Emilia Quinn’s Dented Halos: Vulnerable, Powerful, and Real

Dented Halos is the second, much-anticipated album from Emilia Quinn, the follow-up to her debut wink, Wonder, Lust and Breaking Rules, which gained her multiple award nominations.

The album kicks off with Call Me By Her Name, which I’ve reviewed before:

“The stripped-back arrangement allows Emilia’s vocals to shine, every note dripping with emotion. The lyrics are intimate and personal, yet universal enough to draw you in. It’s a song that stays with you long after it ends.”

But listening to the full album, the outlook is clear. While her first album was a statement piece — “this is who I am, and this is my sound” — Dented Halos is her giving you everything. I’ve been watching Emilia for a number of years now, and some of these songs aren’t new. While she says they’re based on books, the emotion and honesty in many of them feel unmistakably real, reflecting experiences she’s been through.

Dirty Little Lie is next:

“A punchy, emotionally raw track that captures the feeling of regret and frustration. Emilia’s delivery is razor-sharp, yet vulnerable, and the chorus sticks with you instantly. It’s storytelling at its finest.”

Hell is a hard-hitting and very reflective track after the first two songs. The line:

“I never promised you heaven, but didn’t have to give me hell”

…leads into a bluesy breakdown.

I like the proper vulnerability in this song — the way the vocals carry the raw emotion makes you feel the persons struggle:

“You only showed up for the best things, they came free.”

Heard to Read the faster-paced song with moments carry raw honesty. Musically, there are stunning vocal harmonies, slide moments — this will definitely be epic live. She’s got signature growl moments and long vocal runs, and the final “damn” at the end of the song is just epic. It’s a real reflection moment, I felt it in my chest. I’ve heard this style of storytelling before in songs like Eminem’s Stan, and it’s that powerful.

Now Without You comes next, and from my previous review:

“‘Without You’ is heartbreak distilled into music. Emilia’s vocals are stripped-back, carrying every ounce of emotion in each note. The lyrics cut deep, but the delivery leaves room for the listener to feel and connect — one of those songs that stays with you long after it ends.”

Take It All — on my first listen, I was in bits. The combination of the cello and the bare-bones arrangement just hits you. Lines like:

“Make myself feel small so you can take it all”

…lead to stunning, long vocal runs, building into a blues riff that matches the intensity of the lyrics perfectly. The music keeps building in the background as her vocal runs climb higher and higher — it gives you time to take it all in.

High on Life — as it says, it’s about being high on life, not leaning on bad energy or substances. I could really relate — my dad’s been “high on life” too, but after years of alcohol abuse, he now has dementia. The song is vulnerable but celebratory at the same time, and it hits in a way that’s personal and emotional.

Dose She Know is another vulnerable but up-tempo song. When it kicks in, it’s punchy and raw, about the split identities people hide behind or the personalities they show:

“When she shows up most nights when you’re done with the neon light”

…what a line. The power in that phrase hits you immediately. Another track that will connect perfectly in a live setting.

Mom is penned for her mother, worrying about her late-night gigs but showing she wouldn’t give up this life for anything.

The final track, Let It Burn, has been around for years and performed live before, but it fits perfectly on this album. The harmonies give it such a reflective, almost cleansing feeling — letting go of the past, closing the album in a very vulnerable, emotional way.

Overall, Dented Halos is full of songs that hit straight to the heart. While she says some of them are inspired by books, when I’ve seen her live, the emotion and honesty in every line make them feel incredibly real. Each track draws you in, letting you connect with the stories she’s telling, making the album feel personal, raw, and impossible to ignore. Whether it’s self-penned or fictional, you want to reach out to that person and check if they’re okay. Listening to the whole album, it’s a complete story of hard-hitting moments in life — in and out — and together, it’s a stunning body of work. The emotion she gives off vocally takes you right into the moment, giving a raw feeling that stays with you long after the music ends.

I listened to it on loop as I was driving, and straight away in the song Call Me By Her Name, it hit me how all the songs tied together and what it was about — even though she’s been singing them for a while. It’s the kind of album that makes you wonder about the line between life and art — whether some of these songs are a personal release, or a way of channeling emotions that many of us can relate to. Either way, it’s deeply honest, and it resonates.

And be sure to check her out on tour after the album is released — these songs are going to hit even harder live. 🎶

Album Release Date: September 19th
Pre-Save/Pre-Order: Available now
Tour: September 2025 — Full band in tow

Step into the ritual. Let Dented Halos cast its spell.

Credits:
Lead Vocal and Acoustic Guitar - Emilia Quinn; Electric Guitar - John W. Doyle; Pedal Steel - Cristiano Pochesci; Bass - Mike Addy; Drums - Steve “Smack” McMurray; Backing Vocals (Without You) - FINOLA; Backing Vocals;  (Take It All) - Sophie Rose. Studio Engineer - Ben Harper. Produced  by John W. Doyle. Mastered by Ben Pike at Raretone Studios. Recorded at The Motor Museum, Liverpool.