Wielding a voice that defies the size of her body and strong storytelling sensibilities, Emilia Dahlin has carved out her name as a unique songstress. She weaves mesmerizing tales (complete with Greek myths, robotic messiahs, epic floods, and tax evaders) with raw, rootsy folk and dynamic jazz vocals. Her well-crafted songs sound as if they've been left outside where time and weather have worn cracks for the wind to whip through. Her sky-rocketing energy is delivered with honesty.

While Emilia still enjoys writing and performing, a movement from making music FOR people to making music WITH people and a focus on intentionally using the powerful tool that music is in our learning spaces and communities powers her work as a teaching artist and community artist.

Throughout a twenty-year musical performing career that has taken her through the U.S., Canada, Brazil and Europe, Emilia has made Wabanaki territory (Maine) her home. Known for memorable performances, Emilia garnered national awards, from Telluride Troubadour, Winner of the Starbucks Music Makers Competition, Winner of Boston Music Conference Songwriting Competition, and the Great Waters Songwriting Contest.

Photo: Lauryn Hottinger

She garners great joy from collaborating and co-creating and believes that music and storytelling are some of the most powerful tools to foster connection between people and create positive social change.

 

Emilia's a performer-turned-community organizer.  Returning from a pilgrimage of global service that took her to sustainable and intentional communities around the world, she returned to New England to co-found The Transcendence Project with Deb Bicknell, which uses music as medium for building community locally and globally. She’s also an In Kinship Archives and Performance Fellow (2019-2020) co-creating work that connects people to the Penobscot river watershed and its stories through centering the knowledge of Penobscot native guides.

Emilia still resides in Gorham, Maine where she tends a homestead and is a hopeful gardener.   

Dahlin performs in many permutations, from solo to sextet.  Her longtime band-members are Adam Frederick or Colin Winsor (upright bass), Max Cantlin (lead guitar), Seth Kearns (drums and percussion), Kate Beever (vibes), and Sorcha Cribben-Merrill (guitar/vocals).

Emilia has opened for and shared stages with:

Ani DiFranco, The Wood Brothers, Andrew Bird, Danilo Perez, Louden Wainwright III, Tom Rush, Lori McKenna, Aztec Two Step, Paul Stookey and Peter Yarrow, Raining Jane, Mason Jennings…

Performance highlights include:

  • Playing over 600 shows nationally

  • Winner - Boston Music Conference Songwriting Competition

  • Named: Portland Magazine'sTop 10 Most Intriguing People

  • Winner - Great Waters Songwriting Contest

  • Winner - Starbuck’s Music Makers Regional Songwriting Competition

  • Finalist - Mountain Stage Newsong Northeast Songwriting Contest

  • Featured in Downeast Magazine’s “10 Musicians to Watch”

  • Reviewed in Performing Songwriter’s 100th Issue

  • Voted "Best Female Vocalist of 2005 through 2007" and "Best Singer/Songwriter of 2006". Portland Phoenix

  • Finalist in Telluride Bluegrass Festival's Troubadour Competition

See Projects for more info about:

  • Songwriting workshops with 450 Ocean Ave Elementary School students in Cumberland County, Maine

  • Recording with Artist/Activist, Claudinho Miranda and Poesia Samba Soul from Sao Paulo, Brazil

  • Co-facilitating a cross-cultural concert in partnership with Seeds Of Peace