into the industry thinking they knew it all. They constantly seek to learn more about the industry, more about production, and more about themselves as artists. They know “they were handed an amazing opportunity with Ophelia”, but also know “it takes dedication to take an opportunity and run with it”. They believe that if “you welcome yourself into the industry, that’s hardcore, but if you jump at it, you can succeed in that lane!”. We couldn’t agree more!
Gem & Tauri are so excited to continue making music, collaborating with other artists, and curating events with new talent to showcase all that the funky community has to offer! Also notably to our philanthropic organization at Neon Owl, they plan to continue to show their support for the causes they find near and dear to their hearts, such as the war in Ukraine and women’s health, two truly worthwhile causes! It was such a pleasure hearing them share their passions and tell their story, and we were truly humbled to have had the opportunity! Catch Gem & Tauri next performing at Project Glow in DC and the Escapade Music Festival in Ottawa, and learn more about these amazing artists down below!
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