It all started with a little white lie… In the Spring of 2016, Mitch Podolak offered Emma an opportunity she’d been patiently waiting for: a tour of western Canada through Home Routes, an organization that pairs artists with folks willing to invite them into their homes for a unique concert experience. However, when Mitch asked who she was going to tour with, Emma did what Emma does: she said the first thing that came into her head. “Actually, Dale Brown and I are a band!” The fact that this was, in fact, not at all true wasn’t really a deterrent. Mitch was excited, as was Emma. The only slight stumbling block was that Dale didn’t know they were a band. Dale barely knew Emma at all. Dale was actually still asleep. When he finally woke, he woke to a Facebook message that read: “Hey Dale. Really enjoyed playing music with you. Hope you were serious about wanting to play together. Call me as soon as you can. I think we’re a band. Emma. 😀” This was the beginning of the first of many times affectionately referred to as “hurricane season”. Long hours of planning, insurmountable piles of work, and impossible deadlines. All this to bring into existence something manifested; in this case, Emma and Dale becoming a band, The New Customs. In short order, they had released two albums and toured across the country and back in Emma’s tiny Kia Rio (RIP). And in short order, what had started as a little white lie about being a band turned into something much more. Emma and Dale fell in love, and just kept dreaming bigger and bigger. Since then, their love and partnership has grown, and together, the two have weathered many hurricanes; the two came out of the pandemic stronger than over, managed to buy and renovate their 100+ year old house, and stayed strong and resilient in the face of challenges that would put any couple to the test. Emma and Dale have started a band together, made a home together, and have built a life together. Theirs is a love that can withstand whatever hurricanes life throws at them. And now, that little white lie is going to turn into a big white dress!