Tjasink’s original songs paint a beachy picture
AFTER releasing her debut EP in 2016, Cape Town-based singer/ songwriter Amy Tjasink has gone on a whirlwind journey. A journey she has penned down in her latest work, her debut studio album, Simplify Me. The 25-year-old released the first single off the album, Ponta d’Ouro, which is about her experience in the Mozambican town.
How did you get into music? By complete accident. I attended a family braai, and to keep myself busy, asked my cousin to teach me a few chords on guitar. I was so taken with the hobby that my dad bought me my very first guitar for my 15th birthday.
From that day until this day, I have played guitar and sang every single day. It became my life and my passion. Learning music came so naturally, specifically songwriting. Unfortunately it was too late for me to take music as a subject at school, but my parents encouraged me and they found a fantastic music college for me to attend once I had completed high school.
How would you describe your music?
My music is ever-changing, but generally I would describe my my music as having honest and clever lyrics, with an uplifting pop feel. I used to write mainly to the country and folk style, but now I’ve taken a step into a more pop/rock style.
But a constant is that my songs have brutally honest lyrics about real situations, and I have always wanted to convey these messages through my music.
My current sound is uplifting and beachy.
What attracted you to country music?
I believe that all songs should tell a story, and country music does that. It paints a picture. You know how the singer feels, and you can paint the scene in your mind purely from listening to the lyrics.
Tell me about ‘Ponta d’Ouro’ – how did it come about and what is it about?
Ponta d’Ouro was written about a holiday experience I had in the town called Ponta do Ouro in Mozambique.
The experience laid out many challenges for me within a group of friends. And this experience is what inspired the lyrics.
The original concept for the song was a project I was working on for somebody else, and hoping to sell the song to them. However, it didn’t work out that way, which worked out perfectly for me as I fell in love with the concept and idea of the song.
I wrote the song one evening after a gig, and the next day I took it to my producer and said: “This song has to be on the album.”
Tell me about your new album – what is the name of it?
It consists of 10 tracks, songs which I carefully chose with my producer out of my collection of songs. The name for the album came about from a cause I am very passionate about. And a lesson I have learnt on my journey as a young woman.
Life is better when it’s simple. I found myself at an unhappy place when I had too much going on or too many people taking advantage of me, so my solution was to simplify the situation. Eliminate the drama. A few of the songs on the album are about these issues.
Simplify Me also refers to the production of the music. I wanted to create a sound that was easy to listen to, and that had no electronic production.
I want my songs to be able to have that “live” music aspect and pay tribute to live instrumentation.
Every song on this album sounds exactly how the song is played live in a band. I am really proud of this.
Tell me about the lyrical content. What head space were you in when you wrote the songs for this album?
The last 18 months have been a whirlwind of adventures and emotions. I have had success, an amazing new love and also some hardships. My songs were written about these experiences.
I have about three songs directly referring to the state of the music industry and my frustrations within it. There is also a much lighter side to the album which revolves around my fun experiences with love, adventure and travel.
How would you describe this album?
I see this album as the final destination of a very long journey in finding my true sound and identity as an artist and songwriter. I am so happy with the final product.
The album has a lot of awesome pop rock songs that are fun, along with a few ballads referring to some of the larger issues I’ve experienced.
The music is uplifting, with many influences including reggae pop, beach rock and pop music.
How does your new work compare with ‘Average Jane’ , your debut EP?
Average Jane was my first recording experience, with songs I wrote when I was really young.
Now, I have learnt so much more about songwriting, along with lyrics, and I feel it is a much stronger collection of songs in lyrics, musical instrumentation and production.
This album also has a full live band behind me, which I believe translates really well in the music.
Average Jane is what launched me into the recording world, and was necessary in my growth as a songwriter and artist, and without that album, I would not have been able to carve this new sound which is exactly what I’m all about.
What do you hope this album does for you?
I truly hope that this music will put me on to the map in South Africa. My dream is to one day play at Kirstenbosch Gardens and perhaps be nominated for a Sama (SA music award).