Toronto singer-songwriter Emma Worley blends alternative folk and americana with lyrics that tuck grief, humour and introspection into the same fold. Following the release of her debut album, Sentimentalist (2022), Worley began touring and showcasing in North America. However, her career took a sudden pause as she dealt with a health diagnosis.

During this period, Worley turned inward and began to write. She gives us a glimpse into her process with the new single, “Buddy”. “This song is about the vertigo-inducing experience of running into an ex and being introduced as their friend,” explains Worley. “It’s that gut punch of feeling the life you built together erased in real time.

“Specifically, this song was written while driving home from the Danforth in Toronto after seeing my (very recent) ex play a show. I went into that night braced for big feelings, but wasn’t prepared for the emotional free fall of being introduced to their tour manager as their best friend. In retrospect, I think that was actually a very sweet thing to say!”

Hailing from Guelph, Ontario, and now residing in Toronto, Worley spent many years dedicated to a career as an emerging visual artist. Upon graduating from the Ontario College of Art and Design University, Worley garnered attention for her sculpture/installation work through exhibitions, installations, and residencies at various high-profile institutions. However, despite her burgeoning success in the visual-arts world, Worley found herself compulsively drawn towards creating the material that would become her debut album, Sentimentalist. Pulling from lived experience, triumph, heartbreak, and everything in between, the wisdom and grace of this collection is telling of Worley's dedication to relatable storytelling and emotional finesse.