MINDFUL MELODY
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • The Magazine
  • The Articles
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • The Magazine
  • The Articles
Search

LATEST POSTS

A selection of articles from all our issues - go to 'The Magazine' to read them all, including exclusive interviews from Aston Barrett Jr., Niko Moon, Serena Ryder, Canaan Smith and many more...

AMY SPEACE INTERVIEW

5/25/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture

David Dawson

Amy Speace’s new album ‘Tucson’ is a documentation of the beginnings of the long road to recovery. Dealing with the trauma of being raped in college and then sadly losing her father, Amy checked herself into the ‘Cottonwood de Tucson’ facility for help. There she found a dusty, out of tune piano and so began this collection of raw, emotive and beautiful songs.
Hi Amy! Thanks so much for talking to me today! Your new album ‘Tucson’ goes deeper than the majority of country music storytelling in that it walks us through your recovery from the trauma of being raped in college. It can often be a freeing experience to express our emotions into our art – did you find that documenting your recovery in this way actually also helped the process?
Yeah, I mean I would say I didn’t necessarily at the time, I was just writing. I was writing myself through a lot of fear. I was feeling very out of place and I found this was the only thing that grounded me. When I found the piano I started playing then all of a sudden a song is coming then three songs are coming then five songs are coming! I kind of wrote myself through that period. I didn’t intend on the healing journey through music but I kind of did that to myself.

You managed to get the album recorded in an impressive amount of time at just under a couple of days. I can imagine the recording experience for a project like this one was very emotional – how did you feel revisiting your own powerful words and performing them all in such a small timeframe?
Well, I got back from the treatment centre I was at in September and I went into the studio the first week of October so I didn’t really have much time to process. I was still really fragile and I had sent the songs to a close friend who knew what I was going through and he was like ‘we should record these’. I didn’t think I would put this out as an album; it was more just sort of a document of the songs for me. I chose a bunch of musicians who I did the last record with who I feel comfortable with and could share with them the truth of what was going on so that they were very gentle with me. My voice was still pretty raw when I recorded that, in fact when I went back and listened I thought I was going to have to re-record all the vocals but it turns out they sounded fine for where I was. I think because it’s such a raw record I did not want to spend too much time on it, I just wanted to blow through it really quickly. My template was Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska’ and I think he recorded that in a day or something – so I was just like ‘let’s do it like ‘Nebraska’, I don’t want to think about it too much, let’s just sit down and put these songs down and see where they are’. So that was kind of the process.

One of the most admirable things I find about your recovery is that you checked yourself into a treatment centre – ‘Cottonwood de Tucson’ – which inspired both the name of the album and of the song ‘Cottonwood’. It can often be challenging to admit to ourselves that we need help and takes further courage to act on that. What was it that ultimately helped you decide you needed to get treatment?
My therapist! I had a really dark night, a really dark night. I have a son and if it weren’t for my son I think I might have totally checked out, the depression got really bad. I called my therapist at ten o’clock at night, thank God she called me back, and she just said ‘we need to get you someplace for this depression and trauma’. A few things had happened, first of all I had a baby which unleashed a lot of stuff, then I had postpartum depression which further unleashed it. On top of that my dad died, then right after my father died Covid happened. I just had sort of this … exponentially … situationally stuff that happened that made the trauma just churn. Then when it exploded; thank God I’ve got a great therapist who just said ‘we need to get you away’. Cottonwood de Tucson was this really well-known space that dealt with trauma, depression, anxiety and addiction issues. They had space open and they took my insurance – I think three days after that night I was on a plane.

‘If You Fall’ is an extremely powerful and emotive song and one of my favourites from the project. It can often be easy to lose faith or confidence in ourselves and this ballad proves to be an uplifting anthem of self-love. Your vocals to yourself are laced with positivity, assurance and empathy. How crucial do you think it is that when faced with adversity we are able to lift ourselves in this way?
I wrote that for somebody else actually who was at treatment with me. He was having a really rough time and he was considering leaving and we were like ‘no, you can’t leave!’ So, I wrote it for him, his name is Michael, but then I realized it’s to myself. I think to say it would be critical for us to know how to lift ourselves up would be really beautiful but how many of us know that? People say ‘Oh just buck up, everything’s great!’ and you’re like ‘you don’t understand depression!’ It’s a fog, it's not like you can just take a nap and it goes away or take a pill and it’s cured. I think I’ve run across people in my life that when I got back thought ‘oh you’re better!’ – Well I don’t want to kill myself but I now know the work that’s laid out for me. We don’t choose the events in our life that lead up to trauma and then anxiety and depression and a breakdown, so it’s a lifetime of work, so with that song although I wrote it for Michael, now I see it’s for me and it was like the shadow side of me saying ‘I got you’. The language I like to use around it, and this is from traumatic work, is that it’s the little girl in me that’s terrified; it’s not adult Amy and so in a way it’s adult Amy singing to the terrified little girl saying ‘no matter what, I got you’. When things get tougher, as they do, we need reminding and so I have people in my life that say that to me. I’m lucky enough that I’m a songwriter, or any kind of writer, so that I can put that into words so that someone else can hear it and feel like they’re not alone. I think to say that we each individually need to learn that strength inside of ourselves – I can’t even imagine. You learn tools along the way that you can do that for yourself hopefully.

I like how you haven’t overproduced this project – textures and accompaniment are kept minimalistic and not only does it let the lyrics and your voice shine through but it also adds to the whole atmospheric feel of the album. I’ve read that when writing your songs you were limited in that you only really had the use of an out of tune piano – was this style in the songs a result of this or was it something you decided on when pulling the project together?
I think it’s both. The songs were written really intimately and the subject matter is intimate and confessional. To add too much on top of it would just feel overdone. That’s why I say Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska’ was really my template because there’s an intimacy and immediacy to that record that I wanted to capture, so that it feels like I’m whispering in the ear of the listener. Considering the emotions that went into this album and the inspiration behind it, were you nervous about releasing it? Yeah! I didn’t think I was going to and then when I was encouraged to put it out I realised that I wasn’t going to have to talk about it, but to contextualise the record it would be better if I was pretty open and honest. I had to walk through a lot of fear and a lot of shame and then I just thought that I’ve been on this planet long enough and I know that there’s enough other people who have suffered similar situations who have gotten through, or haven’t, and it would be helpful to just say ‘me too!’ There’s that old phrase; ‘you can’t judge someone’s insides from their outsides’ – it can all look really pretty on the outside and really underneath there's turmoil and mess and it’s nice to know when somebody else says ‘me too’. There was a lot of nervousness about the conversation that would be around this but I have enough support around me, business wise and friends, and my support network were like ‘you have to release this and we are right behind you!’

I’ve read that you’re involved in a Creative Writing Program and have had the chance to read a couple of your pieces. What inspired you to take this up, and how do you find the creative outlet to be affecting your mental health?
I always had this urge to go back to school and when Covid happened and the world shut down I thought ‘I’ve got the time now’ and the only thing that I’d want to go back to study is creative writing. I’ve always written poetry, I’m considered a lyricist but I didn’t know if I was a poet or not. I thought I’d apply in contemporary non-fiction which is more like memoirs and essays because I do that a lot too, and I ended up getting accepted into both genres, so I thought ‘well I’m gonna try poetry!’ It’s been amazing, it’s a different art form than song writing and it stretches a whole different part of my brain, but I feel freer in the subject matter that I can write about in poetry. Just the idea of syntactically and structurally I’m much freer with it, it’s not like verse, chorus, verse, chorus. I think it’ll make me a better songwriter as well, and I think being a songwriter has made me a better poet so it kind of goes hand in hand. I’ve really been loving it although it’s kind of exhausting and a whole lot of reading!

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the past, so now onto the future! What are your plans in terms of performing and potentially new music?

I
’ve got shows here and there, it’s slow coming because of the pandemic. I’m playing in Mississippi then have a few things scattered over the Summer. We are looking to do a UK tour in the fall, or it might be January, they’re working on it right now. I have a ton of new songs I’m trying to figure out the direction I want to go – if I want to take a total left turn and do a pop record or do another quiet singer-songwriter record, so I’m just trying to gather those songs together.

Finally, one thing we ask all of our interviewees is to name a top three songs that relate to mental health. What would be your top three?
1. Blue – Joni Mitchell
2. Shotgun Down the Avalanche – Shawn Colvin
3. Orange Sky – Alexi Murdoch 
Picture
0 Comments

    Buy print editions of Mindful Melody Issue 12 below!

    Buy now

      Subscribe below to get each issue straight to your inbox!

    Subscribe to Mindful Melody

    Articles List

    All
    3 Key Lifestyle Habits That Can Improve Your Mental Health
    Absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder-live-music
    Adam-douglas-on-his-middleaged-mental-health-awakening
    Adele-andy-find-perfect-harmony-on-where-i-belong-ep
    Ajeet-review-and-interview
    Album-review-mac-mcanallyrsquos-lsquoonce-in-a-lifetimersquo-is-both-a-soundtrack-and-an-antidote-for-our-times
    Am-i-right-to-be-optimistic-about-2021
    Amy-speace-interview
    And-a-little-help-from-the-forest
    And-being-born-for-the-stage
    And-do-we-need-to
    And-no-shoes-nation-how-fan-clubs-are-easing-lockdown-loneliness
    Andy Franks Interview - Music Support: Meet The Music Industry Veteran Working For Change
    A-new-way-forward-for-musical-theatre
    An-interview-with-mesita
    An-interview-with-thomas-corneill-from-young-martyrs-navigating-life-as-a-fulltime-musician
    An-interview-with-ziggy-alberts-bringing-unity-through-music
    Are Biopics Good For Fans?
    A-review-of-petrichor-ndash-jon-reynolds-the-aches-something-for-everyone
    A-talk-with-the-lead-wailer-aston-barrett-jr
    Bo Burnham's 'INSIDE' - Dark Comedy And Music Combine
    Bootleggers
    Breaking The Boundaries Of Genre And Mood An Interview With Jon Reynolds
    Breland Interview
    But I Think We Will Find A Common Ground": Finn Matthews Interview
    Can Music Be Your Coping Mechanism?
    Can We Seperate Artists From Their Music
    Carl Falk Interview: The Avicii Hitmaker On Friendship
    Channel Your Negativity Into Creativity
    Charlotte Young: Tackling Positivity And Negativity (Sometimes Simultaneously!)
    Christmas Music: The Marmite Of The Charts
    'Chris Tomlin & Friends': Joy That Transcends Religion
    Clipping. – Visions Of Bodies Being Burned Review
    'Come Home The Kids Miss You' - Did Expectations Ruin Harlow's Big Release?
    Denis Coleman - Pop Prodigy And Mental Health Ambassador
    Directioners
    Does Listening To Music Help Us Study?
    Don't Have Time To Create A Vision-board? Try This 'audio-board' Alternative
    “Don’t You Know That You’re Toxic?”: Why The Music Industry Really Is A 'poisoned Paradise' (Yingmin Khoo Guest Post)
    Drake White Interview
    Emma Moore Interview Finding Self-Love In Music And Society - Interview
    Escaping The Shuffle Society - How To Improve Mindfulness Through Music
    Everybody Dies Young
    Faith
    Faith Over Fear: Southern Gospel Artist Brent Cobb Talks To Maxim
    Fatherhood And Genre-fluidity
    Find Your Own Therapy
    From Bullied Teen To Chart-topper: Kelsey Bovey
    George Strait
    Gloria Anderson Interview: Cars
    Greetings From...The Marfa Tapes: Let Miranda Lambert
    Grief And The Songwriting Process
    Hardy On His Hopes For Hixtape Vol 2 And Being Country As Hell!
    "Hate Has Become The Default
    Headphone Holiday: Kenny Chesney
    How Can Music Affect Our Emotions
    How The Eagles Turned Back The Clock And Lit Up British Summer Time Festival 2022
    How Tik Tok Has Become The Industry's Hottest New Critic
    Humility And Heart
    Interview: Andreas Moe
    Interview: CalledOut Music
    Interview: Canaan Smith - How He Found Himself Through Fatherhood
    Interview: Essie Jain - Creating Healing Music For All Ages
    Interview: Haley & Michaels
    Interview: Kieran Lancini
    Interview: Kylie Morgan
    Interview: Morgan Wade
    Interview: Music Therapy With Tiziana Pozzo
    Interview: Tyler Braden On Small Towns
    Is The Music Industry Turning A New Leaf With Its Support Of Mental Health?
    "It's Time To Stop Living In My Head": Interview With Nashville's Olivia Lane
    Jack Ingram And Jon Randall Be Your Tour Guides On This Sonic Retreat
    JEEN-YUHS - WHY KANYE WOULD BE A BETTER LIFE COACH THAN YOU THINK
    Jhené Aiko's Chilombo: A Perfect Blend Of Peace And Passion
    Jhené Aiko's Chilombo: A Perfect Blend Of Peace And Passion
    Kenny Chesney
    Kezia Gill Interview
    Kristi Hoopes - Engagement
    Lathan Warlick Interview: How A Brush With Death Inspired His Music's Message Of 'God
    Live Music Is Changing
    Love And Unity'
    Low-Strung And Amped-Down: Unplug Your Mind By Going Acoustic
    Lyrical Life Lessons #2: 'Don't Blink'
    Lyrical Life Lessons #3 - 'Give Me More Time'
    Lyrical Life Lessons #5 Jake Owen
    Machine Gun Kelly Has Gifted Us The Realest Album Of 2020
    Mainstream Sellout - Did MGK Ignore The Critics?
    MAJE On Motivation
    Make Yourself A Musical Photo Album
    Man On The Moon III: Kid Cudi Finds Dawn After Years Of Darkness In This Modern Epic
    Maxim Speaks To Elliah Heifetz About Anxiety
    Meet The Man Determined To Bring More Positivity Into Country Music - An Interview With: Kyle Elliott
    Memories And Music
    Mental Health And Me #10-David: My Dream Band Line-Up
    Mental Health And Me #11-David: 'Sun Is Shining
    Mental Health And Me #12-David: 'The Drugs Don't Work'
    Mental Health And Me #2: Maxim
    Mental Health And Me #3: David Why 'How Are You?' Is My 2020 Kryptonite
    Mental Health And Me #3: Maxim - How Sad Songs Showed Me The Value Of Wholeness Over Happiness
    Mental Health And Me #4: Maxim - 'Pitch Perfectionism'
    Mental Health And Me #5: David
    Mental Health And Me #5: Maxim - Can You Dance Away The Lockdown Blues?
    Mental Health And Me #6: David - Meditation Memoirs
    Mental Health And Me #6: Maxim - How Country Music Showed Me The Power Of Gratitude
    Mental Health And Me #7: David - Was I Right To Be Optimistic About 2021? The Follow Up
    Mental Health And Me #7: Maxim - Can ‘mindful Listening' Help Ease Productivity-guilt?
    Mental Health And Me #8: David - Enjoying The Ride
    Mental Health And Me #9: David Was I Right To Be Optimistic About 2021 - The Trilogy
    Mental Health And Me: David
    Mental Health And Me; David #14: God's Plan - Why I'm Jealous Of Believers
    Mental Health And Me: David - How Running Made Me A Better Person
    Mental Health And Me: Maxim
    Mind Over Matter - Why Everything's Going To Be Alright (Even If It Isn't)
    Mitchell Kersley Challenges Toxic Masculinity On New Single
    Mod Sun's 'Internet Killed The Rockstar' - A Familiar Story
    More Than A Musician: Meet The Artist Making A Real Difference In The World Of Mental Health - An Interview With Serena Ryder
    Music
    Music And Grief By Ashley Broadhurst
    Music And Memory: The Healing Power Of Music (Yingmin Khoo Guest Post)
    My All-American Kenny Chesney Adventure
    My New 'Malibu Theory'
    National Identity - And Dad Jokes
    Nihilism In Rap Music: Misunderstood
    'Oh Man
    Our Top 10 Songs For...Peaceful Melancholy
    Our Top 10 Songs To Make You Laugh
    Our Top 10 Songs...to Relax To
    Our Top Ten...Slow Down And Simplify Songs
    Our Top Ten Songs...about Self-Love
    Our Top Ten Songs For...Peaceful Melancholy
    Our Top Ten Songs Of... Film/TV
    Our Top Ten Songs Of Nature
    Our Top Ten Songs Of... Summer Sun!
    Our Top Ten Songs To Hear Live
    Performance Anxiety: Friend Or Foe?
    Quadeca - I Don't Care Review
    Ray Fulcher Interview - "I Want People To Think
    Sampling - Creative Genius Or Cutting Corners?
    Sarah Louise: The UK Country Singer-songwriter That Just Wants You To Believe In Yourself
    Seafret Slow Down And Simplify With New Piano Sessions EP - Interview
    Self-Improvement And New 'Fly On The Wall' Project
    Should Your New Self-love Mantra Be A Rap Lyric?
    Songs That Get Me Through Lockdown - David
    Songs That Get Me Through Lockdown - Maxim
    Sounds That Heal And Relax: The Music Of Mindfulness
    Sound Therapy: A Vibe-check
    Spotify Recommended: Help Or Hindrance?
    Starz In Their Eyes – The Music Industry According To Just Jack
    Starz In Their Eyes – The Music Industry According To Just Jack
    Stereotypes And Saving Lives
    Sublime Simplicity - Quadeca's Atmospheric 'From Me To You' Album Reviewed
    Tamar Haviv: The Singer-songwriter Who's Making The World A Better Place
    Tebey Interview
    The 90% Gratitude Rule
    The 90’s Country Comeback: Why Cowboy Hats And Honky-tonks Are Striking A Chord With Gen-Z
    The 90’s Country Comeback: Why Cowboy Hats And Honky-tonks Are Striking A Chord With Gen-Z
    The Artist Making Iconic Songs Her Own - An Interview With: Lissie
    The Hot Girl Walk: Just Another Tik-Tok Fad - Or A Great Way To Boost Our Wellbeing?
    The Importance Of Being ERNEST - Flower Shops
    Then It's Okay If I Do Too.'"
    The Safety Of Familiarity
    The Sonic Ranch: Midland's Origin-story Digs Up Their Roots And Strikes Gold
    The Voice
    The Weather Is Sweet'
    Thomas Rhett Finds Happiness At Home On Country Again (Side A)
    Tick
    Tick… Boom! The Musical Of Honesty
    Tiera Kennedy Interview
    Tim Prottey-Jones - From Western To West End - And Back!
    Tom Cary - New Single 'Something In The Whiskey' Breaks Country Music's Heartbreak Streak
    Top 10 Motivational Masterpieces
    Top 10 Songs For Concentration
    Top 10 Songs For...Overcoming Heartbreak
    Toxic Or Positive?
    Vinyl Therapy
    Well If Ray's Got His Own Struggles
    Why 'Lonely' Confirms Justin Bieber's Move From Guilty Pleasure To Admirable Star
    Wren Kelly Tackling Society And Mental Health In New Single 'Game Over'
    Zac Brown Band - 'The Comeback' In Name And Nature
    Zane Williams Interview

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • The Magazine
  • The Articles