Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with unsigned UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with unsigned Dublin singer Amy Ellen to find out more…
Where are you from and how did you first get into music?
I am from Dublin, Ireland. Music was always in my house growing up. I felt very connected to music at an early age and l’ve got my parents to thank for that. They would play tapes in the car on school runs and road trips. Both of my brothers are musicians too so it’s a mutual interest amongst us all. I also have a degree in music, I studied it for 4 years and it definitely helped me network and meet like minded people which allowed me to put my band together and gig.
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
Green Day were a game changer for me. Discovering their music lead me on to a lot of other bands such as The Replacements and Pixies. Since then, I’ve started songwriting and have really connected with female indie-folk artists such as Laura Marling and Jenn Grant.
How would you describe your sound?
I would describe my music as a mix between indie-folk and pop/rock. My songs are harmony driven and emotionally charged but well balanced in terms of the positive energy that comes from the instrumentation.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
My latest single is called ‘Days’ (released on 9th of June). It’s a song about the many emotions we experience when a romantic relationship has come to an end. It’s a universal subject and at the time I felt heavily influenced by Green Day, it impacted how I wanted to arrange the melody in the song.
What’s your local music scene like?
I am based in Dublin. The music scene is really special here. Over lockdown it’s been very difficult for bands and artists including myself to have that put on pause for as long as it has. However there has been one socially distant show and it’s giving all of us hope that we are the road to the return of live music.
What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
I am releasing my debut EP this year in late September. I have also started recording new material which is really exciting. I’m aiming to have plenty of content to put out over the next 12 months and when live music is back I would love to plan release launch for the debut EP. It was also be amazing to jump on tour with my music.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
Kurt Vile. He is an incredible music and songwriter. An underrated one too! I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from his sound!
Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
Playing a show when you’ve had next to no sleep can be a dodgy one! Myself and my guitarist were doing a stripped back show and adapting to this setting can be tricky when you are used to playing with 5 other musicians.. Mid song we both just lost the run of ourselves and it was just so obvious it was not meant to sound that way! They say if you make a mistake keep going but we actually had to stop and start again. We apologised to the crowd who were so forgiving and if anything it made the night a bit sweeter. They had our backs and continued to clap and cheer us back into the song! I’m forever grateful for crowds like that.
What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
I write from the heart. A lot of my lyrics are about personal experiences and universal subjects. I’m very grateful to those who listen to my music and have connected with it in some way.
You can find out more about Amy Ellen via Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Spotify, TikTok, Twitter or YouTube.
UPDATE: Amy Ellen is now signed to record label Atypique Musique, congratulations!
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