Yes to all of the above. His recent exposure as an actor may obscure the fact that when it comes to music, New Jersey native Val Emmich is a lifer. He told Page Six, "The acting thing snuck up on me." Emmich's main focus has always been his music, as evidenced by his prolific output.
His latest album, LOOKING FOR A FEELING YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED, marks his seventh full-length solo effort in nearly a decade. People Magazine called him "the real deal." Entertainment Weekly labeled him a "breakout singer." The New York Times said he's "a rocker who rocks to his own beat."
Emmich (pronounced Em-ik) recorded LOOKING FOR A FEELING in Long Branch, NJ with the production team Near Records. The result is a kaleidoscope of sounds and textures including kinetic dance numbers ("Sidekick"), airy soundscapes ("Come Clean") and straight-up rockers ("Don't Wanna Go Home"). Lurking just beneath the surface are poignant stories of people trying to find their place in the world: there's the west coast transplant 3,000 miles from her family in "E.S.T.", the restless soul seeking a new beginning in "Change of Scenery" and the man returning to the place he once called home in "Gone." Emmich embodies all of them and somehow--despite some dark moments--supplies a beam of light that pulls the listener through to the slow decay of the album's final note.
If there's one thing that ties together the many facets of Emmich's art, it's passion. It's easy to write that word in a bio, but another thing to show it. At live shows, you'll find a man often unhinged, shirt soaked-through and guitar smashed to pieces; he's toured with artists ranging from Gavin DeGraw and Butch Walker to the Gym Class Heroes and Dashboard Confessional. And his life in front of the camera isn't limited to acting. He was the first unsigned artist featured on MTV's "TRL" and he's produced dozens of music and promo videos that show his lighter side while maintaining his acute attention to detail; check out the video for "The Only One Lonely" which won him an Independent Music Award. Oh, and he's also written a novel that he's currently pitching.
So who is this guy? He's hard to pin down, and while that isn't the quickest sell in our sound bite culture, it's probably that which will give Emmich longevity. He's been called a Renaissance man. When asked about the musician role originally meant for John Mayer, an "Ugly Betty" producer told the New York Times: "There was just this quiet storm to Val." That probably says it all right there.
Detach
Val Emmich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Believing this
Cause I saw it coming
From a great distance
And I guess the saying is true
It was too good to be true
I was not in love with you
If it's over
Then it's got to end
Don't call me
We can't be friends
I don't want to smell
What I can no longer taste
I don't want you
In my face
Don't talk
Don't try to console me
Cuz I'd much rather
Try to convince myself
That you do not even exist
So I don't slash my wrists
With the thought of you taking off
Leaving me dead
If it's over
Then it's got to end
Don't call me
We can't be friends
I don't want to smell
What I can no longer taste
I don't want you
In my face
If it's over
Then it's got to end
Don't call me
We can never be friends
Never never be friends
Never never be friends
Never never be friends
No way, no way, no way
No hope, no hope, no hope, no hope, no hope, no hope, no hope
No more
It's over
We're over
No more
It's over
We're over
In Val Emmich's song "Detach," the theme of a breakup is explored, but with a twist. The singer makes it clear that he saw the end of the relationship coming long before it happened, and that he was never truly in love with his partner. This makes the breakup easier in some ways, as he is not as devastated or heartbroken as he might have been otherwise. However, he still feels a sense of loss and disappointment, and he expresses this through the lyrics.
The refrain of the song, "If it's over, then it's got to end," speaks to the finality of a breakup. The singer is not interested in trying to maintain a friendship or any kind of connection with his former partner. He wants to move on completely and detach himself from the person and the relationship.
The second verse of the song is particularly poignant, as the singer describes his desire to erase his former partner from his mind completely. He does not want to be consoled by anyone or anything, as he would rather try to convince himself that his ex doesn't even exist. The final lines of the song are repetitive, with the singer insisting that they can never be friends again.
Val Emmich's "Detach" is a raw and honest portrayal of the aftermath of a breakup, and the singer's refusal to cling to the past or dwell on what might have been.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't have a hard time
It's not difficult for me to
Believing this
Accepting that this is the reality
Cause I saw it coming
Because I foresaw this outcome
From a great distance
Long before it happened
And I guess the saying is true
The common expression seems accurate
It was too good to be true
Something that seemed perfect was actually flawed
I was not in love with you
My feelings towards you weren't romantic
Well, ok
Fine,
If it's over
Since our relationship is finished
Then it's got to end
It's necessary to conclude matters
Don't call me
Please do not contact me
We can't be friends
We cannot have a friendly relationship
I don't want to smell
I'd rather not sense
What I can no longer taste
Something that I cannot experience again
I don't want you
I do not desire your presence
In my face
Close to me
Don't talk
Please do not speak to me
Don't try to console me
Do not attempt to comfort me
Cuz I'd much rather
Because I prefer
Try to convince myself
Attempt to persuade myself
That you do not even exist
That you are nonexistent to me
So I don't slash my wrists
To prevent myself from self-harm
With the thought of you taking off
With the idea of you leaving me
Leaving me dead
Resulting in my demise
If it's over
Since our relationship is finished
Then it's got to end
It's necessary to conclude matters
Don't call me
Please do not contact me
We can't be friends
We cannot have a friendly relationship
I don't want to smell
I'd rather not sense
What I can no longer taste
Something that I cannot experience again
I don't want you
I do not desire your presence
In my face
Close to me
If it's over
Since our relationship is finished
Then it's got to end
It's necessary to conclude matters
Don't call me
Please do not contact me
We can never be friends
We will never have a friendly relationship
Never never be friends
There's no possibility of us being friends
Never never be friends
There's no possibility of us being friends
Never never be friends
There's no possibility of us being friends
No way, no way, no way
Definitely not, definitely not, definitely not
No hope, no hope, no hope, no hope, no hope, no hope, no hope
No chance, no chance, no chance, no chance, no chance, no chance, no chance
No more
It's finished
It's over
Our relationship is done
We're over
Our relationship is finished
No more
It's finished
It's over
Our relationship is done
We're over
Our relationship is finished
Contributed by Josiah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.