An Interview With The Musician AMERY About His Latest Music, That Marvin Gaye Comparison and More!

Last year, Amery debuted his first single So Good and it reached over 1 million streams and the follow-up, I Need Lovin’, got a very encouraging review by Sir Elton John in his Rocket Hour show a few months ago and airplay on several national radios! More recently, Amery recently released his new track called Blame, counting already over 100 000 streams on Spotify. Reflecting on an asymmetrical relationship, the track proposes a unique blend of pop, r&b and African influences. You can listen to it here via this Soundcloud link here: https://soundcloud.com/officialamery/amery-blame

Compared as Marvin Gaye by Sir Elton John, Amery is now moving with one goal: revealing his true essence. He’s indeed digging deeper with his new single Blame, presenting his unapologetic self. This time, he opens up to show a different side, reflecting on an asymmetrical relationship he went through in the past. « This song is very special to me because I was in a relationship where I felt like I gave so much while not getting anything in return, he confided. Blame tells the story of a guy who did everything he could to please his girlfriend but as a result, she only seems to want more. So he starts wondering: ‘She’s not that into you? Maybe she’s playing with you?’. They’re just not connected to each other anymore. »

 Written with Amra Dorjbayar and James Lowland — who’s once again at the production helm, Blame proposes a unique blend of pop and African influences echoing Amery’s Rwandan roots, with exotic cadence led by voluptuous percussions and synth brass. A debut album is planned for later this year.

Connect With Amery Here:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/75M2y_q5gnw

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/officialamery/amery-blame

Spotify: http://bit.ly/blame-spotify

Deezer: http://bit.ly/blame-deezer

Apple Music: http://bit.ly/blame-applemusic

Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @OfficialAmery

Website: www.ameryofficial.com

Learn more about Amery in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time! So where does this interview find you? What’s on tap for the rest of your day?

I’m at the studio right now. We’re having a very creative week, full of songwriting & jamming with all the musicians, my producer James Lowland, and the other W!G Music artists Ivy Mode and WAYI. I’m very curious to see what will come out of this as it’s the first time that EVERYONE is reunited to work together.

Overall, how do you think 2017 was for you and your career? What are you most excited about for this year? What is one big goal you have for 2018?

2017 was an amazing year for my career. It was the year when everything took off. My debut single So Good was released and it was well received with now over 1 million streams on Spotify so I think we can say this was a good start! My goal for 2018 is to create and give the best live show that I possibly can and finish my debut album.

Growing up, did you ever think that this would be the kind of life that you would have? Has music always been a big part of your life? Can you recall your first ever musical experience? 

Growing up, I was fascinated by music. But I didn’t know who I was or what I wanted to do. Everyone around me would say: ‘You should do this, you should that’. No one ever mentioned music. It’s in my teenage years that I started to realize that music was what I really wanted to do in the future. I simply never felt confident doing something else other than music.

Let’s talk about your latest singles “I Need Lovin” and “Blame.” What was the inspiration for these tracks? How do you think your sound has continued to evolve over the years? How different is your sound then when you put out your first single, “So Good”?

I Need Lovin’ expresses how shy I can be. I think everyone wants to love and be loved but you really have to put yourself out there and I find it difficult to play all those games. While I Need Lovin’ fits more as the “crush” phase of a relationship, Blame takes place when things are getting serious. And the more it gets serious, the more complicated the relationship becomes. This is a song about unbalanced love: when one keeps on giving and the other doesn’t appreciate your efforts, thoughts and sacrifices.

As an artist, I want to play and experiment with different sounds. I look up to Rihanna who’s very versatile and sounds good on any kind of productions. I want to surprise the listeners on every record I put out. So Good, I Need Lovin’ and Blame all have their own characteristics but in the end, they all have this feel-good vibe that I want to spread to my audience.

I would love to learn more about the African roots for “Blame.” How did this all come together for this song?

Actually, my producer James Lowland and I weren’t looking for any type of sound. When we’re working together, everything comes quite organically and this was the case for Blame too. It’s only after the first listen that we realized that you could definitely hear African influences in it through the use of the marimba, which is an African xylophone. It wasn’t premeditate, we were just having fun with the music but ultimately, this makes the track even more personal to me as I’m born in Rwanda and this is where I spent my early childhood.

Do you have plans to put out a full-length album this year full of new songs? How has the production and recording been going for this debut collection of yours?

There’s definitely a full body of work coming out later this year. I recorded a lot of songs since I met James Lowland. Everything is going as planned. Right now, we ‘re focusing on my show and my next single but we’ll soon start the race to the finish line for the album. I want my first project to be really good. Hopefully, it will see the light of the day this fall!

What did it feel like having the incredible Sir Elton John compliment your music and compare you to Marvin Gaye on his Rocket Hour show on Beats 1? 

When I heard that he liked my song I Need Lovin’, I couldn’t believe it. I mean… it’s Elton John! One the most important artists of all time! Getting a compliment from a legend is incredible of course! But then having a legend comparing you to another legend like Marvin Gaye is on a whole another level of excitement for me! I’m seriously counting my blessings and I’m so grateful that Sir Elton John took the time to listen and play my music on his show.

We are living through a very trying and politically charged time right now so I am curious how you think being a musician gives you the most joy in life today? How do you think that music is going to reflect these challenging times?

I think what we are missing the most in these particular times, is love. To me, music and love are one. Music is essential as it can bring up so many cultures and ethnicities closer to each other: it’s a universal language! It has no boundaries. On a personal level, no matter what challenge I’m going through, music will always lift me up. And if it has this power over me, then I have no doubts that it can have the same effect for the rest of the world.

Who are some of your favorite artists or rather, what musicians have continued to inspire you and your music? What musicians would you absolutely still love to work with in the future?

I have been a fan of Michael Jackson for my entire life. He’s my hero: If it wasn’t for Michael Jackson, I wouldn’t be here today. He’s the reason I fell in love with music. And I would love to work with artists like Rihanna, but also producers like Diplo and Pharrell Williams who always reinvent music and are never afraid to try new things.

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

I want them to feel free every time they listen to my songs. I want them to relate, feel like they’re not alone, but also to forget about their problems and just feel good for a moment.

Would you like to share anything else about yourself or your music with our readers?

I’m doing a lot of concerts in Belgium right now and will come to London next month. I hope to come perform somewhere near very soon but in any case, watch out for some new music very soon… Make sure to follow me on social media to be the first to know about it (@officialamery)!