An electronic indie-pop musician with a background in punk rock, Emily Whitehurst is the solo artist behind Survival Guide. Her danceable tunes are somewhat like a birthday cake: alternating layers of Depeche Mode, Metric, Peter Gabriel and Grimes, with strong melodies and vocals being the icing on top.

 

A California native who now resides in Texas, Whitehurst’s own music obsession began with Green Day, leading her to a life of punk rock dreams come true as she traversed the country (and various continents) fronting the band Tsunami Bomb as “Agent M”. Over the years, her music gradually shifted toward synth pop in the Action Design, then further into the electronic indie-pop realm as Survival Guide. Originally a duo, Survival Guide’s first album, Way To Go, was released in 2015. It was around this time when Survival Guide slowly, amicably yet painfully became a solo act, leaving Whitehurst unsure of what to do next. Never having written or performed music completely alone, she considered everything from starting a new band from scratch to quitting music altogether. After a major geographical shift, an acoustic album, some solo touring, experimentation with Patreon projects and Twitch live streams, she’s finally stepping out of a writer’s block haze and is composing a record that is 100% her own. “I’ve learned a lot over the last few years – not only about songwriting and recording, but also about myself and the ways I’ve been holding myself back. I’m excited to funnel it all into music,” says Whitehurst. 

 

Survival Guide’s second album is currently under way, starting with the recently released single, "Stay Dead". Her 2021 covers album, "Request Hotline Vol. 1", as well as prior releases can be found digitally on all streaming services or physically at the shop link above.