Emily Hurd is a prolific Chicago-based songwriter and pianist. She has a vo… Read Full Bio ↴Emily Hurd is a prolific Chicago-based songwriter and pianist. She has a voice that both Rick Kogan of WGN and Richard Milne of WXRT have likened to musical icon Janis Joplin; simultaneously, Popmatters and Pennyblack Music in the UK draw parallels to Joni Mitchell. Hurd is known for her ability to embody several realms within the pop singing spectrum, from delicate country lilting to full fledged belting. Emily Hurd’s music is best described as a mix of rock piano, soul singing, folk songwriting, and intelligent bluegrass rhyme schemes. Hurd first entered the music scene in 2005 when she and many of the staff members from Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music created her first original album. She has currently produced eight full-length studio albums. Her songs have been finalists in three international songwriting competitions: NPR's NewSong Music Contest, The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and The Unisong International Songwriting Competition. Her song "Help Me To Understand" was featured in the 2011 season of CBS's NCIS crime series.