We were lucky to catch up with Amaya White recently and have shared our conversation below.

Amaya, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I’ve always known I wanted to pursue a creative path, I just didn’t know what path to take. Throughout my schooling, I was always pushed to play an instrument. I played alto saxophone and found myself picking up percussion. I was encouraged to go to school for Music Education with a principle instrument. It took me years to figure out that my true passion was for producing and songwriting. I had to venture off on my own to really understand where and how I wanted to go about my career in music.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Kaede. I’m a jack of all trades when it comes to music. I am an independent artist, a producer, and an engineer; I also play a few instruments. I went to school for Audio engineering and Music Business and I’ve worked at a few studios in the Metro Atlanta area. As a newcomer in the music industry, it has been tough to get myself out there; it has taken me a little while to really tap into my artistry but I’m very proud of how far I’ve come in my craft. I’ve found my sound, I’ve been able to meet and work with other amazing creatives, and I’ve learned to create for myself. I love when other people enjoy my art, of course, but I feel like in order to really love what you do, you have to do it for yourself.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

One of the main goals that drives my artistic journey is being heard. As a kid I was very quiet and to myself, and I still am. Tapping into my musical talent really put me in the spotlight. I hated that when I was younger but now I feel like my art is how I make myself heard. I want people to really feel my music and connect with it, whether it’s them resonating with my lyrics or vibing with my beats. I want people to feel a personal connection to my work.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

As an artist, the music industry is very tricky. At times it seems very inclusive but as you go on, you start to see how exclusive it is. I feel like a lot of people really press creatives to go to school; they feel like that’s the only way they’ll get their foot in the door. I think we should really change that narrative. Not everybody wants to go down that path, and that’s ok. Getting a degree is an achievement but as a creative who did start off in school, the college curriculum wasn’t always geared towards the direction I was choosing and the resources were not tailored to my focus. We should be able to seek and find the same resources and connections whether we continue our education or decide to jump into the industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.souncloud.com/kaede333
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/aw.kaede