American Songwriter: East of June got personal in latest single

Dating apps are generally used to find a romantic connection with someone, but for Emily and Kyle in East of June, a swipe turned into a musical connection.

Through the dating app, Kyle came across the profile of vocalist Emily Rath. This unconventional way of meeting eventually turned into a band with a tight-knit bond.

Kyle Mortensen and Dirk Lance became friends in high school and have both became very involved in the music industry. When they decided to form a band together, they knew they needed another piece to complete the puzzle. That’s where Emily came in.

Three years later and the East of June trio is making their mark on the music industry.

Their latest release, “Little Bird” was written at the beginning of quarantine. The band didn’t let the poor timing slow them down one bit though. They hopped onto zoom, listened to Kyle pitch the idea and with a little teamwork, the song came together quite beautifully.

“We refuse to let this time be a determent to the band. We have to keep going,” says Emily.