Why Hard Work Will Always Exceed Talent with Emily Bear (Composer + Songwriter)

PRETTYSMART

Emily Bear captivated the world with her piano talent at just six years old. Now, at 23, she’s already a Grammy and Emmy-winning composer, producer, arranger, pianist, and singer-songwriter. Recently, she became the youngest person to score a feature film and is currently working on Moana 2. In 2022, Emily won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, which she co-wrote with Abigail Barlow live on social media. The album soared to #1 on the U.S. iTunes pop charts within 1.5 hours of its release and reached the top 5 albums worldwide. This year, she toured as the pianist for Beyoncé's Renaissance tour. Today, Emily shares:

• The surprising moment her talent was discovered—and why she shies away from the “child prodigy” label.

• Leaving home at 16 to chase her dreams in LA: the challenges, the courage, and the adventure.

• How a life-changing meeting led to Quincy Jones becoming her mentor.

• The journey to becoming Beyoncé’s pianist on the Renaissance Tour—and the one terrifying moment she’ll never forget.

• An unexpected lesson from Beyoncé that reshaped her approach to music and performance.

• The story behind The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, and why winning a Grammy was the last thing she expected.

• The struggle to be taken seriously as a young musician—and why that respect mattered to her.

• Why she aims to move people to tears with her music.

• Creating her own path when gigs weren’t coming—and her advice for others who want to do the same.

• Breaking barriers as a woman composer—and why she proudly performs with colorful nail polish and heels!

Book Rec: Outliers by Malcom Gladwell