Indie Duo emily + shawn Premiere Their New Single “What You Got”

There’s nothing much conventional about the indie duo emily + shawn, who are today unveiling their brand new single “What You Got.” Emily and Shawn are in fact a couple, but they don’t have the same type of rock n’ roll backstory typical of most musicians. Emily Welch is an immigration lawyer, while Shawn Welch’s day job is in the renewable energy field. They also both happen to be very stellar musicians who know a thing or two about writing a very radio-friendly pop song, like “What You Got.”

The song was inspired by a playful exchange between the two of them when Emily joked that she would ensure that Shawn pay the price if he ever cheated on her. The song sort of just came out of nowhere, and fit in well with the recording sessions that the pair were conducting in Upstate New York.

Commenting on the song, Shawn says:

“We feel like we’ve hit our stride with “What You Got,’ a sassy tribute to the soul-pop female singers of the ’60s and ’70s. We wanted to showcase a variation on our sound with Emily’s attitude and vocals front and center.”

Funky indie pop is the specialty of this young, dynamic, Brooklyn-based duo. Their songs are heavily influenced by their ethics, their experiences and interests, and their day-to-day interactions with each other, which they so playfully describe as “healthy clashes.” There’s a healthy dose of nostalgia in their songwriting, with a traditional approach to songcraft that’s reminiscent of when catchy melodies, vocal harmonies, and open and honest storytelling were the primary components of radio hits.

Emily began in musical theatre as a youngster, and excelled in the vocal lessons she took through high school and college. Shawn has had a DIY approach to music since he was a boy, writing original music and playing guitar since his preteen years. They are the perfect songwriting complement to each other, with Emily’s energy and spirit melding well with Shawn’s more relaxed, wistful approach. There may be spats along the way, but these two are showing all the evidence of a rapidly emerging songwriting couple that all the indie enthusiasts should be taking notice of.

Artwokr for the single “What You Got” by Emily + Shawn