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| New Band Up North: Amy Holford | New Band Up North: Amy Holford |
| (2 months later) | |
| Armed with her acoustic guitar and powerful voice, Newcastle singer songwriter Amy Holford, is making breathtakingly beautiful music full of sorrow, soul and heartache, which brings you to a standstill. Every word she sings oozes with passion, sadness and the aches and pains of life. | Armed with her acoustic guitar and powerful voice, Newcastle singer songwriter Amy Holford, is making breathtakingly beautiful music full of sorrow, soul and heartache, which brings you to a standstill. Every word she sings oozes with passion, sadness and the aches and pains of life. |
| After hearing 'I Won't Wait' first the time I was completely captivated. I couldn't stop listening to it. I love Amy's stripped back approach that lets her moody, deep tones melt over you. | After hearing 'I Won't Wait' first the time I was completely captivated. I couldn't stop listening to it. I love Amy's stripped back approach that lets her moody, deep tones melt over you. |
(Listen to Amy performing 'I Won't Wait' for BBC Introducing Newcastle) | (Listen to Amy performing 'I Won't Wait' for BBC Introducing Newcastle) |
| Making most of her music in her bedroom in the beautiful Whickham countryside, Amy's been in hiding, building up her sound and her confidence for the last couple of months perfecting everything before it's released. | Making most of her music in her bedroom in the beautiful Whickham countryside, Amy's been in hiding, building up her sound and her confidence for the last couple of months perfecting everything before it's released. |
| Last summer felt like a "rollercoaster" for Amy after supporting Newton Faulkner, Willy Mason and Jake Bugg then having one reviewer point out she only sang about ex-boyfriends. She felt on the one hand they had a point. But on the other thought her songs meant something to people listening as well as to her: "I resented [it] ... but it also gave me a bit of a kick to write about other things I care and think about." | Last summer felt like a "rollercoaster" for Amy after supporting Newton Faulkner, Willy Mason and Jake Bugg then having one reviewer point out she only sang about ex-boyfriends. She felt on the one hand they had a point. But on the other thought her songs meant something to people listening as well as to her: "I resented [it] ... but it also gave me a bit of a kick to write about other things I care and think about." |
| So after hibernating Amy is bringing out sounds which are "a little more mature, a little broader", songs about "judgement day, feminism, a nightmare, sex", things that are "accessible and more real." | So after hibernating Amy is bringing out sounds which are "a little more mature, a little broader", songs about "judgement day, feminism, a nightmare, sex", things that are "accessible and more real." |
| Taking after the likes of Eva Cassidy, Etta James and Nina Simone it's no wonder Amy's sound is incredibly soulful yet full of strength. "It makes me really happy when someone identifies the sorrow in my music without classing it as 'depressing'. It's like a paradox almost, because I live for someone just to see the honesty and the sorrow in my music." | Taking after the likes of Eva Cassidy, Etta James and Nina Simone it's no wonder Amy's sound is incredibly soulful yet full of strength. "It makes me really happy when someone identifies the sorrow in my music without classing it as 'depressing'. It's like a paradox almost, because I live for someone just to see the honesty and the sorrow in my music." |
| But importantly Amy says: "my songs aren't about the sorrow, it's about me over coming it, me saying, 'no', me being strong." This definitely leaps out of 'I Won't Wait', with its recurring moody statement: "No I won't wait no more." | But importantly Amy says: "my songs aren't about the sorrow, it's about me over coming it, me saying, 'no', me being strong." This definitely leaps out of 'I Won't Wait', with its recurring moody statement: "No I won't wait no more." |
| As the song progresses Amy's voice takes over becoming louder and louder showing she's the one with the power and control now. | As the song progresses Amy's voice takes over becoming louder and louder showing she's the one with the power and control now. |
(Listen to 'Broken Boy Blues') | (Listen to 'Broken Boy Blues') |
| 'Broken Boy Blues' shows Amy's cheekier side. The song doesn't make you want to sit and cry but the broody blues makes you connect with what she's saying. This may have come from Amy listening to old gospel and chain gang sounds more recently. She loves "anything with a killer rhythm, a sexy riff, or a moving power behind the music", which is exactly what comes across in her sound. | 'Broken Boy Blues' shows Amy's cheekier side. The song doesn't make you want to sit and cry but the broody blues makes you connect with what she's saying. This may have come from Amy listening to old gospel and chain gang sounds more recently. She loves "anything with a killer rhythm, a sexy riff, or a moving power behind the music", which is exactly what comes across in her sound. |
| To Amy making music is all about connecting with people, sharing an experience or a heartache: "when I write something I feel there will always be someone who will listen and connect to it, and that's hugely important to me. I supposed that's why I've connected to blues music so much... blues is real." | To Amy making music is all about connecting with people, sharing an experience or a heartache: "when I write something I feel there will always be someone who will listen and connect to it, and that's hugely important to me. I supposed that's why I've connected to blues music so much... blues is real." |
(Watch this incredible session Amy recorded with Amazing Radio) | (Watch this incredible session Amy recorded with Amazing Radio) |
| With high hopes of making album after album, touring American and jamming with John Mayer and Jay-Z, I can't wait to witness Amy's journey. For the time being though we'll have to be patient until Amy releases anything officially but when she does I know it'll blow us away. | With high hopes of making album after album, touring American and jamming with John Mayer and Jay-Z, I can't wait to witness Amy's journey. For the time being though we'll have to be patient until Amy releases anything officially but when she does I know it'll blow us away. |
| Emily Brinnand is a freelance journalist, radio presenter and producer. You can listen to her show Mixtape every Tuesday evening at 6pm on Sheffield Live! 93.2fm or follow her on Twitter @EmilyBrinnand | Emily Brinnand is a freelance journalist, radio presenter and producer. You can listen to her show Mixtape every Tuesday evening at 6pm on Sheffield Live! 93.2fm or follow her on Twitter @EmilyBrinnand |
| If you're in a northern band, Emily wants to hear from you so please Tweet her links to your music. | If you're in a northern band, Emily wants to hear from you so please Tweet her links to your music. |
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