An Interview With Pop-R&B Singer AMY COHEN All About Her Debut EP, ‘Direction’ and More!

Meet the pop/r&b singer-songwriter Amy Cohen! On September 13th, she released her debut EP, “Direction.” It is the perfect pop body of work. Intricately woven with honest personal reflections and r&b undertones, Cohen’s debut exemplifies authenticity while remaining fun and palatable for any ear. 

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Learn more about Amy Cohen in the following All Access interview-

Thank you for your time! So what does a typical day look like for you lately?

A typical free day of mine consists of a morning run, a matcha latte, laying in the sun, writing music or reading for inspiration, laughing at Twitter, seeing friends for dinner, and lying in bed watching HGTV.

Now that we are in the latter half of the year, how has 2019 treated you? What are some goals that you had for yourself this year? How close are you to reaching them or did you already? What are you already looking forward to in 2020?

2019 has been so meaningful. I really feel like I’ve grown into myself. Releasing my Debut EP Direction was like my formal introduction into the music industry. After so many years, releasing these songs felt like a sigh of relief. I was holding onto these songs for so long, and in releasing them I feel so proud and so ready to move on to the next chapter. 2020 is going to be incredible. I hope to release more music, keep playing shows around LA and really put myself out there in the music scene.

Growing up, how important was music in your life? Can you recall the moment when you decided that you wanted to be a musician? Was it an easy or difficult choice to make?

Music has always been everything to me – specifically singing. I literally did not shut up around the house. I would sing everything all the time. I had different stage names (one specifically “Tina Toddelina”) and would make my entire family sit and watch me perform. At 6 years-old I would stand in front of the mirror at my Grandma’s house and literally pretend I was performing to a giant crowd with a hairbrush as my mic. Music has always been my thing. The one interest that’s never left me. It’s really how I communicate with the world. I dream big but I am also super realistic and logical. I still have back-up plans in case music doesn’t work out, but if I don’t try this I will hate myself down the line.

Was there ever a time when you thought about doing something else? If you weren’t a musician today, what else could you see yourself doing? Would you be as fulfilled in life?

I would still want to work in music but on the corporate side, or strictly song-write for pop acts. Nothing would be as fulfilling as being an artist, though.

What has been the biggest surprise so far about making music your career? What has been an unexpected or welcome challenge to it all? What has been the best part about it all?

The biggest surprise has been how truly capable I feel. My dream has started to feel tangible, and that is just incredible. A challenge I’m facing is staying focused on myself and the timing meant for me and my project. It’s easy to get distracted by what everyone around you is doing and by how successful everyone appears to be. I’m learning you can’t compare your level 2 to someone’s level 6. I’ll get there in my own time when life knows I’m ready. Day by day! The best part has been the positive response to my music. That people are resonating with my personal lyrics and story. The support is so surreal and I feel so lucky.

Let’s talk about your debut EP, Direction. What was it like making this collection? Did anything surprise you about the process of putting it together?

I was surprised on how well my producer and I clicked in the studio. I’ve tried to produce my songs with countless producers and none of them could see my vision. My producer for this EP, Cambo, instantly saw my vision and brought my music to life. It was such a breath of fresh air.

What was the inspiration for the songs on this EP? How did they get to be on it?

This EP was inspired by the past few years of my life. Within 3 years – everything has changed. This project is about navigating that change and learning to love the uncomfortable yet rewarding process of growing. Across every song, I want listeners to understand that change and evolution is inevitable and to be embraced. And your life will flow in ways you’ve never planned on. Instead of fighting change, you have to learn to go with it, let things go, ride it, give into and surrender to the process. Eventually you’ll see why life pulls you in the directions that it does.

How do you think you have grown as a musician since you first started making music? What if anything has stayed the same about your music-making process?

I definitely feel more polished, but overall my process is still basically the same. I turn to the piano and songwriting whenever I need to navigate my thoughts and emotions. I don’t write just to write – I write for me. My story is the only story I can tell and if I tried to write based on hypothetical experiences I just wouldn’t get the details right.

How do you feel about social media? What do you think social media has done for your career?

I think social media is a great tool to connect with fans. These days fans are craving authenticity and transparency, and I think with platforms like Instagram stories etc. artists can really build an emotional relationship with audiences. That being said, it’s important to remember that social media is everyone’s brand, not their real life. Getting caught up in the false reality of social media is dangerous.

What musicians would you absolutely still love to work with in the future?

Coldplay, Rihanna, Frank Ocean, Drake, Miguel, John Mayer…. so many.

If you could design your dream music video right now, what would it look like?

I’m super drawn to ocean and deep orange sunset visuals – anything with those!

Where would you love to hear a song of yours played?

In a Rihanna Instagram story.

At the end of the day, what do you hope people take away from your music?

I hope people can understand that being human is okay – feeling, growing, struggling, changing, loving, losing is all okay. Throw yourself into the feelings.