We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amy Jay a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Amy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I don’t necessarily wish that I had started my career sooner, but rather that it was clearer and more linear. I understand in hindsight that I had to go through each step of my journey in order to find my next step, but I wish that I had realized sooner that I wanted to pursue my art through and through. I wish I didn’t have to think so practically and therefore spend time studying a major that wasn’t where my heart was or be in jobs that weren’t the right fit. It’s tough to make the jump to full time art because there are no guarantees, and having your living from your art is a lot of pressure. I skirted around that fear for a long time, and slowly peeled away the layers to eventually land where I wanted to be all along.

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.

Sure! To start, I am an alternative folk singer songwriter, and you can find my songs wherever you listen to music, just search Amy Jay.

For as long as I can remember I have been involved in some kind of music (started with violin, piano, dance, then choir) and began songwriting in high school. It was my main way to process life and I never stopped since. My first EP came out in 2016, my first full length album in 2022, and I’m in the process of writing my next project. I like to say that what sets me apart is that I am writing from a raw and vulnerable place that many people struggle to get to, and so I can bring others to process life alongside me. I have a way of walking the line between joy and melancholy, both in content and sound.

I am also a graphic designer, which I stumbled upon through needing to have more time to work on music and have fallen in love with. It’s a wonderful creative supplement to my music to work on visualizing ideas and bringing brands to life. It’s funny but a lot of design thinking has now made its way into my songwriting too.

I am most proud that I keep going – it’s a hard career that is full of emotional swings, takes a lot of energy to wear all the hats and sometimes makes you question if it’s all worth it. But it is, and I’m glad I haven’t given up (and don’t plan to anytime soon).

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

It’s obvious but worth saying that the best thing you can do is engage – it can be as simple as following an artist on social media or music platforms, or listening to full songs (skipping mid stream is actually a detriment) and attending shows when they are in your area. If something that you hear or see resonates with you, tell them! It’s the best when a fan tells you that they are touched by something you made, that you are helping someone else. Most of the time you cant see or witness how people engage with your music, so we love to hear from the fans out there who care.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

What a great segway, because it really does mean so much to hear feedback from fans. There’s nothing quite like the gratifying feeling of knowing that the music I create has a positive impact on others. Songs have this remarkable ability to forge connections that transcend words.

But there are other rewarding parts too. When I finish writing a song, I feel like I’ve made peace with myself and feel whole, even if it’s not a great song. And when it’s great, that feeling amplifies.

I love being in the studio experimenting and making new sounds or stretching my creative comfort zones. I love working with amazing talented musicians that come up with parts I could never come up with on my own. My brain always feels like its been expanded every time I leave the studio, and I feel such a sense of accomplishment when the studio time turns into an EP or album project.

And then there’s the magic of performing live, sharing the stage talented musician friends, being part of a lineup that includes acts I love, with a room full of engaged and attentive listeners. It’s in these communal experiences that I find the sense of belonging through shared togetherness. It fires me up.

Contact Info:

• Website: amyjaymusic.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/amyjaymusic
• Facebook: facebook.com/amyjaymusic
• Youtube: youtube.com/amyjaymusic
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ztk56WZhRA5oIiMaNYuh3?si=j3MebtyaTFCYTkpQ6i_qeA

Image Credits
Deryne Photography