Discover Emma Harner’s Math Rock-Infused Indie Sound In ‘False Alarm’ Live Video

Rising singer-songwriter and guitarist Emma Harner invites listeners into her world with the release of “False Alarm (Live from Meg’s House),” a stripped-back live video performance of her stunning new single. The performance distills the song to its bare essentials, spotlighting the raw vulnerability and quiet beauty that define Harner’s artistry.

Anchored by interwoven fingerpicked guitar lines and ethereal vocals, “False Alarm” is a poignant meditation on homesickness and self-discovery. “I wrote it after moving from Nebraska to Boston for college,” Harner shares. “I was homesick, overwhelmed by the sensory chaos of the city, and learning how to trust again.” The intimate live version brings even more emotional depth to the track, spotlighting Harner’s lyrical honesty and intricate guitar work.

Originally hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska, Emma Harner began playing violin at just three years old before discovering her love for the guitar—an instrument that now forms the backbone of her sound. Now based in Boston and studying guitar performance at Berklee College of Music, she’s developed a distinctive sound that fuses the intimacy of folk with the complexity of math rock.

Harner first captured attention with a series of viral videos on Instagram and TikTok, quickly amassing a devoted following drawn to her virtuosic playing, harmonic sophistication, and emotionally resonant songwriting. In 2024, her debut single, “When You Mean It,” premiered as a Zane Lowe World First. Since then, she’s toured as direct support for Orla Gartland across her 2024 U.S. and 2025 European runs, and has opened for artists including mxmtoon, Tiny Habits, and The Bygones.

With her debut EP arriving later this year, Harner is cementing her place as one of the most compelling young guitarists and storytellers of her generation.