MySpace Hottie of the day - Emily King

Today, let's meet Emily King, an R&B singer from New York City. Emily was born as the child of two singers - one Italian, one African-American - who performed internationally as a jazz duo, Emily was exposed to music at an early age and always knew she would follow in her parents' footsteps. "I had a hard time in school, she says, "...because I already knew what I wanted to do, so I was like, let me just get started." At age 16, she got her GED and started writing songs. In fact, the very first song that she completed, "Business Man" - a commentary on heartless capitalists - is a central moment on her debut album East Side Story. "I always thought if I write a song, it's not going to be about relationships," she says. "There are so many things in this world to talk about." She quickly advanced from banging around on a guitar in her apartment to performing on the local folk club circuit at such noted venues as the Bitter End and CBGB's Gallery. Meantime, Emily discovered hip-hop and immersed herself in a culture that would add yet another ingredient to her musical mix. She met producer Chucky Thompson, a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's famed Hitman studio team who had recorded with Notorious BIG and Mary J. Blige. Thompson signed her to his production company, and together they began searching for the right sound to capture her eclectic tastes and styles. After taking her demos to various labels, they signed with J Records and began the process of making a real album.

"We came to the label with a lot of songs that I had written by myself in my kitchen," Emily says. "They were really into experimenting, and I'm glad we went through that process, but we came all the way around and ended up with those songs that we started with." With contributions from notables including producer Salaam Remi and Marsha from acclaimed rap duo Floetry, East Side Story brings together King's singer-songwriter foundation with soul-drenched vocals and fluid hip-hop beats to create a truly special blend - a place where the coffeehouse meets the dance floor. The lyrics are shot through with a real sense of Emily's life and personality, from the undulating first single, "Walk in My Shoes," to "It Was You," based on the story of her "biggest influence," her parents.

A lot has changed for Emily King in the years since she started writing the songs on East Side Story. Her compositions went from baby steps at home to performances alone onstage with a guitar to almost two years of toiling in the studio to bring them to their proper life. But, she says, that time has only strengthened her connection to this material.

"I've always been an observer," she says. "I've always really tuned in to people and their stories, their feelings. So when I started writing a lot of these songs, I hadn't actually experienced these things. But as I've gone through my own personal experiences, they definitely take a different face - like, wow, I really did go through that, so I can sing it with even more passion now."

Emily is quickly building her fan base by opening for R&B acts, Floetry, Lyfe Jennings, and Grammy winner John Legend.

If you would like to know more about this sultry R&B crooner or listen to tracks from her album East Side Story, check out her profile at http://www.myspace.com/emilykingmusic.