Exposed Vocals Interviews Amelia Martin
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Amelia: My story, well, I grew up in a small Village in South Wales, Cwmavon, also where the famous Richard Burton was born, little bit of history. Most would know the town, Port Talbot, famous for its lovely steel works haha. I can’t really remember when I decided I wanted to become an artist, I think I just always knew that I wanted to be involved with music in some way. Growing up there was always music, my mother mostly, singing musicals, as once she was an aspiring actress. I grew up in a very lively happy household haha! From my first role as Nala in my junior school play and singing Elton Johns famous ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’, really captured my love for singing and performing, and ever since then I went on to have singing lessons and never really looked back. I’ve always had incredible support from my whole family, especially my parents, and I will always be forever grateful, they are the people who have kept my belief in my ability strong! I have to also state that one of my biggest and greatest influences has to be Beyonce, her work and voice are incomparable, and I’m always aspiring to one day be as great as her.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Amelia: I have to give the credit to my parents for that haha. I’ve always used my birth name, I did think about changing it, but decided to stick with Amelia.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Amelia: I think it’s great, it lets music lovers explore other genres of music, and maybe come across something that they may not normally listen to, then they are introduced to a new found love! Sharing is caring as they say haha! Yeahs, at the moment all of my music is free, however I did put my first single up on iTunes for 79p. As I am currently unsigned, I want to get my music heard by as many people as possible, until I have enough of a loyal following and land a record deal, I’m just going with the flow really, and I’m loving it!
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Amelia: At the moment, I’d consider myself an artist who is still in the working progress of getting my music across to the world, but my advice would be to always be true to yourself and your music, anything that you don’t one million percent believe in, won’t work, from my experience, you have to be unconditionally in love with what you are doing and creating, because if your not, how can you expect other people to be.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Amelia: Yeahs, I’ve made many, but I never show it haha- If I do, I’ll just make up the words on the spot, and no-one ever notices, well I don’t think they do haha! We’re only human, and that’s the fun of it!
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Amelia: I haven’t toured yet! I say yet as, that is the dream, to tour pretty much everywhere, with my music, performing, writing, experiencing different cultures and music! But knowing me, there’ll definitely be funny/clumsy stories in the near future!
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Amelia: I usually play on how I am feeling, most of my songs I’ve written have spurred from a situation of strong emotion that I had been feeling at that time. Then other times I’ll be sleeping, and wake up with a tune or lyrics in my head, so I’ll write them down and work on them the following morning haha! Writing and producing is something I love, I’ll play a couple chords and layer them up with some orchestral instruments etc, then I’ll just sing, sing how I’m feeling, it just sort of comes to me, on times I don’t even write down what I’m singing, just purely from my emotions, I’d say that’d probably my favourite part haha! Then I have days where I’ll work for hours and nothing will come, then other days I’ll have a song down written and produced in less than an hour, just how it goes. My producing is still a working progress, so often I’ll work with other aspiring producers to mix and master my final track, but is something I want to be able to do to a professional level!
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Amelia: I currently don’t have a website, but one is in the pipelines! I use Facebook a lot, to post cover videos and all my original songs, that’s where I have the biggest following. I also use SoundCloud, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube! I love using each platform, the online music community is thriving, and is probably the best place to get your music out to the world!
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Amelia: Hmm, I’m not sure, probably Rockstar by Nickleback, I am in love with his voice, and everyone dreams of being a rockstar right? Haha!
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Amelia: Ooo, wouldn’t that be lovely haha! I think I would definitely have to give half to my parents, with everything they’ve done for me and my two sisters, that is literally the least I could do haha! I’d then invest a lot of what was left into my music, studio time, try and work with some of the top producers, and also travel, travel everywhere and sing, play, write! Just live whilst living music haha!
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Amelia: I don’t have any at this moment, as I have recently turned the little out house which was once a shed, into a fully working studio, which is great! Somewhere I can disappear to and work on my music!
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Amelia: I think online is probably the best way, getting your friends and family to share your music also! A good song is a good song, so if it is good enough it will soon make it’s way around!
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Amelia: It would be in Wembley with Beyonce! Dueting her 1 + 1 song and full on singing and dancing to Crazing In Love! That is a must haha! No performer on this earth has made me feel so empowered, she is a massive reason as to why I sing today!
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Amelia: At the moment I am working on a self produced and written mixtape, that will also include collaborations with Welsh DJ Jack Davies, who is amazing I must add! It’s basically about life, love, growing, every song I’ve written so far feels right!
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Amelia: Ooo that’s a good question! I’ve always been arty, and love the beauty side of things so probably would be doing something within that industry! I also like the business side of things and love children haha!
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Amelia: Yeahs, it was Beyonce’s Dangerously In Love! I remember putting it on my christmas list and hoping I’d get it! You can imagine my excitement when I did haha! I remember putting it in my walkmann disc player and the feeling I had listening through headphones! That’s how I want to make others feel when they listen to my music!
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Amelia: I try and structure a daily plan to make sure I fit in everything that needs to be done, but as my mother would say, I’m not the most organised haha! It is tough trying to keep on top of everything else whilst working on my music, but I manage! I just have to keep the belief and strive everyday to be better!
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Amelia: They should keep an eye out for my new Mixtape that will be released very soon! There’ll be constant updates on my social media accounts and sneak peeks of whats to come! I’d also like to thank everyone for their support, every like, share, retweet and listen means everything to me, and I am so grateful that I have people who share love and enjoy my music!
