Amela

Where are you currently based?

I am currently based in the hinterlands of the Gold Coast. 🙂

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?

To be honest, it hasn’t changed a whole lot for me.. I’ve been teaching the same amount and have been working on writing and recording some new tunes in the background. 

How did you first start playing music?

My mother caught me singing around the house (and everywhere I went) when I was about 9 and booked in a singing lesson for me. I’ve never looked back since. ? I fell in love with playing the piano, flute, cello, and started writing songs in Grade 10 after borrowing a guitar from my work experience week working at a primary school.

Your new single ‘DNM’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

Ah – for a long time (probably since I started writing). I always really wanted to write a pop song – the best pop song that I could ever write.  I’ve played in bands all throughout university and after I realised that I wanted to be a solo artist and pursue writing the ‘best songs’ that I could write. 

In the recent year, I’ve been wanting to challenge myself and try to write the catchiest, strongest pop song I can write. DNM was one of those songs that came out around that time.. I really love the fat synths from The Chainsmokers and am obsessed with ALMA and Years and Years’ music. I wanted DNM to fall in line with these artists. I wanted it to be catchy, and big and melodic. I hope I have achieved this. ? 

How did you go about writing DNM?

One night I was feeling supa lonely and had so many things I wanted to share with someone. “I’m dying for a DNM” came to my mind and I immediately went to the piano with my thoughts and this melody. That’s how it was born. When I played the hook on the piano “I’m dying for a DNM”, I knew there was something there worth trying to conceive. 

Please tell us about the studio that your partner and yourself built in the Gold Coast Hinterlands:

Yes! Ah, it has been a journey!

I used to own a music school in Parkwood, Gold Coast called Nighitngale Music. We did super well but I kind of struggled with managing the whole business as well as trying to pursue my own music, so I sadly decided to close down the school. The funny thing is that I would’ve had to close it down anyway because of the pandemic. Anyway! Josh and I live in the hinterlands and knew that building a studio was an option so my dad had us digging holes the very next week which would 

My room really is for artists to develop themselves. To come in, develop their singing voice and songwriting and for me to also help in any mentoring way that I can. One of my students Jenna is an up-coming singer-songwriter on the Gold Coast who’s only 17 and is AMAZING. I am so passionate about helping her in her musical career.

Josh on the other hand is the master-mind. He does an incredible job at understanding an artists’ vision and bringing that vision to life, mostly in terms of production but also in artist-development areas. He put in a lot of detail into making his space really accommodating for artists. His studio space design has a boutique feel and is super Instagram-able! 

We may plan to build a room for artists to stay here during their recording process, as well. We’ve called the studio ‘Our Space Studio’.

Is this where you recorded?

Actually, we recorded DNM mostly in our bedroom while the studio was being built however, we recorded my vocals at QSound with Maddy Breen.

Please tell us about your music teaching and who are some of your clients/students:

I have been teaching for a decade now and every year I seem to love it more and more. I really love to motivate and inspire people and I thoroughly enjoy teaching students who are currently singer-songwriters and wanting to break into the industry or kids who are passionate about music and singing.

One of my students, Jenna Cogzell who I mentioned above is a singer-songwriter with incredible talent. I’m trying everything I can to help guide her in the right direction. You should go check out her song Roses! Go now. ? ? 

You have a few upcoming releases with some collabs with popular artists, please tell us more:

Yes! I absolutely LOVE to collaborate. It’s so much fun and it kind of takes the ease off coming up with the chord progression and the feel. I think I tend to stick to the same patterns so it’s super refreshing and inspiring to write to something new.

I have a song coming out with TINY on October 23rd who is a good friend of mine and a successful DJ, producer and singer-songwriter! I am so honoured to be releasing her very FIRST original track with her called ‘On My Mind’. 

I also have a song coming out with the amazing Luke Howell who used to tour with One Direction!! (Fun fact!). We have a song called ‘Closer’ coming out in December.

And then I also have a collaboration coming out in November which this Instagram artist called Tokyonite from Kenya!! The track is a vapourwave pop-ballad and I absolutely can’t wait to release it because it’s been a dream of mine to record something like this!

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Oh man, I found this chick called MARINA who I’m loving lately and also watched the Above & Beyond Acoustic live show which brought tears to my eyes – absolutely beautiful! 

What do you like to do away from music?

I actually like to be a boring 27 year old haha. I really enjoy just being at home and being creative.. Cooking, cleaning, gardening.. I also take care of my grandma and uncle who is disabled which brings me a lot of joy. <3 

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

I’ve got so many tracks coming out in the next 5 months, I am so excited! Mostly those collaborations but then hopefully a couple of more strong solo songs early 2021. 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

The Henchman in Miami is my new grill! The burgers are amazing and I’m so glad there’s live music there too. But otherwise, I really like Dust Temple or any cafes that allow me to sit and ponder for hours while drinking amazing coffee… 

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