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Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with unsigned UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with unsigned Dublin based singer Amy Naessens to find out more…

Where are you from and how did you first get into music?
I am a Dublin based soul pop artist, I studied songwriting in BIMM Dublin but I started singing when I was six and was vocally trained in the Royal Irish Academy of Music for eight years.

Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
Growing up I listened to a lot of popular bands like Coldplay, Eagles and The Beatles because my dad was a music fanatic, and we’d make mixtapes for all our car journeys – he also played a lot of Irish artists like Damien Rice, Glen Hansard and Imelda May who still inspire me today.

Nowadays, my style has wandered to different genres, I would really listen to anything but I’ve been loving some strong female artists lately like Billie Eilish, Lennon Stella and Jorja Smith. I love soulful groovey melodies mixed with captivating lyrics.

How would you describe your sound?
My sound changes a lot, at the moment I’m basking in an emotional power ballad moment but I have a few groovey soul songs on the way! For me it’s all about telling a story or getting a message across using lyrics that evoke a feeling with the listener. I love a powerful soaring chorus with some quirky chords too!

What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
My latest release is called “Nothing Like You” and it came out on April 30th. It’s quite a simple song compared to some of my others, it’s really just about being truly in love with someone and realising that you’re genuinely happy. It doesn’t mean every single moment will be perfect, but it’s honest and safe and where you want to be. It’s also about reflecting on how other situations weren’t as they seemed at the time and accepting that that brought you to where you are now.

What’s your local music scene like?
At the moment the Dublin music scene is very much online with COVID19, however pre, it was magical! From the Ruby Sessions in Doyles to the Zodiac sessions in Bruxelles, there was something to go to every night. I had just started going regularly to songcycle in Whelan’s which I would definitely recommend to anyone who visits Dublin, once things open up again, the city really is bursting with Talent and there’s almost a story behind each performance.

What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
I am playing my second headline show in Lost Lane on November 20th with a full band and I am very buzzed for that, we sold out Whelans last year so no pressure ey. If you want to come tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster. We also have a big release planned for July/August which you can keep an eye out for on our socials.

Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
There is loads, I love duos and have done a good few in the past with Irish Musicians like Pauric O’ Meara, Graham Mitchell and Jordan O’ Neill, all well worth checking out! If I was to aim big I would love to collab with JP Saxe, he just writes insane duets and his vocals/harmonies are next level.

What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
I think just to know myself like many other independent musicians sacrifice a lot to follow this path, It’s not all gigs and pints, it’s a lot of hours spent alone writing and recording and I wouldn’t change it for the world but I would encourage anyone who can support independent musicians in any way to do so, go to a gig or give their song a share, buy a CD if you can – it’s the little things that keep the Irish music scene alive.

You can find out more about Amy via Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, TikTok, Twitter or YouTube.