Dive Star Breaks into the Atlanta Music Scene

Emma Swales

Taking a leap of faith to start something new can be daunting, but the will and determination to follow your passion can transform the journey into something effortless. When you pursue your goals with intention and passion, it can feel more like play than work. And with a team that shares your dreams, growth and success become even more attainable.

Forming a new alternative indie band in a musically saturated city like Atlanta may seem challenging, but for singer Emily Rish. Relocating from Asheville, N.C., she brought with her a passion for singing and an unwavering commitment to creating music, no matter the obstacles. With the support of new friends, she founded Dive Star—a dynamic band that brings a new, grungy twist into the alternative indie scene. Together, they’re carving out a unique sound that’s making waves in the underground music community through genuine, raw dedication.

Dive Star released its most recent EP, Childstar, in July earlier this year. That marks the fourth work delivered by the indie grunge band, following its third release Protomartini that debuted in June. Rish explains that the band takes heavy influence from alternative artists such as Modest Mouse and Chastity Belt, while also including a mix of clashing elements to differentiate its sound. 

“There are tons of elements that definitely influenced our music in different ways,” said Rish. “Especially me as a vocalist, I have learned a lot from listening to music and trying new things.   

“Shaun, our guitarist, writes our music and he comes from a screamo background. It’s a lot different from the music we are making now,” continued Rish. “That glimpse of screamo mixed with slowed down indie is what makes our music so unique. Instrumentally it sounds like a perfect blend of alternative experimentation.” 

In 2022, Rish changed her environment in hopes of finding the right collaborators to lay the foundation for Dive Star. Shortly after arriving in Georgia, she crossed paths with drummer James Cramer and guitarists Alex Delgado and Shaun West while biking through downtown.

“We all live in Atlanta and all of us have lived here for at least five years, some of us even more,” said Rish. “It is a really weird story; I had just moved here from Asheville and the pandemic was ongoing, so I didn’t have many friends. 

“I was riding my bike around and I saw this group of guys playing volleyball,” continued Rish. “I used to love to play volleyball when I was younger, so I felt the urge to reach out. I discovered they had a band and were looking for a singer, it was perfect.”

After meeting her new friends, Rish revealed her ongoing passion to create Dive Star and perform music. She soon formed a close connection with her new bandmates, who hold the same determination to establish a spot in the indie music scene.

After working together for over a year, Dive Star released its debut Demo in January of 2023. Between its first release and its most recent fourth, Rish explains that Dive Star has experienced tremendous growth. Now in 2024, the band is producing work in professional spaces and has begun promoting its unique sound at bars and venues across Atlanta. 

“We have been working and expanding on a lot,” said Rish. “We just recorded our new EP in a professional studio, and I have never done that before. It was a cool and unique experience for me. It took all day long, maybe 13 or 14 hours, and four days in a row. By the end of it, it felt like I went on a retreat with my band. 

“It made us all come together and grow closer, and I felt like we sounded so much better than when we started,” continued Rish. “I remember coming home from that and sitting on my stairs thinking, ‘I just did something that I am really proud of.’ I don’t feel that way often, but that was a moment when I realized we worked hard, and I was just so proud of it.” 

After experiencing such a sudden growth in a short time, Rish is confident in Dive Star’s ability to successfully create something from scratch that people can appreciate and respect. She claims that starting was the hard part but owning the confidence to be creative as an artist and having a supportive team influences growth more than anything. 

“I think what is on the agenda next for us is hopefully writing a lot more, putting more out, and working on a full album,” said Rish. “I also want to start a tour even if it is small. I am eager and have big dreams because I know we can reach these goals. My passion for doing what I love makes it easy to move forward, and my band has shared that with me on this journey.

“I am just continuing what we are doing, which is making music that we are proud of and making music that comes from a genuine place,” continued Rish. “That is what will feed this steady growth. We are going to keep pushing ourselves as artists to expand more on that and continue down our path.”