"Emilie"

"Emilie" is a heartfelt pop ballad honoring Emilie Snethlage (1868-1929), the pioneering German ornithologist who became the first woman to explore the Brazilian Amazon and serve as director of a scientific institution. A remarkable scientist who described about 60 new bird species and fearlessly led expeditions through unknown territories, Snethlage's extraordinary legacy lives on through this tribute. This song celebrates not only her courage and dedication but also honors all female field biologists who have devoted their lives to discovering and unveiling Earth's biodiversity.

Born in Germany in 1868, Emilie earned her PhD in zoology in 1904—a time when few women could even dream of such an achievement. She left Europe to dedicate her entire life to Brazil, exploring the Amazon and documenting its birds, cultures, and languages in ways no one had done before. In 1914, she became the first woman to lead a scientific institution in Brazil, possibly in the world, when she directed the Museu Emílio Goeldi in Belém. When severe political and economic crises threatened the museum's survival, she fought tirelessly to keep it alive, even as waves of misinformation complicated her efforts.

The situation eventually forced Emilie to leave her beloved Amazonian paradise and accept a position at the Museu Nacional in Rio de Janeiro. Yet her heart remained in the Amazon. In 1929, she returned to the jungle on an expedition and passed away there, doing what she loved until the very end. Through poetic lyrics and soaring melodies, this song honors a woman who showed the world that courage and scientific discovery have no gender boundaries.