The youngest of four daughters, Emily Atkinson aka Fourth Daughter, creates euphoric electro from the Scottish capital. Drawing influence from the likes of Rufus Du Sol, Jamie xx, and Sylvan Esso, her lush, intricately textured music is imbued with emotional narratives that offer a cathartic and joyous release
Born and raised in the endless countryside, Atkinson has always found her sense of escape in music. Inspired by her dad’s synth-heavy CD collection, she began playing piano at the age of 7, eventually becoming classically trained. At university, she finally turned her own hand to synths, discovering on Pro Tools “a world of open possibilities.”
With her music’s arresting blend of pulsating synths, luminous soundscapes and her own radiant vocals, listening to Fourth Daughter feels like bathing in the Balearic sun. Her debut single “Say What You Want” premiered on BBC Radio Introducing in 2023 and was met with instant acclaim, hitting #9 on the Hype Machine Chart and gaining further support from BBC and Spotify. HYPERREAL, her 2023 EP, expertly reckoned with thornier themes of self-doubt and troubled self-expression; a mind-cleansing therapy session on the dancefloor.
Now, having worked through some of her darker days, Atkinson is reemerging into the sunshine. “A new silver lining/the chemicals fly/it's just the right timing,” she sings on “HIGHER”, a bright-eyed and breezy track that showcases the emotional richness and variety of her work.
With plenty of support slots under her belt including Sylvan Esso, Japanese House & SG Lewis to name but a few, Fourth Daughter took to headlining her solo show in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 2023 and rounded it off with a slot at BBC Introducing live at the Edinburgh festival.
With her soul-on-sleeve approach and undeniable talent as an artist,producer and writer, Atkinson is quickly turning heads and hearts, establishing herself as one of electronic music’s most exciting rising talents. Fourth Daughter’s music is an irresistible island of escape, with a rapidly growing population.
