If there’s a better way to kick off a Friday than dancing to Emily Otto’s “Crocus Funk“, I haven’t found it yet. The song feels like sunshine cracking through grey clouds — equal parts playful, soulful, and joyfully unbothered. It’s the kind of track that makes you want to roll your shoulders, tilt your head back, and grin at the thought that maybe winter isn’t so bad after all.
“Crocus Funk” bursts open like its namesake flower — a radiant little miracle poking out from frozen ground. Built on an infectiously tight groove and punctuated by bright horns, the song swings between neo-soul and a touch of yacht rock, the sort of thing you’d expect to hear if Vulfpeck, Lake Street Dive, and Reliably Bad decided to host a garden party together. You can hear the family energy pulsing through it — her brother Dylan Otto on piano, the producer’s brother on horns, and even a fake yawn cameo by Hannes Pries. That warmth isn’t manufactured; it’s literally woven into the song’s DNA.
Otto makes it all sound natural. Her voice rides the groove with a kind of effortless clarity — soulful but not overworked, joyful but not naïve. The clever lyrics about sleepy bears and early blooms sneak in a wink of humour, but the groove keeps everything moving forward. It’s the sound of someone genuinely having fun with their craft, which might be the rarest quality in modern pop.
About Emily Otto:
Emily Otto herself is on quite the rise. Hailing from Leverkusen, she’s already turned heads by winning the Leverkusener Jazztage “Future Sounds” award and will soon share a stage with Lawrence and Lizz Wright. Her upcoming debut EP, “Clover“, promises to expand her already multifaceted blend of neo-soul, funk-pop, and indie-folk — all tied together by that disarming voice and her “allow everything” approach to songwriting. It’s not just ambition; it’s pure curiosity, set to a groove.
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