She’s a musician in the truest sense. Amari plays the guitar (acoustic and electric) and bass among other instruments. “I once picked up the clarinet and got down. There are times when I can just get on the drums and just sing. I get on them and just get loose.” Amari wants to extend her love of strings to learning the violin next and harp later in life. Her voice is also a tool in her bag of artistic assets. “I sing, rap, [and] I feel like there’s nothing I can’t do; even though, I know there are things I can’t.”
She likes to sit back and pose.
Music was instilled in Amari at a young age. Originally, her dream was to become a doctor to help her ailing grandmother, for she had a vital role in Amari’s love for music. “I thought I was gonna become some kind of musical doctor…my grandma would take me to my friends recitals [and] piano recitals. My grandma played a lot of old music from the 50s and 60s. I was always just into it.”
Much of her inspiration comes from various artists she adores. She noted Prince and Lenny Kravitz as two of her favorites because of their musical versatility. “I love seeing people take something and master it. People who change the tone and you distinctively know it’s them. I like when people create their own sound [and] their own trademark.” The 90s era of music is a particular highlight in her inspiration. “I wish I was a bit older so I could’ve experienced house parties and all that and the technological sound boom. “I really like hip-hop. I like Black Thought from The Roots. R & B wise I really like R.Kelly. A lot of people compare me to Aaliyah.”
Here she is posed beside a wall.
Surroundings play a strong role in Amari’s creative process. “I use what’s going on around me.” Sometimes she writes about situations of her own and other times about friends’ circumstances. Much of her music is sensual and deals with love, but she also covers many topics. “I like to write about triumph. I like to write about turning up. Production wise I get down to the nitty-gritty. I like to put a lot of my mixes in the hi-fi realm.” She describes her music as very ambient and trippy; Amari writes how she feels. “You just never know how music can go. I wanna see how many lives I can impact.”
Goal-setting is a priority for her. “Now it’s about making an album and dropping it. I say I’m going to be a musician then I’m going to be a musician. That’s just what it is.” Her ep’s title is Purple Dreams.
“I just recently released my Purple Dreams EP on July 30. It feels so good to finally complete a full length EP. I have been working really hard to put together good quality work and productions, especially since I have been doing this mostly on my own. I did get some help from a cool cat named David Greene for the track called Eyes Low. David Produced the track. I normally produce all my own material, but David and I have so much chemistry that he has encouraged me to branch out a little more. Purple Dreams has a B sides coming out called Purple Nightmares which I will release in October, so look out for that. One can hear Purple Dreams on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon music etc. I plan on releasing some video blogs and short clips just to keep everyone updated. For now, check out Purple Dreams herePurple Dreams.”
When she isn’t staying after class to ask questions and refine her skills, Amari is out entertaining audiences. “I’ve had all-around the board shows. You get off the stage and it’s all around love. I do not go on stage drunk or high. I go up there high off being sober.” She described the natural high of adrenaline combined with an energetic atmosphere as an amazing experience.
Amari wanted to close with the following statement:
“A dream is something that we dare to turn to reality. Without dreams or hope we have nothing. It helps us search everyday. You have a goal in mind. You work because one day you dare to have a house or dare to have a car. Without that we’d just be sitting around looking at each other. I definitely am a dreamer.”
Check below for two more of her songs.
__
Original article appeared at Dreamer Loop. Reprinted with permission.
Photo credit: Dreamer Loop