Amy Vee Same Skin Interview

Paper and Wood

Award-winning singer Amy Vee is celebrating the release of Same Skin – her sophomore album – with a six-date tour of the East Coast. Same Skin has been described as 'a seductive and sumptuous exploration of both the ever-changing and constant elements of the soul,' and promises to be just as seductive and sumptuous live on stage.

A Hunter-based songwriter, Amy Vee already has plenty of experience entertaining old fans and winning new ones on stage, having supported international acts like Newton Faulkner and Passenger as well as Australian legends including The Whitlams, Lior, Sarah McLeod and Diesel.

'I'm playing a bunch of solo shows and a few very special band shows with Gareth Hudson and Andrew Sampford,' says Amy. 'I think it's going to be a really unique live show. I've purposely chosen the most intimate venues I could find because it's really important to me to connect with people on that level.'

Amy Vee's music has received airplay on Triple J, ABC Local Radio Network and a number of regional and community stations across Australia. Her tracks have reached Top 20 in both iTunes and Triple J's Unearthed charts, with 'Red Desert Heart' winning the Studio 301 All Access Competition.

The lead single off Same Skin, 'Paper and Wood', is a fitting first taste of Vee's song-writing prowess. The track alludes to the idea that it sometimes takes the destruction of something to make room for creation, and you can catch Amy creating a truly memorable experience in an intimate setting on her forthcoming East Coast tour.

Wednesday 9 October - Memo Music Hall, St. Kilda - VIC
Sunday 13 October - Smith's Alternative (solo), Canberra - ACT
Friday 18 October - The Newsagency, Annandale - NSW
Sunday 20 October - Royal Exchange Theatre, Newcastle - NSW
Friday 1 November - Dusty Attic Music Lounge, Lismore - NSW
Saturday 2 November - The Junk Bar (solo), Ashgrove - QLD
Tickets available here

Interview with Amy Vee

Question: How would you describe your music?

Amy Vee: Introspective. Moody. Ethereal. A little dark but actually glimmering with optimism if you look closely enough.


Question: What inspired the track Paper and Wood?

Amy Vee: Paper and Wood alludes to the idea that sometimes it takes the destruction of something to make room for creation. I am a master of self-sabotage. Sometimes I wonder if subconsciously I make bad decisions just to create drama or tension… it's good fodder for art.


Question: Can you tell us about Same Skin?

Amy Vee: The track 'Same Skin' came from my feelings about age… that the outside changes but the same feelings, beliefs, motivations, ideas, desires still exist. I named the album after this track because the album represents me as a person as I am, right here and now; my attitudes and beliefs and experiences. The way people perceive us may change as we get older, but we don't necessarily feel any different.


Question: What motivates you most when writing music?

Amy Vee: Restlessness. The urge to write usually comes from either a period of inertia or something that moves me beyond words.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Amy Vee: Definitely live. For me it's all about creating moments… no performance is ever exactly the same… the audience, the mood in the room, the chatter in my head that particular day… even my voice and my playing can vary to a degree. It's all about being in that moment and letting it wash over you.


Question: Which is your favourite song to perform live and why?

Amy Vee: I feel like the answer to this might change as we prepare for the new tour, but up until now, I've always enjoyed performing the song 'Outside Looking In' from the last album. It's a song that's traveled with me for quite some time… it began way back when I was in a band called The Virtues and evolved into one of the first songs I used live loops for (long before Ed Sheeren and every other person and their dog started using them). It's starts with some frenetic breath percussion and builds throughout into something spiraling out of control. The song is a reflection of how I imagine society views someone who makes the choices that I do (whether that's a reality or not).

Question: What should we expect from your upcoming tour?

Amy Vee: I think the shows will be quite different to anything I've done in the past. I've added some new instrumentation to my solo shows and when I'm in band mode, I have two amazing multi-instrumentalists working with me (Gareth Hudson and Andrew Sampford). We're not trying to emulate the record in a live setting, we're actually building a new life for them... tailoring them for the road. I think that'll make the shows that extra bit special. I've also purposely chosen the most intimate venues I could find because it's really important to me to connect with people on that level.


Question: If you could have anyone, in the world, attend a show, who would it be?

Amy Vee: That's a tough question. Because of all the people I look up to musically, I probably wouldn't want them at a show for fear they might not like it! My ultimate show audience member is someone who connects with what I'm doing and feels like they own it - like it helps them understand something about themselves. If I can touch people on that level I feel like my work is done.


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Amy Vee: I grew up around music and the industry. I started studying piano at around 5 or 6 and continued all through school. My Dad, my youngest brother, my Grandfather - they're all (still) working musicians. My Dad has also been an agent and an artist manager so I'm always around other people working in the industry. So it felt like a very natural progression for me. But as for inspiration? I'm not sure what the defining moment was. I was terribly shy as a child and didn't really become confident performing until later in the teens and early 20s. I remember watching Jeff Buckley's 'Live in Chicago' performance and feeling like it was an awakening.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Amy Vee: Another tough one! Maybe Guy Garvey (Elbow)? Andrew Bird? Nick Cave? Not sure. My control freak nature makes me a terrible collaborator.


Question: What is the biggest challenge you have faced along the way to your musical success?
Amy Vee: Being completely independent, I have to wear ALL the hats. It's not good enough now to just write interesting songs or perform well… you have to be able to handle the business side of things, promotion and publicity, bookings, merch… there aren't enough hours in the day and it can be exhausting and actually take you away from what you really want to be doing, which is being creative.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Amy Vee: There isn't really a typical day! It can vary wildly. I have two small children for a start, plus along with the many music projects I work on, I also do a bit of work in mental health, mostly in promotion, prevention and advocacy.


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Amy Vee: Discovering my tribe. Connecting with people who have shared interests, passions, experiences. Sharing moments and stories with people who make the world a better place. Helping people to feel something - that's a huge reward.


Question: Can you share your socials?

Amy Vee: http://facebook.com/amyveemusic
@amyveemusic
http://twitter.com/amyvee
http://youtube.com/amyvee


Interview by Brooke Hunter