Q&A: Emily Haber on “Nostalgia,” Finding Her Own Voice, and the Stories Only She Can Tell
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
EMILY HABER’S MUSIC IS A BRIDGE BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT - a delicate weaving of memory, longing, and resilience. With her new single, “Nostalgia,” the acclaimed songwriter steps into her own voice, capturing the ache of a childhood spent on the road and the quiet yearning for moments that never were. Produced by Grammy-winner Daniel Dávila (Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign, Timbaland), the track is the first from her upcoming EP of the same name, a deeply personal collection that reflects on loss, love, and the lessons that shape us.
Having written for artists like Andy Grammer, Joy Oladokun, and Gryffin, Haber has spent years helping others tell their stories. But “Nostalgia” marks a turning point—a moment where she fully embraces her own. Born with severe hearing loss, her journey in music has been one of instinct, adaptation, and deep emotional connection. Now, with a portion of the song’s proceeds benefiting The Starkey Hearing Foundation, she’s using her art to give back in a profound way.
Read below to learn about the making of “Nostalgia,” the process of stepping into her own as a solo artist, and how memory, grief, and resilience have shaped her most personal project yet.
LUNA: Your new single “Nostalgia” is deeply personal, reflecting on the childhood you longed for but never truly had. What inspired you to write this song, and what emotions were at the forefront while creating it?
HABER: “Nostalgia” came from that bittersweet feeling of looking back — not just at what was, but at what could have been. I grew up in a touring family band, which meant my childhood looked nothing like the kids around me. While I got to experience so many incredible things, there were also moments I missed out on; quiet, everyday things that, as an adult, I’ve come to realize were just as important. This song was my way of expressing both gratitude and grief, embracing the past for what it was while allowing myself to mourn what wasn’t.
LUNA: This track is the first from your upcoming EP of the same name. How does “Nostalgia” set the tone for the rest of the project?
HABER: “Nostalgia” sets the tone for the rest of the EP because it holds that tension between love and loss. We all carry people, places, and moments with us even as life moves forward. The whole project is about memory and grief, but also about resilience. One of the songs, “Not the End”, is about getting to the other side of even my hardest days. I’m someone who tries to find light, even in the heaviest moments, and I think this EP reflects that — it’s not just about what I’ve lost, but about what I’ve learned. “Nostalgia” felt like the right way to start that story because it honors both the ache and the beauty in everything that’s shaped me.
LUNA: You’ve worked with an impressive range of artists and songwriters throughout your career. How was the process of stepping into your own voice as a solo artist different from writing for others?
HABER: When I write for other artists, I’m stepping into their world, helping them tell their story in a way that feels authentic to them. And I love that process. Some of my favorite moments in songwriting sessions are when the artist and I connect on a personal level — when we find that shared experience, and suddenly the song becomes something that resonates not just with them, but on a universal level.
What’s funny is that even when I’m writing about someone else’s story, I often find pieces of my own in it. That’s one of the best parts of songwriting: it has a way of revealing things you didn’t even realize you needed to say.
That said, I’ve always been someone who loves writing alone, and I do it often. This project really just came from songs I was writing in my room — songs I wasn’t overthinking, just feeling. Writing for myself meant there was no outside perspective to filter through, no one else’s voice to shape the story. It was just me, my guitar, and whatever memories or emotions I was willing to sit with that day. It forced me to be completely honest in a way I hadn’t been before, but it also reminded me why I fell in love with songwriting in the first place.
LUNA: You collaborated with Grammy-winning producer Daniel Dávila on this EP. How did that partnership come about, and what was it like working together?
HABER: When I started working on “Nostalgia” a, I knew I needed someone who would honor my singer-songwriter roots while helping me push the production into a space that felt new. Daniel did exactly that. He brought so much depth and texture to these songs while keeping the rawness and storytelling at the center.
LUNA: Beyond your own experiences, what influences, whether musical, literary, or personal, helped shape the sound and storytelling of this new project?
HABER: So much of this project is influenced by the artists I grew up listening to: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and bands like Green River Ordinance. Their music taught me that the best songs don’t just tell stories; they live in them. That kind of honest, reflective songwriting has always been what I connect with most.
I was also reading a lot while writing this EP—books like The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and Year of the Monkey by Patti Smith, which explore memory, time, and the way we make sense of loss.
And of course, my own experiences shaped these songs in ways I didn’t expect. Grief shows up in quiet moments, long after you think you’ve moved on. A lot of this project came from sitting with those feelings and letting them find their way into music.
LUNA: You’ve overcome significant challenges with your hearing loss, yet music has remained a core part of your life. How has your unique way of experiencing sound influenced the way you create and connect with music?
HABER: Because of my severe hearing loss, I relied on instinct and muscle memory to perform for most of my life. My hearing aids would cut out mid-show, and I’d have to trust my body to remember where I was in the song. When I was 17, hearing aid technology advanced enough that I could truly hear layers in music for the first time — harmonies, dynamics, all the things that had always been a little out of reach. That completely changed how I connected with sound, but I think growing up without that access made me a different kind of writer. I’m really attuned to how something feels — the rhythm of words, the emotional weight of a melody — because, for so long, that’s how I navigated music. It’s made me approach songwriting in a way that’s more about storytelling than perfection.
LUNA: A portion of the proceeds from “Nostalgia” will go to The Starkey Hearing Foundation. Can you talk about why this cause is so important to you and how their work has impacted your life?
HABER: Starkey’s mission is to give the gift of hearing, but what makes their work so special is that they understand hearing isn’t just about sound—it’s about connection. As someone who has lived with severe hearing loss my whole life, I know how isolating it can be when you can’t fully hear the world around you. Starkey changes lives by making that connection possible.
HABER: I’ve visited their headquarters twice, and both times were life-changing. Most recently, I was fitted with my own pair of Edge AI hearing aids by Bill Austin himself, and for the first time, I felt like I was hearing the world in full color. Their work has impacted me in ways I can’t even put into words, so being able to support their mission through my music is something I’m incredibly grateful for.
LUNA: What intentions do you have for this spring season?
HABER: This spring, I just want to stay present in everything that’s unfolding. Releasing my own music for the first time is both exciting and vulnerable, so I’m reminding myself to be in it—to celebrate the small wins and let the process be what it is. I also want to keep writing, whether it’s for myself or for others. Songwriting has always been home for me, and no matter what else is happening, that’s where I want to keep my focus.
