Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Jay.
Hi Amy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m from Florida originally, and I spent my early childhood in Miami by the ocean listening to 90s pop & r&b hits, and the second half in Orlando surrounded by lakes and listening to singer-songwriters and whatever my dad was playing in the garage as he worked on his cars.
I started dancing from the womb, then playing violin when I was five because my grandparents were in an orchestra, and then added piano and dance (officially) at age six, so music was always in my bones from both nature and nurture. I discovered my voice by trying out for the middle school play and getting recruited for choir and then started writing songs in high school as a way to process what I was experiencing (being a teen is hard amiright?) behind the safety of a melody (and never stopped!). I was very much a choir and orchestra nerd, and proud of that. In college, I studied music business, worked in publishing for a few years, and realized that working on behalf of songwriters was not my true calling; I wanted to be a songwriter. I released my first EP in 2015 and my first full-length album in 2022, and am not planning on stopping anytime soon.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have had seasons with wind in my sails and seasons where things feel completely stuck. A lot of times, both are happening at the same time because it’s part of the career path I chose. The biggest struggle is constantly dealing with unmet expectations and handling disappointment, which most times is out of my control. The most important thing is to have a support system that believes in you to keep you going when you don’t see why you should.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a songwriter and graphic designer, and I am most proud of how I pivoted from working in the admin side of the music industry years ago to learning graphic design and pursuing the creative side of music. Since that point, I have never had a traditional 9-5, and work has been so much more fulfilling. I get to be creative in everything I do, whether it be designing a new brand or creating a song from scratch.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I live in New York City, so I’ll speak to that – I love the diversity and how everything is here. You are constantly rubbing shoulders with people that are different. I also love that the culture pushes me toward excellence. Which is also what I love the least – you can very easily disappear in a crowd (which sometimes, admittedly, I appreciate), and it can be very isolating and overstimulating. Emotional fatigue is real. The hustle culture can lead to burnout if you’re not careful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.amyjaymusic.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/amyjaymusic
- Facebook: facebook.com/amyjaymusic
- Twitter: twitter.com/amyjaymusic
- Youtube: youtube.com/amyjaymusic
- Other: linktr.ee/amyjaymusic
Image Credits
Deryne Photography (@derymusic) and Lydia Kennie (@lydiakenniephoto)
