Born Caroline van der Leeuw on April 26, 1981 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, she studied music at the conservatory, specializing in jazz and subsequently working as a vocal coach. Her breakthrough success came in 2009 with the single "Back It Up," written and produced by David Schreurs and Jan van Wieringen of Grandmono Records, along with songwriter Vincent de Giorgio. "Back It Up" began as a summertime hit but ended up spending 21 weeks on the Dutch charts, from July to December. Its popularity was enhanced by a couple different remixes, one by Kraak & Smaak and another featuring Madcon. The follow-up single, "A Night Like This," likewise written by Schreurs, van Wieringen, and de Giorgio, was an even bigger hit, reaching number one on the Dutch charts. Emerald then made her full-length album debut with Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor. Inspired by postwar jazz and cinema, it topped the Dutch albums chart for weeks on end.

In May of 2013, Emerald followed up her hugely successful debut with her second release, The Shocking Miss Emerald. Produced alongside long-term collaborator Schreurs, the record reached number one in both her native Netherlands and the U.K. album charts. The single "Tangled Up" also reached the Dutch Top Ten. ~ Jason Birchmeier