Daily Inspiration: Meet Amanda Kind

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Kind.

Hi Amanda, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Confidence, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Finding Your Voice.

Raised in the coastal community of White Rock, British Columbia in western Canada, I grew up in a musical family and was strongly influenced by my mom, a talented recreational pianist, whose wide array of musical tastes covered everything from The Andrew Sisters and Ella Fitzgerald to Patsy Cline, Garth Brooks, Enya, Queen, and more. We listened to so much music growing up that I was always fluctuating from one genre of music to another, getting obsessed with it for a few months and then suddenly being totally drawn to something new. I’m grateful for that education because it’s made me appreciate so many musical styles and artists. My mom came from a Mennonite background so there was always a lot of music in the house – we sang grace at family functions and most of my extended family on that side sang in harmony and played instruments. It was surprising to me later in my childhood to find out that not everybody sings Christmas carols in four-part harmony. Who knew?

By age 16, I desperately wanted to take voice lessons and my parents agreed as long as I kept my grades up. At that time, there was no such thing as studying pop or country music – if you took voice lessons, you were studying classical music. So, I spent my teenage years learning Italian art songs and Mozart arias with revered Canadian voice teacher Lila McCormack while secretly mimicking Mariah Carey riffs, belting out Spice Girls and Shania Twain anthems, and singing No Doubt, Dolly Parton, and Alanis Morrisette at the top of my lungs in my bedroom. As much as I enjoy singing classical music, I’m happiest in pop, rock, and country. I love that the current voice education field has expanded to embrace and celebrate teaching all genres of music.

Given the breadth of musical styles in my childhood, it’s no surprise that my own musical journey had many twists and turns. I went to college for music, starting out in a classical and jazz-focused program at Kwantlen College. I did two years there and just didn’t feel like I fully fit in. Ultimately, I wanted to write and sing more contemporary-sounding music. I ended up studying musical theatre at the Canadian College of Performing Arts where I really honed my voice and performance skills. I worked as an actor for a little while and eventually moved from British Columbia to Ontario to finish a Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Waterloo. I wanted to cross-train and finesse all areas of my voice so I studied with two awesome teachers – a classical voice with esteemed soprano Stephanie Kramer and commercial music and musical theatre with Broadway performer Fred Love. That was a fun time in my life because I was really getting a wonderful variety of opportunities – I might be singing the soprano feature in the Faure Requiem one day and belting out Pat Benatar tunes with a rock band the next.

Eventually, I felt strongly drawn to teaching voice. I have always been a bit of a voice nerd. When I love the way someone sounds, I listen intently to recordings and analyze the sound. I’m fascinated by how and why people sing the way they do. The transition to teaching happened very naturally when my coach Fred Love moved out of town to accept a musical theatre teaching position at a major American university; he asked me to take over his studio in Waterloo.

I discovered very quickly that developing a voice and developing personal confidence go hand in hand. So many people with really terrific natural talent want to sing and struggle to do so because of a lack of confidence; so much of what I do is empowering people to own their voice and then use it to express their creativity and feelings either by embodying songs written by other artists or by creating the original work. I’ve spent over 17 years helping people discover their voice and their confidence, so it’s incredibly ironic that somewhere along the line, I ended up losing mine.

I became so focused on helping other people that I forgot to nurture my own voice. For several years, I stopped making time to sing, write, and perform. So much time passed that I began to be fearful of singing in public. Singing and performing are muscles like anything else – if you aren’t out there doing it, you get rusty. I began to truly understand the old inspirational quote “don’t just dream it, do it” because I knew I wanted to get back out there, but I was afraid. Even though I knew what to do, I was out of practice. My mental health started to decline. I was crying for seemingly no reason. Some time near the end of 2018, I realized that I needed help. I began going to cognitive behavioral therapy and unraveling the unseen barbed wire that was strangling my voice. It sounds cheesy, but it’s absolutely true. I was standing in my own way. I needed to work through some past trauma to reframe my mindset and free myself.

I believe people are wired for creativity. When we are out of touch with these muscles, we struggle because we crave expression. Singing and writing music are major creative outlets for me and by neglecting those things, I blocked vital elements of who I am. Getting back to them was an essential step toward wellness and happiness.

I returned to writing original music during the pandemic. Then, I released a number of singles in 2021 starting with the pop ballad “easier.” Then, I had this wonderful and wild opportunity to write with Stratford country singer James Downham alongside Carrie DeMaeyer and Matt Koebel; we ended up writing a soaring duet called “We’re Okay,” which James released and had me guest on. The song was picked up by Canadian country radio and really helped forge a path for me into country music. I released a country version of my pop single “Distant Memory” in August of that year, followed by the folk-country holiday song “Hold Me Close” in December. It was a busy year of music creation and release.

By the fall of 2021, I was sure I wanted to release a solo country EP so I began co-writing with tons of other artists. The first single “Love Used To Live Here” was released in July this year and I just finished recording the next tune – “Slow Dance.” There are three more songs on their way as well. It’s wild to think that I was sure I couldn’t do this only a few years ago, that I had missed my chance or something. I really feel like I’m living the “it’s never too late” adage.

At the same time, I’ve been continuing to help many, many other artists find their voice. I am so lucky that I get to do the work that I do. Connecting with other artists and working with them to unlock their vocal flexibility and stamina is exciting and beautiful work. It’s always really fun for me to get an exciting message from one of my clients that says something like “I’ve done five shows and my voice feels great!” or “This warm-up routine is a game-changer.

Thank you so much!” It’s a special feeling to support the work of other artists and help them be at the top of their game.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Despite working with many other artists to improve their confidence, I have deeply struggled with my own worth as an artist for many years. It wasn’t until I did CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) that I really began to work on old wounds and find a way back to my personal creativity. This industry is hard on women, especially plus-size women like me. For a long time, I felt deeply that I just didn’t belong; that there was no place and no audience for me or my voice.

Now that I’m a little older and I’ve been through a few things, I have come into a mindset of fearlessness and abundance that I never knew was in me. I’m doing what I love, creating the music and the life I want, and I am wildly committed to believing in myself. I’ve discovered that confidence is contagious – when you believe in yourself, others start to believe in you too.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in Contemporary Commercial Music voice coaching. I work with artists to create warm-up and technical exercises to improve their vocal health and stamina or to expand their vocal abilities. Some vocal coaches work more on the performance side of things, but I am significantly focused on the mechanics. As an artist myself, I know firsthand how taxing recording, practicing, and performing can be on the voice and I have worked hard to develop a variety of tools to help singers finesse their instruments and aim to create the most efficient sound possible. I also focus a lot on confidence-building and creative inspiration with many artists.

I believe so wholeheartedly that uniqueness and variety should be embraced and celebrated. The industry loves to create boxes around artists; categorization plays such a huge role in music… and while I see that as helpful in some instances, I also love when artists expand outside the box and help to pave the way for new styles and trends. Just because we’ve always done something a certain way doesn’t mean that’s the only way to do it. I love hybrid styles and daring choices in voices and music in general.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Growth mindset. I am always learning new things and growing as an artist and a teacher. I am a voracious learner and analyzer. I don’t teach or sing the way I did yesterday. I feel humbled by the number of things that I know I don’t know enough about. I enjoy learning from others, particularly my students.

There’s so much reciprocal education when you work with another artist. I get excited by new information and new possibilities. I am a generally positive person and I get such joy from helping others and learning new things. Yes, I was the kid in the corner with a book growing up, AND the kid covered in mud exploring new territory.

Pricing:

• My sessions range from $50-$100 depending on the length.
• I teach people from all over the world on Zoom.
• I work with artists in Country, Rock, Pop, Musical Theatre, and more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amandakind.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missakind
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandakindmusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/missakind
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AmandaKindMusic