| Amy Holford |
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I am 20 years old, and from Newcastle upon Tyne. I’ve always liked being the centre of attention, which probably didn’t go down well in school, but it was only because I loved performing. Singing is just something that I do, something that is like, other-worldly. If I feel bad I just stand and listen to music, or I just sing. I think it’s something that has always been a part of me, to perform.
One of my biggest inspirations is Eva Cassidy. After I first listened to her when I was 10, over the last decade her songs just keep coming back to me and her whole philosophy just brings me back down to earth. Her music is soulful, her heart is in her singing. I’ve never wanted to copy anyone, or try and emulate someone else’s style but I think you can hear how much she inspires me in my voice, and the fact I can never really decide what genre I want to concentrate solely on. I don’t believe that music can be pigeon-holed. When I hear people’s albums there’s always a general theme, but people experiment with jazz, blues, swing. Music is creativity. Nobody just likes one style of music, they like a few. I think I’ve always had a little affinity for soul and blues, something that probably comes from my love of Johnny Cash, Donny Hathaway, John Mayer. I just find that music has so much grit and dirt behind it, you know? It makes you sneer and bop your head when you listen to it, it hits you in a place deep down in your soul…It’s not miserable, it’s blues, it’s feeling. Everyone knows what it’s like to be upset and sad. I think the fact that someone can write about it and sing in front of everyone, open up about their demons, is admirable. So I’m really into the bluesy sound at the moment, I think I always will be. But I want to collaborate all the time, I don’t want to restrict myself on one sound. I’ve worked on chilled dance stuff, like something you’d hear in Cafe del Mar with Mark Lowry (Shindig, Newcastle), and I’d love to collaborate with someone like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Timbaland too. Why not? At the moment I’m just trying to be in the right places at the right time, and I'm writing a lot. All I want is a long, successful career, and I’ve always said that. I’m just getting started at the moment. Gigs/AppearancesSaturday 26th November '11- Live Theatre, Newcastle, Tickets £5 in support of Children North East. Sunday 27th November '11- Spark FM Radio 5-7 o'clock Friday 2nd December '11- Washington Arts Centre w/Charlotte Yanni and the Colourist Project. Friday 2nd March '12- The Polite Rooms, Tyneside Cinema |
