Emerson Day Reflects on Life Choices and Music Career

Emerson Day can still recall the moment she received a call about a job she had aspired to obtain for years. Surprisingly, she turned it down. Instead, she felt as if something greater was meant for her.

Today, she’s recognized in the Christian music community for songs like Get Behind Me and god is not finished yet. But back then, she was fresh out of college, ready to embrace a career as a federal law enforcement officer.

Since her teenage years, she had dreamed of this kind of profession. “That was my goal since I was around 15,” she shared in an interview. “It felt like a dream job to me.” After applying to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), she entered into an extensive background check and polygraph test that took almost nine months—plenty of time for her to reflect. During that waiting period, she picked up the guitar again, a skill she first learned at 16, and started writing her own music.

“The Holy Spirit really worked on my heart during that time,” she noted.

Initially, she struggled to accept the direction she felt God was suggesting. “I remember distinctly hearing music is what you’re meant to do. At first, my reaction was skepticism. I had just secured my dream job,” she recalls, reflecting on the year-long internal conflict that followed.

Eventually, the pivotal moment arrived. She received a call confirming that her background check was complete and she was ready to start training. “When they called, I immediately said no,” she recounts. “I hung up feeling an overwhelming sense of peace, unlike anything I had felt all year.”

As time passed, Day focused on writing and performing songs, hoping for divine opportunities. Yet, despite her faith, the breakthroughs she sought didn’t happen right away. “I started to doubt whether I had truly heard God’s call,” she admitted.

In 2023, however, fortune finally smiled upon her. She signed her first record deal with Fairtrade Services, and her debut single god is not finished yet made it onto the Billboard Christian Airplay chart. Another song, Get Behind Me, ranked in the top ten.

“With God, nothing is wasted. He’s been incredibly faithful, continuing to open doors for me,” she said, reflecting on her journey, over eight years in the making. “It’s kind of mind-blowing.”

Day’s music is characterized by a soulful, gritty sound that combines rock guitar with emotional storytelling.

Get Behind Me draws inspiration from lessons her grandmother imparted to her. Describing the song’s progression as a “freight train” that builds momentum, she recalls a moment of vulnerability. “I once confided in my grandmother about my worries. She taught me that anxious feelings don’t come from God but from the enemy. She advised saying, ‘Satan, come behind me in the name of the Lord,’ three times. It really grounded me in who truly looks out for me and holds the ultimate victory.”