Emq Bro – this is the name under which Emanuel Broszko from Bolesławiec creates music. He is what is known as a one-man band. Emanuel: “I write music as an amateur. In my songs, I am entirely responsible for the music, vocals and lyrics.”
Music has always accompanied Emanuel. “Thanks to my parents (Dad and his brothers had a rock’n’roll band called Tornado in the 1970s and 1980s) and my older siblings, I was able to discover quite a lot of musical genres: from the rock’n’roll already mentioned, through rave, techno, synth-pop and electronic music, all the way to metal,” the musician says. “My cousin Mariusz ‘Mayu B.’ Broszko also had a major influence; he had already been writing music for quite some time. His interests were closest to mine—metal combined with electronics.”
At some point, Emanuel Broszko felt the need to create something of his own. As early as primary school, he arranged songs from ready-made samples in a music program that was popular at the time. “But it was more of an interest than anything serious,” he says. Later, he moved on to a somewhat more advanced music-production program. During middle and secondary school, Emanuel produced electronic tracks.
Breakthrough
The real breakthrough came in 2008. “A friend I met at university, Szymon ‘Saimoon’ Hryniewiecki, showed me what he could do on the guitar. I thought to myself: ‘I want to do that too!’” says the Bolesławiec musician. It was Saimoon who taught Emanuel his first metal riffs.
Shortly afterwards—and this time with the help of a very good music program—Emq Bro’s first professional tracks began to take shape. “Often with support and advice from Mayu B., who knows a great deal about sound mixing,” Emanuel emphasizes.
Inspirations
Emq Bro: “The most important inspiration for me (and probably for many, many other people) was Linkin Park and their catchy combination of guitars with electronics and rap—in other words, nu metal. Thanks to this band, I fell in love with metal in the broadest sense, which remains my favorite genre to this day. Later I discovered Celldweller, Korn, Slipknot, Bullet For My Valentine, In Flames, Hollywood Undead, 30 Seconds To Mars, Bring Me The Horizon, Asking Alexandria and While She Sleeps. These are my idols. Of course, that does not change the fact that, besides metal, I also listen to many other genres: dubstep, trap, rap, electronic music in the broadest sense and film music. You can hear that in my work too.”
One-Man Band
Emanuel: “I am not a virtuoso, but I can play what I need. Often—through trial and error and with the help of a computer—I achieve, to a large extent, what I set out to do. I use guitars, drum pads, a MIDI keyboard and, naturally, a condenser microphone. These tools certainly make my work easier.”
Does he plan to put together a live lineup and perform on stage? Emq Bro:
Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately for listeners—I have not played a concert yet. I would like to have a real band: a drummer, guitarists, a bassist and a DJ. And the right equipment to perform everything live. I have friends with whom we could make something happen. Sometimes we exchange ideas and files online. But everyone has their own life and families, so regular rehearsals are difficult. There is always the possibility of performing solo, but that would feel like “cheating” to me.
Return
For personal reasons, Emanuel did not publish a single track until 2016. That year, “Freak” appeared online, with a music video directed by the well-known director Szymon Wasylów. “I met Szymon through Mayu B. They worked together on Mariusz’s video for ‘Solitude.’ Mariusz recommended me to Szymon, and I acted in the short film ‘System.’ That is how we established contact, and since we liked each other and understood one another almost completely, our collaboration continues to this day,” Emq Bro says. “We now live in symbiosis: I make my tracks available for Szymon’s projects whenever he needs them. In return, Szymon shoots footage for my tracks. The cooperation is going great. I recommend Szymon and his Red Film Productions studio to anyone who needs a music video or another kind of film. Satisfaction guaranteed.”
When Will There Be an Album?
“I would really like that, but given how infrequently I release tracks, it may not happen soon,” explains Emanuel Broszko. “I have many projects that I got stuck on, and, in addition, I start new ones under the influence of momentary inspiration. It becomes a vicious circle—or rather, a vicious loop (a loop). I hope I will pull myself together, find the motivation and finish them.”
The Music Matters, Not a Career
Emanuel adds: “I am aware that music is a hobby after work; it is fun for me. I am not counting on a career, success on the Polish music scene, fame or money. It is my dream, but I am a realist.”
