{"id":20058,"date":"2020-12-02T00:42:26","date_gmt":"2020-12-02T07:42:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/?p=20058"},"modified":"2020-12-02T00:42:38","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02T07:42:38","slug":"willa-amai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/2020\/12\/willa-amai\/","title":{"rendered":"Video  &#038; Interview Willa Amai"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><strong>Video Feature &amp; Web-Exclusive Interview<\/strong><br \/>\nArtist:\u00a0 <strong>WILLA AMAI<\/strong><\/h1>\n<h2>Video:\u00a0 \u201c<strong>Unorganized Crime<\/strong>\u201d<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tbjgnbq9Vr0\" width=\"660\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><strong><br \/>\nICONIC PRODUCER LINDA PERRY PRESENTS YOUNG SINGER-SONGWRITER WILLA AMAI<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>At 12-1\/2 years old, Willa Amai won Linda Perry over with a voice that sounded emotionally beyond her years and songs that carried both depth and heart. After years of development, the 16-year-old is ready to share her music with the world. She has already garnered the attention of Dolly Parton, Brandi Carlile, other industry leaders and appeared on <em>The Today Show<\/em> and <em>The Ellen DeGeneres Show<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>When mentor Linda Perry first heard Amai\u2019s songs, she says \u201cI told her there was something here. Write five songs and come back in two months. She did and played me five songs\u2014and I wept. As a songwriter, I\u2019m really happy that I was able to find my voice, discover my own emotions and not be one of these people who sing someone else\u2019s story. I didn\u2019t want that to happen to Willa, so I let her be. Everything you hear\u2014every song\u2014is Willa. She writes everything and all I do is give it a thumbs up or thumbs down\u2014and maybe a nudge here and there\u2014that\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20063\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-05.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-05.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-05-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Amai speaks her truth with honesty and perception way beyond her years. Her lyrics pierce through anxiety and stress and provide clarity to navigate the tough teenage years. Some of it seems to be innate and some clearly must be good parenting. She balances her art and her life with an assuredness that will ensure she will certainly make it far in this often brutal music business. With Perry\u2019s guidance and her passion for songwriting, she is forging a path all her own.<\/p>\n<p>We talked with Willa Amai about her songs that empower teens (and adults) and allow listeners to embrace their independence, her unique approach to songwriting, how determination continues to pay off and how she writes from the heart to free her mind.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>WILLA AMAI <\/strong>Interview<br \/>\nwith\u00a0<strong><em>M Music &amp; Musicians<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>magazine publisher,<strong> Merlin David<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>How did the idea for \u201cUnorganized Crime\u201d come to you?<\/strong><br \/>\nIt\u2019s a tribute to a memory. When I was little, I thought I was a rebellious spirit and one day I\u2019d be set free. But it\u2019s not the case. (<em>Laughs<\/em>) I\u2019m a square. I\u2019m a dork. I feel most comfortable in the confines of structure and rules. When I realized that rebellious spirit I thought I was going to grow into was never going to happen, I wrote \u201cUnorganized Crime\u201d as an \u201cin memoriam\u201d of that idea of myself.<\/p>\n<p><strong>At what age did you feel rebellious?<\/strong><br \/>\nIt was when I was 7 or 8. (<em>Laughs<\/em>) I wasn\u2019t ever rebellious, but I thought I was gonna be. I thought I was a confined spirit, but that\u2019s not the case. I haven\u2019t really accepted that I\u2019m just a dork. I listened to a lot of Lana Del Rey\u2019s \u201cThis is What Makes Us Girls.\u201d I would listen to that song and cry\u2014thinking \u2018that\u2019s me. I\u2019m that rebellious spirit who\u2019s going to be sent away.\u2019 But I\u2019ve never broken a rule in my life. (<em>Laughs<\/em>) I don\u2019t even know how I convinced myself of being rebellious, but I did. I finally realized that\u2019s never going to happen. I\u2019m going to be a square forever.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20062\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-04.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-04.jpeg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-04-300x169.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Are you a rule follower?<\/strong><br \/>\nEveryone in school doesn\u2019t like me\u2014at least a little bit. I\u2019m a kiss-up to my teachers. I\u2019m <em>that<\/em> person. I\u2019m always raising my hand. I realized I was never going to be rebellious or break a rule because I was too afraid. With this song, I\u2019m imagining\u2014what if I had grown up like that. How would it feel? What would I do? It was easy to imagine because I pretended about all the things that scare me\u2014like breaking the rules, running away, drugs and alcohol. This song helped me pretend.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h1><strong><em>Willa Amai speaks her truth with honesty and perception way beyond her years. Her lyrics pierce through anxiety and stress to provide clarity. She balances her art and her life with assuredness.<\/em><\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>You\u2019ve been writing a lot to prepare for this album.<br \/>\n<\/strong>I don\u2019t even know how many songs I\u2019ve written. When we were first starting the process of writing these songs, Linda Perry (my mentor and producer) told me to come in with all the songs I\u2019d written within the past six months and I had over 38 songs. That was a year ago. I write often and a lot, probably because I have an anxiety disorder and school is stressful and life is stressful\u2014especially during quarantine. Writing is my outlet to get out of my anxieties and fears. I can be articulate with factual stuff and telling stories, but when it comes to real emotions\u2014it can be hard for me to talk about them. Music is a way to express how I feel. I write often\u2014just for me.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What did you learn about yourself?<\/strong><br \/>\nThe songs on the album taught me to love my own music. Any of my longtime friends will tell you that I hate to hear myself sing and hate to hear my own recordings, but I love writing the songs. Spending so much time with these songs, caring for them, developing them into what they are and exactly what I wanted them to be\u2014after that much time with them\u2014I realized if I loved writing them, then they deserved time to listen to them. If I expect others to love them and listen to them, then I have to love listening to them. It\u2019s given me more confidence in my music. It has helped me with my musical self-esteem.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20061\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-03.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-03.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-03-300x100.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tell us about the video for \u201cUnorganized Crime.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\nAmanda Demme was the creative behind the video. She is such an incredibly talented woman. She cares very much about the artist\u2019s point of view and the artist\u2019s creative because she\u2019s done so much with her art\u2014photography, videography, music, sculpting, painting. She understands that as a creative person, you\u2019re not simply confined to one type of art. She let me have a lot of control and input on the video\u2014which encapsulates the innocence of what the song is in memoriam of\u2014of the young me who thought I was rebellious. The video evokes that feeling of youth, yet maturation. I credit that completely to Amanda. She took my feelings displayed in the song and turned them into a visual. It\u2019s amazing to watch.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who originally inspired you to write songs?<\/strong><br \/>\nMusic has always been a big part of my life. We found my preschool report cards. My teachers said I would walk the perimeter of the playground and hum songs of my own invention. Neither of my parents liked baby music. Even as a baby I was listening to Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Regina Spektor and Amy Winehouse. They formed my writing style. I started writing seriously when I had this amazing piano teacher, Lauren Chipman, who\u2019s a professional violist\u2014she set me on this course. She was constantly encouraging me to write. In third grade, we started a poetry unit and I decided to combine my two favorite things\u2014poetry and music. That\u2019s when I started writing a lot more\u2014more complete songs. I\u2019ve been doing it ever since.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What songwriting tip can you offer?<\/strong><br \/>\nIt might seem counterintuitive. To make the most people relate to your song, be as specific as possible. When making music, the most important thing is to try to create a song where people are reflected in it. That\u2019s what people connect to. It\u2019s that feeling of connection\u2014I feel it and they feel it too. The best way to show emotion is to be as specific as possible. It doesn\u2019t matter if the specifics of the stories are the same. It just clarifies the feeling and that helps people connect. Favorites for my family and friends are the songs that are the most specific.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What instruments<\/strong><strong>\/equipment can you not live without?<\/strong><br \/>\nI write almost all songs on a piano. I use a guitar but I\u2019m not really good at it. I\u2019ve been playing piano for more than 12 years\u2014since I was four years old. I\u2019m much more comfortable at the piano. I write the melody, lyrics and the piano parts all at the same time. I just let it flow. I write most of my songs on this amazing Roland\u2014a white wood [oakwood] done in collaboration with Kiyola\u2014a KF-10. It\u2019s an incredible limited edition Roland that my family and Linda got me for my birthday a couple of years ago. It\u2019s beautiful and it\u2019s the most amazing sound. We also have a Boston grand piano [designed by Steinway &amp; Sons] in the house. I don\u2019t use it as often because it\u2019s loud and everyone can hear it. But I love writing on that too.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20060\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-02.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"880\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-02.jpeg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-02-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Willa-Amai-02-300x400.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Are you deliberate with your songwriting?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Sometimes, when I\u2019m out and about and I get an idea, my family now recognizes the face I make. I have to run to a piano as fast as possible. (<em>Laughs<\/em>) If I don\u2019t have access to a piano, I find a quiet spot and do a voice recording on my phone and then try to re-create it when I get home. Other times, I sit down and write just to make myself feel good. I may have a lot of anxiety or stress and writing is my outlet. I feel a lot of weight on my shoulders. If it piles up and it gets too hard, I have to write to take the weight off\u2014so I don\u2019t topple over. With every song, there\u2019s a pound that comes off my shoulders. It helps me sleep, eat and feel motivated. Even when I know the song won\u2019t be good, I write because the creativity of it really helps.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Which Top 5 Musicians\u00a0inspired you to become a musician?<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen I was younger, it was Queen, Amy Winehouse, Fleetwood Mac, Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor. Now, it\u2019s Bruno Major, Mumford &amp; Sons, Brandi Carlile and Sam Smith. A huge range of artists inspire me in different ways. The common factor is their passion for music and passion for creativity. Sharing my individual creativity with the world helped me start on this journey.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are your Top 5 favorite albums?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>A Song for Every Moon<\/em> (2017) \u2014 Bruno Major<\/p>\n<p><em>By the Way, I Forgive You<\/em> (2018) \u2014 Brandi Carlile<\/p>\n<p><em>Fetch the Bolt Cutters<\/em> (2020) \u2014 Fiona Apple<\/p>\n<p>Any and all albums by Fleetwood Mac and Queen.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tell us a \u201cpinch me\u201d moment when you thought \u201c<em>Wow, this is really happening to me!<\/em>\u201d<\/strong><em><br \/>\n<\/em>I\u2019ve been lucky enough to already have so many of those moments. The first one was singing with Dolly Parton. She\u2019s just on another frequency. She\u2019s so kind and nurturing\u2014an amazing person. Brandi Carlile invited me to San Francisco to sing a song with her\u2014\u201cBy the Way, I Forgive You.\u201d I\u2019ve never gotten that nervous. I truly almost passed out before performing with her at the Great American Music Hall. It was truly amazing.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20059\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Linda-Perry-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"990\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Linda-Perry-01.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Linda-Perry-01-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Linda-Perry-01-300x450.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the best advice someone has given you?<\/strong><br \/>\nI have a ton of anxiety and I worry a lot. My Mom always says that worrying about it won\u2019t change it. I really like that advice. I remind myself of that simple fact more often than anything else.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where can new fans get more info and stay updated?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.willaamai.com\/\">www.WillaAmai.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Instagram: @willaamai, @reallindaperry<\/p>\n<p>Twitter: @WillaAmai, @RealLindaPerry<\/p>\n<p>Facebook.com\/WillaAmai<\/p>\n<p>YouTube.com\/WillaAmai<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Video Feature &amp; Web-Exclusive Interview Artist:\u00a0 WILLA AMAI Video:\u00a0 \u201cUnorganized Crime\u201d \ufeff ICONIC PRODUCER LINDA PERRY PRESENTS YOUNG SINGER-SONGWRITER WILLA AMAI At 12-1\/2 years old, Willa Amai won Linda Perry over with a voice that sounded emotionally beyond her years and songs that carried both depth and heart. After years of development, the 16-year-old is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20065,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7725],"tags":[12528,12529,12530,2986,12531,11849,10958,2744,12532,12533,3957,5261,8585,12534,12535,12536,4440,12537,7626,12538,7566,3010,7978,3591,5266,1640,12539,10938,12150,12540,11315,12541,10211,12542,12543,12544,12545,12546,12547,12548],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20058"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20058"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20058\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20064,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20058\/revisions\/20064"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}