IT’S easy to recognise a polished diamond, but how about one in the rough?
Describing Kuala Lumpur lass Amanda Imani as an unpolished gem would seem perfectly logical, given her tender age of 18. However, a cursory listen to four of her songs (which she happily shared with us), suggests an entirely different story.
Fell For You (Jatuh Cinta Kasih), Cinta Seluas Angkasa, Sunshine and Terima Kasih indicate that she’s an artist who should be scalding stages ... in the Klang Valley, at least. The body of work that Amanda has put together well belies her age and vaunts the depth of her musical wealth, as the teenager has ably fused sumptuous pop melodies over an undercurrent of smoky jazz, swinging soul and earthy blues.
“I’m in a country phase right now … I’m really into it. I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift,” she says, almost warning of her continued musical growth. It’s this philosophy of daring to be different that lends credence to her sense of individualism.
All the fuss would seem vacuous if Amanda were merely peddling a couple of songs or so, but there is an entire album’s worth of material waiting to be released, but as is common knowledge in the entertainment industry, timing is of the essence.
The recording studio has been Amanda’s sonic playground over the past year, a place she’s derived quite a bit of joy from, made extra joyous by producer Ajai of local rock band Exist.
“I enjoyed everything ... the process was really fun. When I was recording the album, I was 16 and still in high school.
“It was tiring and I can’t imagine doing that now, especially with a schedule that entailed going to school from 8am to 4pm, and then tuition until 7pm, and after that, recording in the studio from 8pm to 1am,” she enthuses during a recent interview.
It wasn’t a case of all work and no play because the recording process was therapy in itself. “It was great to get away from the stress of SPM exams. And all of this was like the best reward.”
But not everything is what it seems.
While Amanda thrived in the music-making process, she also experienced her share of difficulties.
“I am used to English songs, so for me to sing in Malay was rather difficult ... especially this one song called Warna Hidupku, it took me almost three hours to get the vocals right, because this just wasn’t my comfort zone,” concedes the young lass.
Even if she is a greenhorn, Amanda was always very clear and single-minded about how she wanted her music to sound. The template for her album was conceived from the likes of some of today’s hottest singing sirens. “I had different ideas, so I was looking to meld musical ideas from Christina Aguilera, Joss Stone and Alicia Keys.”
Amanda’s music fits snugly into the pop-folk genre, and she simply thrives in it. “I’ve always had a natural feel for this kind of music. I don’t really scream, like in a rock context, and I tend to favour twists and turns in the melodies,” she asserts.
There is a real charm to Amanda, an honest-to-goodness trait that would draw anyone to her. And while she maintains a playful demeanour throughout the interview, she remains focused and is always eager to understand and respond to the queries posed to her as best possible.
Sibling rivalry is not something she’s needed to contend with – she has no siblings. That perhaps suggests how she’s been accorded the luxuries of an only child, taking up the piano, classical ballet, tap dancing, modern dance, earning a black belt in taekwondo, participating and winning in a few international dressage competitions.
Yes, that obviously means she’s had a horse ... more than one, at that.
“Hahaha, yes, the horse’s name is Sundance,” she shares of her more recent four-legged friend, revealing that she has given that up in order to focus on her music career.
Obviously, she didn’t live the life of an average teen, but her extracurricular activities (lavished upon her by her business consultant parents) have only put her in good stead.
“I suppose there’s good and bad to that. I used to be shy, but ballet helped me be more confident and get over stage fright.”
So, is there something she doesn’t do that the common person does, then? “I guess I don’t lepak too much,” she laughs heartily. “I just don’t have the time ... I’m caught between my career and my studies.”
Speaking of which, she is currently enrolled in the American degree programme at SEGI University College in communications and psychology.
“The second term is finishing and I am looking forward to the third,” she coos excitedly.
Amanda is one of those artistes who likes to grab a hold of the reigns where the creative process is concerned. And song ideas can come at any given time: “They come to me rather randomly and mostly at night, when it’s more serene and calm. I tend to write about life in general, or experiences I’ve had with friends and such.”
She uses popular writing tools of the day, like the Garage Band software. “I compose the music and write lyrics on my Mac,” she says. And when the creative bug is exhausted, she surfs onto the world wide web ... to Facebook, where else?
In the words of Britney Spears, Amanda is not a girl, but not yet a woman. Yet she is completely comfortable in her own skin. Straddling the divide between womanhood and adolescence can be tricky, but this amiable 18-year old takes it all in her stride. “In college, I am Amanda the college student, and when I am onstage, I become a singer,” she says.
Beyond the release of her imminent album (which is generating interest from overseas labels), there are plans for a charity-driven tour even, plans of which will be unveiled soon. She has an upcoming show at the renowned No Black Tie in Kuala Lumpur on the night of July 20 where one can see what she’s all about.
She’s coy, but fearless. She’s friendly, yet guarded. She’s just the girl next door, however, she’s stunningly good looking. Such qualities are rarely found in one person, and that, importantly, makes her stand out from the crowd. This is only the beginning.
No comments:
Post a Comment