As 2020 comes to an end and you think about your goals for next year, we've been thinking about how musicians have worked on moving their careers forward during the time of COVID-19. We reached out to a few different independent bands and artists to find out more about life as a performer during a global pandemic. This week we had the pleasure of chatting with singer/songwriter Amanda Ayala about her experience and career.
Amanda Ayala is a pop/rock singer/songwriter from New York. She made her first major music breakthrough as a contestant on NBC's Emmy Award winning show "The Voice”. Three out of four judges turned their chairs for her incredible performance. Ultimately, Amanda chose Adam Levine as her coach. She has since had two singles debut within the Top 100 iTunes Rock Chart, and her debut pop single “Lost You” is available everywhere now!
Has COVID-19 changed your perspective on making music?
Before COVID-19 hit, my creative process while making music was very different. My songwriting stemmed from real life experiences and relationships I was dealing with, but with the whole world being shut down my perspective and storylines had changed. While being in lockdown for months I pulled my inspiration from different places. Whether it was from watching a show or reading a book, I wrote new lyrics from the storylines of these characters and what they were going through; rather than myself for a change. My musical process took a big shift as well. Typically when writing a new song I would always pick up my guitar and get a progression I liked, but because I had so much time off I was able to experiment, learn and venture out into electronic production and VST’s. My creative process took on a more interesting turn and I believe my process benefited from it. Throughout quarantine I believe the songs I have written have been the best of my work, and I can’t wait for the world to hear them!
How have you been connecting with fans during COVID-19?
Social Media has been the key to connecting with my fans. Being able to livestream from my own space opens up a more personal connection and has actually helped me grow closer to them. We are all so used to the venue styled meet and greets/performances, but we are all still adapting and trying to find the most effective, entertaining and engaging way to reach the fans!
Can you tell us your inspiration behind your most recent song “Lost You”?
“Lost You” was inspired by many deep emotions that I have felt and experienced in a past relationship. The song touches on many feelings that people encounter in their everyday lives. Anyone who has lost a friend, a loved one, or a partner can heavily relate to this track. The song stems from losing an extremely important person in my life and where a goodbye came too soon.
What was the most exciting part of competing on The Voice?
The most exciting part of competing on The Voice (aside from the coaches turning their chairs for me) was getting to meet and work with so many incredible people. When I look back at my time on the show, the memories that come to mind first are the moments with my cast mates and crew members. You get a glimpse of the relationships on TV, but behind the scenes there is so much more depth. I met and developed so many great relationships with the cast in such a short time. Nearly spending everyday with them made it that much more fun. We all were going through this once in a lifetime opportunity together and it was nice to be around people with the same love and passion for music as me.
If you could give any piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could give my younger self a piece of advice it would be, to not care what people think and just enjoy the ride. Before going on television and performing at large scaled venues, I used to sing in my room without a care in the world. Once my career started to bloom and my notoriety rose, I took things a bit too seriously. Everything from my past days seems like a blur, because I never took the time to just relax, have fun and soak up the experience. I would love to go back in time and relive some of those amazing moments to cherish it a bit more.
