AMAZING AMY
Amy Shark is an ARIA-award winner, Australian Idol judge and former marie claire cover star. Bree Player catches up with her to talk new music and finding her feet on TV
You have said your latest song, “Beautiful Eyes”, is your favourite song you’ve ever written. What makes this one extra special? It really is, and it’s for so many reasons. When I wrote it, I was on the most gruelling tour of my career. It was amazing travelling around Australia, but it was taking it out of me. When I was about halfway through, I hadn’t written any music for so long and I was hoping I’d get lots of writing done, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I’ve been in the industry now for a hot minute and sometimes you’re a bit poisoned. I was starting to wonder, “Will I ever have that feeling of innocence in writing that I had early in my career with ‘Adore’ and also ‘I Said Hi’? Will I ever have that again?” And then one day on that tour [in 2022], I was in Port Macquarie and I was in the mood to write so I sat down and wrote “Beautiful Eyes” in one go. It lifted everything for me and turned my whole mood around. You don’t often get a song that just easily flows out of you, but this one did.
As a creative person, do you feel a bit battered by the ones you have to labour over?
Oh, for sure. When you have to pick them apart and move shit around and it’s a frustrating process, I do feel a bit scarred by that experience after. I’m really proud of those songs though, and proud of myself for pushing through the challenges and fitting the pieces of the puzzle together, but yeah, when you get those songs that you just sit and write and it’s easy, it really is such a pleasure.
I know you love writing and you love performing live. Is there any part of the process that is a drag ?
I don’t think so? I like some aspects more than others, but there’s nothing I don’t enjoy. Some artists hate promo, but I enjoy it. I’ve never understood any artist that doesn’t want to go and try and give their song the best life it can. I’m proud of my music, so I’m always pumped to talk about it.
You recently released a cover of
Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”, and you’ve got “Beautiful Eyes” out now … is this all a sign of a forthcoming album?
Ah, Bree. We’ll have to wait and see. There are a few announcements coming up over the next couple of months. That’s all I can say right now.
You’re back on TV screens judging on Australian Idol and you’ve really stepped it up this season.
[Laughs] You’re talking about my poker face, or rather the fact that I don’t have one. Yeah, you can really see what I’m thinking. At one point during filming, I walked past the control room and saw my face and thought, “Is that really what I do?”, but you have no control over it – or at least I don’t! I think it’s also because it’s such a long process: you’re sitting there the entire day during auditions, you’ve had a thousand coffees and bloody
Kyle [Sandilands] has bags and bags of gummy bears and snakes so you’re dealing with a sugar high. But I can’t actually believe the facial expressions I’m capable of.
I saw a clip where someone was singing very off-key and you tactfully asked if they had other hobbies they enjoyed.
Yeah, I’ve learnt a couple of little things to say just to soften the blow. I’m a lot more confident this season. And it’s also been great having Marcia [Hines] back because it’s so nostalgic for everyone who enjoyed the series when it launched. I think it’s made this year a lot sweeter.
You’re becoming a regular TV star, now with a Logie on your awards shelf too. Does it make you more open to trying different opportunities along with your music?
Oh my God, that Logie was a shock. It was the one time I didn’t have a speech prepared because I said to my manager there’s no way I’m winning that award. It was fan-voted though, and my fans gave it everything they had. It was such a surprise. But yes,
I’m open to anything! Music is so different to what it used to be. You can’t just rest on record sales because it’s all about streaming. And there’s just so many people putting music out, there’s so many people touring. I’m so lucky that I got to take the opportunity to do television. It gets my music out in front of a big audience. It’s a tough industry, I had years of plugging away to get my music out there; there were times when I felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere, so I never take it for granted. You’ve gotta be in it to win it.
“I WAS STARTING TO WONDER, ‘WILL I EVER HAVE THAT FEELING OF INNOCENCE IN WRITING THAT I HAD EARLY IN MY CAREER WITH ‘ADORE’’?”