Emma Delevante was fourteen when she received her first camera from her dad. Less than a decade later she was side stage at Bonnaroo, photographing national and regional artists like Billie Eilish and John Prine.

After attending the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design in 2018, it wasn’t long before Emma had her concert, editorial, advertising, and portrait work published by Rolling Stone, The Tennessean, and Relix Magazine—and seen on billboards of the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and nationally on campaigns for artists such as Tyler Childers and Billy Strings.

Her photography and production credits include award-winning films and ad campaigns, and she recently co-founded a music media publication and production company, Contrary Western, that shares stories of up-and-coming and established country and Americana artists. 

  

Focused or in the moment, her unstaged shots capture a connection and conversation between musician and photographer—each after something beyond themselves, something electric but grounded in the tradition of making music and art in Nashville. The photos themselves play like a guitar part only showcased once and show that shooting performances, portraits, or behind-the-scenes is more than simply documenting something but is instead a chance to crystalize a moment in time.

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