emelise

Our Colorado's Best kid is going to knock your socks off! Eleven year old Emelise Munoz is a soulful singer, songwriter, and musician from Broomfield. She's spending her Summer traveling and performing her favorite songs, many of them she wrote herself.

If you'd like to catch Emelise's shows, she has several upcoming events that are FREE! She'll be at Swallow Hill at the Turf Theater in Denver on July 21 at 7 p.m., then Muddy Buck in Evergreen on August 11 at 6 p.m., and at the Erie Farmer's Market on August 17 at 5:30. - KDVRJILLIANBLACKBURN

Nine-year-old wins hearts of music lovers
June 26, 2015
By BRIAN WIERIMA , Island Reporter, Captiva Current, Sanibel-Captiva Islander
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A crowd is amassing around a street corner during the June Music Walk in downtown Fort Myers, as a rendition of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" is being belted through the ether, as smiles emanate on the faces of the onlookers.

The voice hits all the octaves needed, while the chords being strum on the guitar are fast and catchy. It's a dead-on match for the Cash classic, except for one thing and one thing only - it's being performed by a nine-year-old girl.

That girl is Emelise Munoz, and she is singing the song that Mr. Cash would smile proudly to. Her guitar playing times perfectly with the lyrics and her natural ability to attract the people in to listen is uncanny.

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It's talent, passion and confidence all rolled into Munoz' nine-year-old body.

"She is the full package, she has it all," said Munoz' guitar teacher Mike Stirn. "She has no fear and everything she does, she is aggressive with."

That is seen in Emelise's performance, as she hits the notes almost to a "T", which is timed perfectly with her guitar or ukulele playing.

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Emelise Munoz plays her guitalele - a cross between a classic guitar and a ukelele, which has six strings - during her June 19 performance.

BRIAN WIERIMA

But what draws in the audience like moths to a light, is her natural and passionate way she plays to the crowd. Her facial mannerisms when she yodels in the song "Blue Yodel" to when she is hitting the low notes in "The House of the Rising Sun", is directly transferring to the audience.

"She is genuine and people just get very intrigued with her," said Stirn, who has played with Emelise at such places as Woody's on Surfside in Cape Coral and Pete's Timeout on Fort Myers Beach. "Right now, she has personality, she's a darling girl, who has strength and is aggressive. Those are attributes you usually don't find out there."

But even though she is at the young-old age of nine, it didn't happen overnight.

She picked up music at the age of three and was asking her parents, Brian and Valerie Munoz, for a guitar by the age of four.

"We waited until she was five and we ended up getting her a Guitalele, which a cross between a guitar and ukelele," Brian said. "It's a six-string guitar, and is the size of a ukulele. It is easier for Emelise to play, because she is smaller and she can get her arms around it."

They also say musical talent can be genetic, but in the Munoz' case, it wasn't.

"Neither of us have musical talent," Valerie laughed. "But Emma has a great memory, so that helps, too, when she is playing."

The transition was smooth, as she started music lessons soon after getting her Guitalele. But what was quite amazing, was the fact she picked up learning music notes and chords almost immediately and that transferred right into becoming a dual threat of singing and playing guitar or ukulele.

"She learned the chords while singing the song," Brian said. "She just sung it to herself and soon after be playing it. I have a strong feeling, when she was singing and playing together, that helped her a lot."

The Munoz' sent Emelise to Stirn for music lessons, which put her on the fast track.

What Stirn realized early on was that Emelise was a very unique talent, with an amazing ability to play in front of people.

"Her composure is amazing," Stirn said. "She started with me when she was five years old, and at that age, most are attention deficit. But Emelise was always focused during the entire lesson. Although she didn't pick it up right away, I saw she had natural ability."

Add in a big shot of determination and "practice, practice practice" - Emelise began vast jumps of improvements and soon enough, she was entertaining other people with her music.

It started when her grandma would take her to some smaller restaurants to play and the owners would ask her to perform. As her talent and skill grew, so did her venues for playing.

"I was just happy I get to be in front of all those people and get to see their smiles," Emelise said of her biggest thrill of playing in front of an audience.

When Stirn had gigs to play, the Munoz family would come to listen.

"I play in a little duo, so I started having her come out to places like Cape Harbour and she would sing," Stirn said. "I will never forget, when she got done singing at Cape Harbour, she received a great ovation and people started giving her money."

So instead of the monthly trips to Disney World, the Munoz parents were busy traveling to events such as Downtown Fort Myers Music Walk, Fort Myers Beach and different places Emelise could perform.

And there were ways Emelise could coax her parents into bringing her to her stage.

"It was a Sunday afternoon and we just got back from a trip and here is Emelise unpacking the car, going back and forth," Brian recalled. "I told Valerie, how nice of it that Emma was unpacking the car without being told."

But there was a little bit of an agenda behind Emelise's work detail.

"So after she was done unpacking, she comes up to me and says, 'Can we now go down to Fort Myers Beach so I can play?! Please!'" Brian said. "I couldn't say no and so I packed up her gear. I act like her roadie on our trips."

Fort Myers Beach was a destination where people flocked to hear Emelise sing and play.

On one occasion, when she was performing in "The Round" at Fort Myers Beach, she was surrounded by literally hundreds of onlookers. They didn't want to see her quit playing and Emelise, of course, obliged.

"She was playing and I told her, let's wrap it up, it's time to go," Brian said. "She turned around and said, 'One more song.' So, she played one more song and the crowd started chanting, 'One more song! One more song!' So, she played another song."

But the encore wasn't over yet.

"And they did that again after I got done with that one too," Emalise added with a huge smile.

Another musical virtue Emelise has is endurance. When she plays as a street performer for the Music Walk, she will cycle through a music set of up to 15 songs, three or four times.

"She is a machine when she is playing," Stirn said. "How far she has come along, is just incredible."

Her biggest performance came along side of her inspiration, Emi Sunshine, an 11-year-old singing sensation. After getting tickets to see her in Fort Myers and after some correspondence between the two fledgling stars, Emi Sunshine asked Emelise up on stage to play a song or two with her.

In typical Emelise fashion, she was right up front and center without hesitation, as the two sung a couple of songs and also where Emi taught her new friend Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven".

"It was such an experience, it's hard to put it in words," Emelise said of the show.

Even though Emelise doesn't have a record contract or tour lined up, she is building a fan base, with the nearly full guitar case in front of her containing one, five, 10 and sometimes 20-dollar bills, can attest to.

Although at no time during Emelise's performances does she ask for any sort of monetary donation, people appreciate her music highly, with many stopping up and dropping a bill in the case, along with a few words of encouragement or gratitude.

After each song, Emelise shows her own gratitude with a courteous "Thank you", and starts right into another classic hit as another group of people join the already blossoming crowd.

"She keeps every dollar and goes to the bank to deposit it for herself," Brian said. "She also has bought her own musical equipment, which she has taken pride in."

For the last couple of years, Emelise has been gaining fame as "that girl with the guitar" in the Fort Myers and Cape Coral area. But unfortunately, her newfound fans will have to wait until she comes back on a real tour to enjoy her show.

The Munoz' started their move to Colorado last Monday, June 22, after Brian (who was an assistant principal at Mariner Middle School) and Valerie (who was a teacher at Caloosa Elementary) took new jobs.

It was a sad day for music lovers and those who enjoyed Emelise's songs.

"I was quite sad about Emma and her family moving," Stirn said. "I even jokingly asked Valerie that I would love to adopt her and keep her here. Obviously, Valerie didn't like that idea."

So the June Music Walk on June 19, was Emelise's encore for Fort Myers.

And she didn't disappoint.

During her second song, which included her yodeling in "Blue Yodel", the moths started flocking to the light.

Then when she played her favorite song, "Folsom Prison Blues" and transitioned it flawlessly into "Ring of Fire", there was a wall of people in front of Emelise.

It is the genuine passion she sings with, which ultimately people are attracted to and that shows in the smiles of the audience.

Her set list, which is drawn up in the car on the way to her show, includes a heavy amount of old-time classic country, Americana music and folk classics like "Zip-a-dee-do-dah" and "You are My Sunshine."

She has a total of 30-plus songs in repertoire, all in which she gives a little of Emelise-touch to.

Her future is obviously a bright one, with one of her ultimate goals is to play in the Grand Ole Opry.

There are not many, if any, doubters out there, either.

"I think she could go anywhere with this," Stirn said. "If she can keep her uniqueness in a very fickle business, I think she can excel in it."

Emelise carries the tune, the voice, the confidence and the look of a future star.

Her bandana-clad head, smiling eyes and guitar/ukulele playing fingers maybe heading out of town - but be assured - the music isn't stopping from this passionate, young girl. - By BRIAN WIERIMA , Island Reporter, Captiva Current, Sanibel-Captiva Islander

Ten-year-old music sensation comes back to area for encore
June 29, 2016
By BRIAN WIERIMA (news@breezenewspapers.com) , Fort Myers Beach Bulletin, Fort Myers Beach Observer
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A clapping ovation can be heard emanating from Ford's Garage outdoor seating area during the June Fort Myers Music Walk, as "House of the Rising Sun" is being played across the street.

Onlookers walking past instantly turn their heads, stop and listen dead in their tracks.

Those familiar sightings of onlookers with big smiles on their faces during the popular Music Walk in Downtown Fort Myers can mean only one thing the return of musical prodigy Emelise Munoz.

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Singing “House of the Rising Sun,” Emelise Munoz started drawing a crowd during the Fort Myers Music Walk June 16.

BRIAN WIERIMA

Now at the ripe old age of 10-years-old, Munoz wowed music fans with her high-energy and ukulele-playing songs, performing them in such places as on the streets during Music Walk and in the beach square area at Fort Myers Beach.

But the music by Munoz went silent last summer, after her family moved to Boulder, Colo., where her parents, Brian and Valerie Munoz, took jobs in the Boulder School District.

Luckily for fans and people who never had the chance to experience her performances, the Munoz' still own their house in Cape Coral and made it back in June for a family vacation. So there was no question that Emelise was going back to her old stomping grounds and put on another popular and fun show.

"I love Florida!" Emelise proclaimed in the microphone during the June 16 Music Walk. "Thank you for having me again!"

Over the course of the last year, Emelise's young musical career has blossomed in Colorado. She has played four times with nationally-known Emi Sunshine, who has opened for such acts as Willie Nelson and has played the Grand Ole' Opry 13 times.

The young duo, even took to the streets of Denver one night, to play where Emelise has now conquered as a street performer.

"People in the street had no idea what they were walking past," Brian Munoz laughed. "The two girls have become very good friends and playing with someone as big as Emi, doesn't faze Emelise at all."

But Emelise is making a name for herself in the Boulder, Denver and Veil area, as well.

She plays on the popular Pearl Street, where she draws crowds of 50-100 at times. While performing on a Veil street one night, a couple who were adoring her, ended up offering her a job.

"They came up to me and said she has to play at their wedding cocktail hour at the Omni Resort (in Veil)," Brian said. "Em was pretty excited to hear that."

Another gig Emelise landed is at the Boulder International Film Festival, which is a Red Carpet event and draws such big names as Alec Baldwin.

A story which Brian loves to tell is the night Emelise was playing in a microbrewery called "Twisted Pine Brewing Co." for the first time. The house was full with several different Christmas parties going on, as well.

"When she started playing 'House of the Rising Sun,' the entire building went quiet, you could hear a pin drop," Brian said. "After Emelise was done playing, the owner walked up to her and said, 'I've owned this place for over 20 years, and that's the best memory I have now.' That was pretty cool."

It's not just the new venues Emelise is playing in which has expanded her musical horizons, but she is also learning how to write songs. She made a debut of her song, "Missing You", during her return to the Fort Myers Music Walk on June 16.

"I wrote that song for my best friend Kaylee Lambert, who still lives in Cape Coral (and who was in the crowd to hear it)," Emelise said. "I wrote it to dedicate to her."

Her first song she ever wrote was a couple of years ago, called "Papa".

"I wrote that one when I was visiting Illinois and I was away from (Brian) for a while," Emelise said. "I wrote it when I wasn't near him and that we should see each other more."

She describes her songs as more country and a process in which she has fun with.

"It's really, really fun," she said. "When I write songs, I have at least three verses and two choruses, then I will scat and use finger picking. There's a lot of variety to it."

Emelise has also added at least another 15 cover songs to her ever-growing list. She estimates she has learned at least 100 different songs to date.

Another song she sings during her two to three-hour performances, is an Emi Sunshine song, called "Bobbing in the Sea".

"I play three to four times a week," Emelise said. "I just want to soak it all up!"

With her growing savings account in which she builds by people giving her tips, along with some of the early gigs she has earned, Emelise is not only saving for college, but is adding to her instrument collection.

"She bought herself a very nice amp," Brian said. "Her voice has improved so much from a year ago, that it carries so much better, she has such great range now."

Emelise's future goal is to play in a band, but also keeping it in the family.

"My younger brother, Evan, is learning how to play the ukulele and when my youngest brother, Carter, gets a little older, we'll have him learn the drums," Emelise said.

Even though Emelise is still a solo act, her fan base is no longer limited to the Fort Myers-Cape Coral area. Instead it has expanded halfway across the United States, to where Colorado fans now know exactly the joy a little, but talented, 10-year-old bundle of energy can bring to the music world.

Save | Post a comment | - By BRIAN WIERIMA (news@breezenewspapers.com) , Fort Myers Beach Bulletin, Fort Myers Beach Observer

Three Young Colorado Musicians Making Headlines
They can rock as hard as (or harder than) the grown-ups.

BY EMILY WILLIAMS | 5280 JUNE 2017

Many Colorado kids spend their summer breaks hiking, swimming, and s’mores-ing at camp. Not Jaden Carlson, Jessica Shand, and Emelise Muñoz. These local wunderkinds give “band camp” a whole new meaning: Over the next three months, they’ll perform at venues across the country—and the world. Meet the impressively young local musicians responsible for producing your summer soundtrack.

Emelise Muñoz
Age: 11
Hometown: Broomfield
Genre: Americana
Summer Shows: Solo performances at Swallow Hill Music (July 21) and the Muddy Buck in Evergreen (August 11)
What Muñoz is listening to: EmiSunshine’s “Folsom Prison Blues” cover

Emelise Muñoz’s soulful pipes have captivated audiences since she started performing at open mics when she was four. She gained even more clout this past February after winning Amateur Night at NYC’s Apollo Theater with a rafter-rattling rendition of the Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun.” Yet Muñoz’s biggest move will come in the next few months, when she heads to Nashville to record an EP of original material written with her father, Brian. That’s almost as monumental as getting ready to start sixth grade.

This article appeared in the 5280 June 2017 issue of 5280. - BY EMILY WILLIAMS | 5280 JUNE 2017

Emelise Muñoz. Photo by Dan Aponte
This 11-Year-Old Might be Country Music’s Next Big Star

Emelise Muñoz captivates crowds in Denver—and across the country—with some serious pipes and a bit of charisma.

BY JENNY MCCOY | OCTOBER 20, 2017
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5280.comMusic
Emelise Muñoz began singing at age two. At four, she performed at her first open mic; at seven, she secured a permit to sing and play guitar on the streets of Fort Myers, Florida; and this year, at 11, she won Amateur Night at New York’s famed Apollo Theater with a soulful rendition of “The House of the Rising Sun.”

“I don’t even remember a time when I wasn’t singing or playing,” Muñoz says. “I just love the sound of music and have always wanted to make it myself.”

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At just 4’6”, the sixth grader is an unassuming source for the powerful pipes and natural charisma that captivates crowds. Born in Florida, Muñoz now lives in Broomfield with her parents and two younger brothers. She frequently posts up around town with her mic, guitar and ukulele, crooning ballads like “I Walk the Line,” “Hallelujah,” and “Build Me Up Buttercup” along with original songs. You may have seen her at the First Friday Art Walk on Santa Fe, or on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall, or at 15th and Larimer—her favorite spot in the city. She also regularly performs at venues in the Denver area—and across the country from Nashville, Tennessee to Santa Monica, California to Rock Island, Illinois.

We chatted with Muñoz to hear more about her passion for songwriting, her friendship with fellow musical wunderkind EmiSunshine and the lucky boots she wore at The Apollo. Her mom, Valerie Muñoz, chimes in.

Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

5280: Who are your top musical inspirations?
EM: Elton John, Johnny Cash and Elle King—and so many others. When I was really little, we [Muñoz and her parents] used to have a Jeep Wrangler and would take off the top and listen to Elton John and Johnny Cash. I just fell in love with the music.

How many hours a week do you practice?
About 10. I also take two guitar lessons, a voice lesson, and a song writing lesson each week.

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By this point you’re no stranger to the stage, having performed in more than 100 shows throughout the years. But do you ever get nervous before you perform?
I never really get nervous in front of an audience. When I was little and first started performing (around age six), I got a little nervous, but I would think about me being in my guitar lesson and that helped. I also love any crowd—and I think they would love my music because I’m not just any other girl. I love old time country and any Americana song, and I think that’s different.

What’s your favorite song at the moment?
Right now I am listening to “Free Falling” by Tom Petty. I just started learning that song a few days ago.

Can you tell me more about your relationship with EmiSunshine, the 13-year-old country music prodigy from East Tennessee?
I’ve always been a fan and a couple years ago, I went to her concert in Florida. I met her after the show, and she said that she could tell I was a musician even though I didn’t have my ukulele out, just from the way I was watching I guess. That first day we met, she taught me “Stairway to Heaven,” and we’ve been performing together ever since.

What’s your favorite song to perform?
I really like “My Church” by Maren Morris. It was pretty tricky to learn—very hard to strum at first—but I liked how hard it was and how cool it sounds now that I got the hang of it.

How many different instruments can you play?
I mainly play electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and the ukulele. But I can also play the banjolele [a banjo-ukulele hybrid], and the guitalele [a guitar-ukulele hybrid]. The guitalele was actually the first instrument I ever learned to play, since I was too small for a regular size guitar.

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You’ve played at the Apollo Theater in New York three times this year, winning two Amateur Night performances and coming in second at a third. What was it like performing on that iconic stage in front of such a large audience?
I remember I was out at recess in fifth grade when I got the first call back to perform at the Apollo, back in February. I couldn’t believe it. And then just being there—there were a ton of stars that played there, and I was so honored to step on stage where Michael Jackson had stood. I loved that crowd—they were an incredible crowd.

In addition to singing and playing guitar, you’re also passionate about songwriting and have plans to head to Nashville soon to record an EP of your original music. What’s the songwriting process like for you?
I start with a title and then create a melody. Then, I’ll create the chorus, which is the most important part to me. After I do the chorus, I’ll create verses and then the bridge. My favorite song that I’ve written is a new one called “Shades of Blue.” It’s about heartbreak and this girl who wants revenge. But then she figures out that’s not a good way to go. And she finds a happy life. It was inspired by a woman who came up to me after one of my shows and shared her story.

How do you decide what to wear to a performance?
Picking my outfit is my favorite part of getting ready for a show! I try to always do a vintage outfit and to wear something different every single time, which is getting hard at this point. I really like wearing jeans when I street perform and dresses for shows. I also have my favorite boots that I call my Apollo boots because I wore them at the Apollo Theater. They’re short, navy blue Tucker and Tate boots with heels and a white vintage flower pattern. They’re my good luck boots.

How does Denver compare to the other cities you’ve performed in like Nashville, Fort Myers and Santa Monica?
There is a lot of opportunity in Denver for me and a lot more places to perform than in Fort Myers. I also just love the feel of Denver—the changing seasons. My favorite place to perform around Denver is 15th and Larimer. There’s a beautiful view of downtown and the mountains, and there are usually lots of people that come from Comedy Works and nearby restaurants.

[To Valerie Muñoz]: You’re often standing out in the crowd when Emelise performs. What’s it like watching her perform?
Being out in the crowd, a lot of people don’t know that I’m the mom. I’ll hear a lot of conversations—people saying “How old is she?”—and then they are like “Wait, she can’t be here alone!” It’s fun talking with people. It’s been quite a journey and incredible to watch Emelise’s growth.

[To Valerie Muñoz]: Where would you say that Emelise gets her talent?
People ask me that all the time because both her dad and I have no musical talent. It’s almost like she knew before we knew. Ever since she was old enough to talk, she was singing. She loved to sing to “The Wiggles” [an Australian children’s music group]. She knew at age 4 that she wanted a guitar, and it went from there. Her guitar teacher in Florida saw how quickly she memorized songs—every week it was a new song—and he started inviting her to perform at his gigs. I don’t even remember a time when she was nervous performing, even when she was little like that.

What do you like to do when you’re not making music?
I love skiing in the winter, hiking and biking in the summer and going to the gym with my dad.

Where do you hope your music takes you?
I would love to continue songwriting and make an EP. I’d also love to play at Red Rocks, Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

If you go: Emelise performs this Saturday, Oct. 21 at the Mirror Image Arts “I Got Your Back” Gala fundraiser hosted at Converge Denver, 3327 Brighton Blvd. 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Tickets are $40 online and $50 at the door. - 5280