We recently connected with Amalia Fleming and have shared our conversation below.

Amalia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

on November 4th, I released my first 5 song EP “Shifting States.” This project transformed my songwriting, allowing me to explore some deep conflicts in my past experiences and relationships. This last Summer, I recorded and produced the songs in my home studio in California with my long-time collaborator and multi-instrumentalist, Alec West. I listed the tracks in the order I wrote and recorded each song so that my listeners could follow my emotional evolution during the biggest two years of my life. The first song is a folk-pop track titled “The Truth Is” which I wrote almost two years ago when I moved from California to Nashville for college. The song reflects the anxieties many young adults face when they leave home and attempt to find their place in the world. The second track,“Tennessee (Easy Love),” I released as the first single on the EP on October 7th. I wrote this song about moving on and away from my first love in high school and realizing that all experiences in our lives teach us something to better prepare us for an uncertain future. Nashville based band YearB4 collaborated remotely on the song which transformed it into a beautiful duet with live drums. “Stability,” the third track on the EP and probably my favorite track on the album reveals some deeply personal thoughts on self-reliance and love and how they intersect. This song was inspired after I took the Enneagram personality test which gave me a different perspective on my own behaviors, insecurities, and relationships with others. I realized I’d spent so much of my time searching for love and stability from others when I only ever needed to find it within myself. Many of us lose our sense of self and identity in romantic relationships and it is important we remember that our love for ourselves should always come first.

The song that follows “Intentional Mistakes” was written a month before I started recording the EP and emphasizes that once we find stability on our own the next step is to wait for the right person to come into our lives. The chorus states “I will wait as long as it takes/ I’ve made enough intentional mistakes” and speaks against staying with someone just because you are lonely. This song was meant to wrap up the EP; however, when I moved back to Nashville for Fall semester I was overwhelmed with a love that I’d never felt before. This inspired the creation of the fifth and final song “States Away” which is the only song recorded as a demo in my Nashville dorm and is the perfect closure to the 4 songs written over the last two years. I’ve always admired concept albums and Shifting States so naturally came together. It holds themes of moving on, all kinds of love, and learning to accept change when life shifts you physically and mentally. I poured vulnerability and truth into these songs. The creative control that I had over these recordings made them even more personal and intentional. We share so many similar experiences and relationships in this world and I hope these songs are as rewarding for you as they are for me.

Amalia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up on the doorstep to California’s Big Sur, and my decision to study songwriting at Belmont University in Nashville flipped the script on my life’s trajectory by taking me to a very different place both musically and culturally, deepening my songwriting and immersing me in a subculture far different from the one in which I grew up. I wrote my first song at age 9 and taught myself guitar shortly after. I began performing in talent shows at my Elementary School, Live Oak Music Festival in Santa Barbara, CA and then progressed to open mic nights locally. Starting in my sophomore year of high school, I was hired to perform at a variety of restaurants, festivals, and venues. Because of these events, I have cultivated incredible connections that have given me the opportunity to record professionally with producers and collaborate with other talented artists. I am now in my Junior year of college and I spend my days attending music business and songwriting classes, interning at the Nashville Songwriters Association International, working industry events, and performing with my newly formed band. My style is a unique blend of my influences, exhibiting Taylor Swift’s penchant for lyric writing, Olivia Rodrigo’s pressure-cooker frustration, and Lizzy McAlpine’s emotive production. I take pride in the fact that I write authentic and honest lyrics that express everything from heartbreak to the struggle and beauty of growing up. I look forward to continuing to develop my craft, expanding my musical vision, and reaching new heights of creativity.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

Music has always been a large part of my identity and it influences the way I communicate with myself and those around me. I hope my music becomes more than just entertainment and inspires self and global awareness. In 2018 at age 16, I wrote my song “Renegades” as a fight song for my generation and the issues we face and began performing at many social justice rallies locally. I was then contacted by NPR to be a part of a national compilation album for student protest. This led to professionally recording the song with the non-profit record label Little Village Foundation. After the album was released, I had the honor of debuting the album with the other young protest artists in front of thousands at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. The impact that this album had was moving and motivated me to continue to inspire others to pursue their own passions and share their stories with the world. As the years have gone on, I’ve focused on writing music about self-awareness and personal growth. I hope that my songs are as therapeutic for my audience as they are for me.

What do you find most rewarding about being creative?

One of my songwriting professors at Belmont, Drew Ramsey, emphasizes that as a songwriter, one day you feel like a genius and the next you question if you even have what it takes to continue. But he explains that once you learn to ride the emotional wave, the ups and downs become predictable and manageable. If songwriters’ personality types weren’t so sensitive and introspective, we wouldn’t have anything to write about. Every writer will face rejection over and over again before succeeding but those losses make the wins even more rewarding. The more classes I take and the more experiences I have, the more confident I become in my abilities and I am reminded of why I love what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amaliafleming.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amaliafleming/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amalia.songwriter/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQFgHFTpeF5jrTynaKpw-nQ

Image Credits
Lela Brodie, Fernanda Cardenas, Rio Fleming and Dawn Feuerberg