[1] She has been nominated for multiple Deadly Awards including Female Artist of the Year,[2] and performed at the opening of the 2004 Olympic Torch Relay.

[9] Her mother, Agnes Donovan, is a Gumbaynggirr/Danggali woman from the Nambucca Valley on the north coast of New South Wales,[9] where Emma was raised.

[5] Agnes also helped develop Aboriginal showcases at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in the late 1990s, in which Donovan took part.

[1] Donovan's family moved frequently, and she attended multiple schools in New South Wales and WA, with an extended time spent at North Newtown Primary.

In 1997, at age sixteen, Donovan was studying contemporary music at the Eora College for Performing Arts in Chippendale, New South Wales.

[9] In late 1999, Donovan formed the vocal acoustic band Stiff Gins with Nardi Simpson and Kaleena Briggs after meeting at the Eora College.

In 2006, Donovan recorded three songs with longtime writing partner Yanya Boston, a drummer she had met while performing with the Stiff Gins.

[11] The travelling group performed a stage musical called Murundak/Alive – The Black Arm Band, which reproduced iconic songs of the Aboriginal resistance movement.

[1] The cast consists of a rotating line-up of Australian Indigenous musicians, and in 2007 murundak won the Helpmann Award for Best Contemporary Music Concert.

The pair co-wrote the single "Ngarranga – Remember", intended as a prayer to acknowledge the Stolen Generations experience.

[citation needed] The songs include Donovan's traditional language, as well as spoken words from her Uncle Harry Buchanan and backing vocals from Gary Pinto and Juanita Tippins.

[1][4] A music video to accompany the "Ngarranga" single was filmed at Carriageworks performance space in Redfern, New South Wales, starring Donovan and Torres Strait Islander dancer Albert David.

[4] In October 2009 at the Melbourne International Arts Festival, Donovan performed in the world premiere of the musical theatre production of Dirtsong, created by Black Arm Band.

[18] In November 2022, she collaborated with other First Nations artists DOBBY, Emily Wurramara, Drmngnow, and Optamus to create a song in memory of Cassius Turvey, a Noongar-Yamatji boy who had died at the age of 15 the result of an assault by a random attacker when walking home from school in Perth, Western Australia.

[23] Donovan's singing and songwriting frequently blend reggae, gospel, smooth soul, roots, and country music.

The documentary Gumbayngirr Lady featured her, and was filmed and aired by the Special Broadcasting Service in 2004 as part of their BLAKTRAX series.

[3] In 2005 she appeared in the ABC series Dynasties (episode 5), which was filmed on location in Woodford, Queensland while she was performing at the Dreaming Festival.

[42][43] The National Indigenous Music Awards recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians from throughout Australia.