Amina Bryant
Amina Bryant is back with the release of her new single On My Own ahead of the release of her new EP.
We caught up with her to chat about the single and the EP Black Cinderella as well as what lies ahead.
- You are about to release your new single On My Own so what can we expect from the new track? And what is it about?
On My Own it is a song about a break-up, a long overdue break-up, and it is a realisation that you need to be on your own as this isn’t working out.
It is not about being with someone else - people move on from person to person - it is more about needing some time to figure myself out and be on my own for a bit.
It was just a track that me and my long term producer partner made for the EP, we weren’t trying to make the EP at the time but it has just spawned into more tracks became the EP.
It is cool as it is a good representation of the sound of the EP as it is very R&B and lots of references to nineties stuff. The EP is mid-tempo and quite cool.
- This it the first track that you and Whizz K!D worked on so how did that collaboration come about?
We have been working together for a number of years. He was producing grime and stuff like that a few years ago and I was still doing R&B pop and different stuff at the time when I heard his material.
We hooked up and we just had a really good vibe and from then we have just worked together and we are always on the same page. Sometimes I help him out with projects that he might be doing with other artists and vice versa - so we have a really good relationship.
- Well you have slightly touched on my next question as I was wondering how did you find working with him? And what does he add to your music?
I think he gets me and so it is really easy for us to work. I am very hands on person; I co-produce everything, so I will come up with the chord progressions or I will write the song or do the beat.
I show it to him and he will be like ‘that’s good but this is not good’ or ‘we should work on this’ so it is a real collaboration and very much 50/50. He has got a lot of claim on the record because he is a big part of it.
- And how have you found the response to the track so far?
It has been really positive and really really good. I have put out lots of tracks across lots of different genres like drum and bass and pop but now I have returned to my R&B roots and am giving the fan base what they want in a way.
It has been an overwhelming and positive response. It has been more than I expected to be honest.
- This is a track from your forthcoming EP Black Cinderella so how does this introduce us to the rest of the record?
I guess this is a moody opener. My writing style is quite opinionated and there are lots of aspects of being a strong woman - there are lots of other tracks that do resonate that. It is the beginning of the journey I think.
- And what can we expect in terms of sound from the rest of the EP is it going to be in a similar vein to On My Own or are you going to mix it up?
There are a few surprises on there as there is stuff that doesn’t really sound like anything and is a mix of all different influences.
Dinosaur is the next track and I am really excited for people to hear just because it is a really different sound; it is much more up-tempo and more of cub track. There are other really stripped down balladry tracks, so it is very varied.
- While this is your debut EP you have been releasing singles and performing live for some time so how have those experiences prepared you for working on Black Cinderella?
I think it has been really good as I have learnt so much from working with other people and I have learnt so much about myself.
I have been finding my feet and finding my style - especially when you are a song writer and you have all of these ideas.
It was nice to be able to experiment with different genres and different sounds and then I have come full circle and put out something that I feel completely encapsulates what I like and my influences. It has been a long journey but it has been worth while.
- You have mentioned that you are very hands on in terms of the production side of you music so how important is if for you to be heavily involved with that side of making a record?
It is hugely important. I think I am a bit of a control freak (laughs) and I have to be involved with everything.
It can be a nightmare for people but with everyone that I have worked with it hasn’t been a problem because we are getting something that we both want and are going to enjoy.
Just being there for the whole process is really important to me. I will be there through the whole production process even down to it being mixed - I will sit in on the mix and make sure that the vocals and everything are sounding like I want it to sound. It takes a lot of time but it is just how I work.
- You write all of your own music as well so what are you major influences when it comes to putting pen to paper?
It dependant on my mood, what is going on in my life and people around me as I am the person that everyone comes to to talk to about their relationship problems.
So I will write thing down because it came be quite frustrating or because it is a really good story - so I guess I draw on my own experiences.
I also listen to so much different music across every genre and so sometimes I hear things and I just think ‘I want to write about something like that’. I don’t really know where it comes from to be honest.
- So where did your love of music start? And what were you listening to as you were growing up that has influenced you?
I come from a music family and so I have just grown up in and around it. My parents have done music and my family have done music - we had a studio in our house and a family band. It have always been writing as well, it started out as poetry first and then songs as I got into my teenage years.
It has been a really natural thing. Because I come from a big family - I have three brothers and two sisters - and so everybody was listening to different things and being the youngest I heard everything and that really influenced me.
So it was a bit of a melting pot in my household and it made me look at music in that way when I got older.
- You say melting pot of different sounds you grew up in Brixton which has a huge mix of cultures and music sounds so how has this had an impact and influence on your own music?
Growing up in Brixton there are so many different cultures and people and there is a certain vibe that is there. You will be walking through the market and you will be hearing all of this different music and it definitely has an impact on how you grow up and how you view music.
I am mixed heritage, my family listened to different stuff and then I lived somewhere that is really cosmopolitan as well and all that have gone into my influences.
- You have got an ever growing fan base so for any of them reading this interview do you have a message for them?
Just a huge thank you for all of the comments and support - I read all of my messages and I get back to as many as I can. It means a hell of a lot.
I am not really doing it for anyone else I am just doing it for them and just to share the music with people that love it. I just can’t wait for them to hear the whole EP.
- Speaking of fans you interact with them regularly on Facebook and Twitter so how important is the social medial aspect of the business as it is something that has grown in recent years?
It’s huge. Right now, and especially for me, that is how I talk to my fans. I am always posting up stuff and getting people’s opinions.
As I said I read all of my messages - some people don’t because they don’t want to see anything negative - but for me it is really important to know how people are feeling and get an honest review. It is a huge thing and I love it - I am a social media freak and I am always on Twitter and instagram.
- Finally what is next for you are we going to be seeing you out on the road to support the release of the EP?
Definitely, I am just rehearsing at the moment and sorting out the live show for the EP. I haven’t done these songs live before and so I am just figuring out how we want it to sound.
So we will probably be doing live dates throughout March and April when the EP is released. When I have more information we will put it up and everyone can come down and check