Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Peters.
Hi Amy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started making beats on Garageband and recorded my first original song when I was seven years old. I’ve been hooked ever since. As a teenager, I performed at every restaurant and outdoor food festival that Chesapeake, Virginia had to offer, posting songs on YouTube and drawing the attention of some publishers in Nashville. I moved here to attend audio school, signed a synch deal, then a publishing deal, and at the suggestion of higher-ups in the industry, I eventually abandoned my own artist project to write and produce for others.
From the outside I’m sure I appeared to be living the dream, but I’d never felt more lonely, lost or confused in my life. My artistry was what came most naturally to me, and cutting it off felt like severing my oxygen supply. Things fell apart for me in dramatic ways that were outside of my control, but somehow, the emptiness that followed became the clean slate I needed.
I started writing songs again, more personal than before. I reconnected with an old friend who has now become my manager. I met amazing people who supported me in building a world around my project, and from there, I created my brand Journal Pop: music that sounds like a diary entry.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The music industry is tough, but the hardest struggles I’ve faced have been internal. My anxiety can make it difficult for me to see things clearly and treat myself gently. Most of the pressure I’ve felt in my career has come from my own brain: Work harder! Make no errors! Show no flaws! Only in recent years have I learned that imperfection and vulnerability–my life’s work–are inseparable.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Right now, I’m excited to be creating a world for my new album, Bad Posture, with the lead single “Soft” dropping May 8. This project explores the tension between what we post online, and what we’re afraid to say out loud. Having been ensnared by the claws of the internet before, I hope this project encourages a discussion about the impact of cancel culture on our mental health. I’m proud of the discomfort I’ve pushed through to make these songs and this album campaign as honest as possible.
What’s next?
I’ve just finished building my live show! It’s an immersive experience told through the lens of a girl writing in her diary, singing alone in her room, as the audience watches her private thoughts become public. It’s voyeuristic, it’s campy and it combines my love for storytelling, electronic programming and looping with live vocals.
My goal is to create an environment where everyone, especially introverts, can feel safe to let loose–that’s the kind of concert I’d personally be most excited to attend. I’ll be debuting the production locally this summer, and my ultimate dream is to take this show on the road–first all over the country, and then all over the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://amypetersmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actuallyamypeters
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/amypetersmusic
- Other: https://amypeters.substack.com/
