Artist of the Day | AMANDA KIND
ARTIST OF THE DAY
07.10.2021
AMANDA KIND
LOCATION
Waterloo, ON, Canada
GENRE
Indie Pop
CURRENT MEMBERS
Just me!
With the current pandemic, the state of the music and touring industry has dramatically changed. Where were you when everything was brought to a halt?
Before COVID-19 hit, I was run ragged doing 16-hour days on a regular basis. I would say that I was in a fog of busyness. I love my work as a voice coach for other artists but I had let my own artistry take a backseat and I was secretly missing it so much. My hectic schedule was disrupted when the pandemic hit. At first, I was devastated, and then I realized that it was an opportunity for me to do some serious self reflection. I’m now grateful for the time I’ve had to re-examine how I was spending my energy. Finding my way back to songwriting and releasing new music as an artist has been an essential gateway to happiness. I am the best version of myself as a person in general, and as a voice coach, because I’m filling my own creative cup. It has allowed me to support others even more effectively and passionately than before. It’s amazing how many ways we have to learn the hard lesson that taking care of ourselves is actually best for everyone, including those who rely on us.
There have been many dark moments during this pandemic, but one of the bright lights has been connecting with other artists virtually in online songwriting groups. With no live gigs, suddenly there was all this time to write. I’ve been meeting tons of new people and voraciously collaborating. There are SO MANY incredible artists and songwriters in Canada. I’m constantly blown away by the level of talent.
How has that affected your plans for the coming year? Did you have a tour planned, upcoming album release?
2020 was focused on writing music and 2021 is focused on releasing music (and more writing). "easier" is the first of several songs that I am planning to release out into the world this year. It came out on July 9 and the response has been better than I ever could have imagined. That said, while I have specific goals, I also have a "follow your arrow" attitude that is allowing me to be open to new possibilities. I've hit the point in my life where I love the unexpected things that are coming my way. We just shot the music video for "easier" with an incredible contemporary dancer named Christine Watson. I am excited about sharing that and creating a visual experience to complement the song.
One of the best surprises this year has been an unlikely collaboration with country artist James Downham. We met in a virtual songwriting group and hit it off immediately. We worked together on a tune called "We're Okay" with fellow songwriters Carrie DeMaeyer and Matt Koebel and it turned into this cool duet. The song was released on July 23 and we've been blown away by the reception. "We're Okay" has been picked up by SiriusXM and a bunch of other country stations. The theme of the song centres around the idea that when couples work together and stick together, they can get through anything. The main hook is "As long as I have you, we're okay," and I think that has resonated with a lot of people during this pandemic.
August marks 10 years since the release of my debut album "hello heartache." Given my journey back to music, I felt it was important to mark that anniversary. People seemed to really love the song "Distant Memory" from that album - it wasn't the single, but it was the most popular song for sure. Lots of people commented that it would have made a great country tune so I've redone the song as a country ballad. It's stripped back and re-arranged. I love the way it has turned out and I can't wait for people to hear it. The country version of "Distant Memory" comes out on August 27.
Then this fall, my new pop single "Take Take Take" comes out in October. It's got a really fun 2000s dance vibe that I love. I'm excited about a lot of things. 2021 has been a great year.
What have you been doing to fill/make the most of your new-found free time at home? How are you supporting your mental health through all of this?
I have done a lot of work on my mental health and physical well-being over the last two years. I make sure to move my body, eat in a way that makes me feel good, and take time to read and reflect. I am working on reducing my screen time. I am a huge fan of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and I have found its tools life-changing. It led me back to my creativity (it sounds super cheesy, but that is the truth). I’m coming back to writing and releasing music after a decade hiatus. I’ve spent most of my time over the last 10 years working with other artists as a vocal coach - work that I love and am incredibly passionate about. There is something hugely rewarding about helping another artist grow and develop their voice. That said, I missed working on my own music. I felt burned out and ultimately needed to learn a powerful lesson in self care. After years of teaching my students to claim their space, use their voices, and ‘do what you love, no matter what’, I realized that these were lessons that I needed to apply in my own life. You have to practice what you preach, and it was time for me to step up. I feel vulnerable trying to reestablish myself after so many years away, but I also know that if I don’t do it, I’ll live with regret. Some might call this a midlife crisis, but I prefer to think of it as my midlife wake-up call. I love Brené Brown, and I feel like I am currently living her quote: “Midlife: when the Universe grabs you by the shoulders and tells you ‘I'm not f-ing around, use the gifts you were given.’” So, I’m stepping into the arena. It’s messy and complicated and wonderful.
As things are reopening & restrictions are lifting have you booked any new gigs? Tours? Etc? If your region is still under restriction, how are dealing with the Covid third wave?
I have been teaching voice online since the pandemic started and it has proven to be pretty amazing. I now have students from all over the country. It has given me the opportunity to connect and work with artists who I never likely would have met. I finally have my first live gig booked for September and I'm looking forward to that feeling of performing in front of a crowd again. Restrictions have been pretty tight in our area so things are opening up very slowly. I am doing my best to stay positive.
Do you have a message for everyone at home reading this?
It's never too late to do what you love and totally change your life. Just do it.
'You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.' —Jim Carrey
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