Emily Holden is a New York City-based violinist, singer, composer and producer. With her classical violin training as the departure point, Emily’s curiosity and wide-ranging musical appetite have spawned an eclectic career and artistic practice.
Upon moving to New York in 2008 with indie rock band Futurist, Emily began to study electronic production under the mentorship of Todd Reynolds. She has since released two self-produced experimental pop EP’s under the name Soft Talon, and creates music for theatre, film and dance.
Emily is an active freelancer in New York, having performed and/or recorded with many renowned artists, including The Who, Louis Tomlinson (One Direction), Chairlift, Lady Lamb, Yungblud, and Snakehips. She has toured the US with hip-hop legend Kurtis Blow, and was the featured soloist in the touring production INDIA (by Franco Dragone of Cirque du Soleil).
Emily was recently featured as a vocalist on Lorenzo Wolff's Down Where the Valleys are Low: Another Otherworld for Judee Sill, where her performance of The Kiss was described as “ resemb(ling) an angel ascending into heaven" by KST 89.9.
Under the moniker Emily Simone, Emily maintains a busy schedule performing on electric violin for high-end and nightlife events, improvising with DJ’s over bumping dance music and creating more subtle ambient, immersive soundscapes.
Since 2013, Emily has worked extensively with Kansas City-based interdisciplinary performance company Quixotic, creating and performing original material for events and concerts around the world.