Before the day is over, you simply must meet Emily Drossell! She will also be joining us for our upcoming Songwriters Project at Belmont University's Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business later this month! 🎉 Emily is an award-winning lyricist and bookwriter, recognized by the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts as an Across A Crowded Room Fellow and by The York Theatre Company as a NEO (New, Emerging, Outstanding) Artist. Her works have been produced throughout New York City, and in addition to her work as a librettist, she is also a resident dramaturge at The York Theatre and has worked as a script consultant at New World Stages, Pioneer Theatre Company, and Theatre Dance Vietnam. Emily is also a proud member of Maestra Music and Ring of Keys, as well as an alum of Vassar College and the Berlin Opera Academy! 👏 As a queer, gender expansive writer, Emily's interests lie at the intersection of subversion and inclusivity, and she strives to add femme-forward fantasies, farces, and fictions to the musical theatre canon. You can find out more about her work on her website at: https://www.emilydrossell.com/ You can also find her over at The Broadway Beat, a satire account for which Emily is a contributing writer. (fb)

We're continuing our upcoming JMF Songwriters Project at Belmont University's Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business spotlights, and today we'd like you all to meet Jackson Craig! 👋 He performs both individually and with the art-school punk band Next Life Delivery. Jackson is a songwriter and composer crafting vivid, emotionally rich music that blends folk storytelling with avant-garde production. He weaves sharp lyricism, surrealist imagery, and striking melodies into songs that feel both timeless and unconventional. Jackson was born and raised in Philadelphia where he was shaped by the city's eclectic music scene and DIY ethos. 🔔 He then attended New York University's Clive Davis Institute, and is now based in Los Angeles where he continues to push his creative boundaries, performing as a multi-instrumentalist for L.A. folk staples Meels and j Solomon, producing original music for film and TV, and dabbling in the visual arts. His music explores themes of nostalgia, modern disillusionment, and the absurdity of contemporary life - whether through the intimate folk ballads of Jackson Craig or the boundary-pushing soundscapes of Next Life Delivery. Be sure to follow him over on Instagram @jacksoncraigmusic and check out his website at: https://www.jacksoncraigmusic.com/ (fb)