Amy Jo is a rising star in the UK’s, shockingly buzzing, country music scene, and she draws inspiration from her coastal hometown and passion for gender equality. Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves, Alicia Keys and more have all inspired her style of sound and storytelling over the years as she releases music with her own unique point of view. Her Master’s degree in gender studies informs her songwriting about topics like men’s mental health, and she has plans for new music in the coming weeks.

Where are you from?
I am from Morecambe Bay in North-West England.

How has your hometown influenced yourself and your art?
Growing up by the seaside was nothing short of magical. I find peace when I hear the sound of the waves. I love looking out to the sea and being totally present. There are independent cafes and little venues and market stalls. Gosh, I used to love going to the Sunday Market. I think my love for thrifting began in those early days. There’s tranquility in Morecambe.

There’s greenery in surrounding villages. There’s also community because it’s so small. Writing songs felt like a natural pursuit amidst that backdrop because life moved much slower. I could ponder on my thoughts. I could begin to craft my sense of identity without any chaos. Sure, it was a little too quiet, at times. I’m an extrovert, after all. But it was the perfect place to grow up.

How do you blend Americana and country with your UK roots?
I have the utmost respect for Americana and country. So much so, that I don’t try to imitate or replicate anything. I try to take influence from my favorites, in a way that feels authentic to my identity. I don’t drive a truck, I don’t drink and I’m not from America. So, naturally, I write about things that are unique to me. Where I’m from, my thoughts about the world, my relationships, my outlook on life etc.

I love the way country songs have such a clear beginning, middle and end. They take you on a story and you feel as though the artist is speaking directly to you. I try to do that with my music. I relish in finding new ways to describe old feelings, or things that have been said a million times. I also love the instrumentation in Americana and country, something I aim to include in my music, too.

What does the idea of home mean to you?
I actually think home is rarely a place. I think it’s more of a feeling. I can feel right at home with the person I love. I can feel at home when I’m writing a song. I can feel at home on stage. I guess home is wherever you are grounded and present. I find this perspective helps with homesickness when you’re touring a lot.

What inspired you to get into music?
Early on, I was inspired by RnB and Soul, like Alicia Keys, Beyonce and Etta James. I actually entered my high school talent show with ‘Fallin’ by Alicia Keys. I won! The whole school was watching the show and really cheered me on. I remember I sang it about three times because everyone kept requesting an encore. I think that was the first time I realized I could actually sing. I can’t believe I wanted to sing for the whole school in my first year of high school. That sounds terrifying now. Ha! Around age 13, my world turned upside down when I discovered Taylor Swift and LeAnn Rimes.

I found them both so relatable, especially Taylor, because her lyrics were so applicable to my life at that time. My friend, who was also obsessed with Taylor Swift, had been teaching herself guitar. She showed me a few chords, and I wrote my first song that night. I fine tuned my skills with guitar lessons and vocal and piano lessons over the years. I had been performing in school plays and amateur musicals, but this was when I realized songwriting was a crucial outlet for me. It gave me my own unique voice and I could share my perspective.

How would you describe your genre of music? What does country music mean to you?
It’s interesting because the UK has a fast-growing country music scene. The scene comprises so many different artists, all inspired by different elements of country and Americana. I feel as though I’ve been adopted by the UK country scene, and they have been so supportive of my particular take on the genre. Whilst I am not traditional, the story-telling is always the focal point of my music.

To me, country music is a reflection of the self. It’s authenticity. It’s honesty. It’s raw and unfiltered. It’s a way for me to express myself, and it allows for my vulnerability to be a strength. But I also grew up in the 00s, with Natasha Bedingfield, Dido, Anastasia, KT Tunstall and Gabrielle. Not to mention, I was obsessed with the aesthetics of Mary-Kate and Ashley and Hilary Duff. Let’s just say, I love me some main character energy. Over the years, I have combined all of these interests to craft my own unique sound and perspective.

Who are some of your biggest inspirations for your sound and storytelling?
I mentioned a few in the previous paragraph, but it’s worth mentioning my interest in modern country storytellers like Jordan Davis, Lainey Wilson and Kacey Musgraves. I love the way they say it like it is. They are confessional but also narrational.

They are observant whilst remaining the protagonist. They have such unique perspectives on the world, and I feel like I know their viewpoints through their music, which is really cool. I want people to understand who I am through my lyrics. I’d love for them to piece all of my lyrics together because they reveal a lot.

In your latest single, '“Hold Your Horses”, you sing ‘and you don’t wanna play the sports that you’re told you should care about.’ Who do you envision is the audience for this lyric, and the song in general?
I wrote “Hold Your Horses” not realizing how many people would relate to it, and for so many different reasons. It’s really written as a letter to a close friend of mine or, at least, as a letter to his younger self, to say, ‘hold your horses, look at this amazing life you’re living now,’ so in a sense it’s me lending an ear to the men in my life. I think men and boys deal with peer pressures just like the rest of us, and gendered assumptions affect them in much the same way as it does with us women.

I wanted the song to serve men and boys who have interests that don’t necessarily fit the ‘mold’ of ‘masculinity.’ You know, if you don’t like football. Not an issue. If you like to crochet, cool! I think the idea that interests are specific to genders is quite simplistic. People are multifaceted, including men and boys. I wanted this song to feel like a hug for those people to do their own thing, and do it unapologetically because we only live once.

While anyone dealing with a mental health struggle can find comfort in a song like this, the lyrics are specifically tailored to men’s mental health. Why is this a cause that is personal to you?
Those gendered stereotypes can extend to how we deal with our emotions, and still to this day, it often feels taboo for men and boys to speak about their mental health. I think this has detrimental effects for everyone in society. I wrote this song with the person in mind, but I didn’t realise just how universal the message would be.

I have a lot of men come to my shows, and so many of them have given their accounts and perspectives on the song. It’s been a really bonding experience with my male fans, and they matter to me. I believe conversation between different groups of people is the way to create change. When people feel heard, they are less hostile. They open up. I think we need men and boys to open up and we need to be ready to listen.

You have a Master’s degree in gender equality. What made you want to pursue that path? How did you end up choosing to start making music and how do you balance the two passions?
So, my passion for politics and gender equality started from a young age. My grandad and I would sit around the table and discuss political issues when I was around six. It would get pretty heated! But I learned so much from him. He was such a feminist and really believed in me. He sparked my curiosity for social dynamics and nurtured that side of myself. He was also responsible for introducing me to music and songwriting, buying me my first piano, guitar and karaoke machine (complete with an S Club 7 karaoke CD). Great taste!

The music took over for a long time, but I was still in school. After leaving sixth form, I wanted to chase my music dreams, but I wanted to have my cake and eat it, too. I enrolled onto a Politics and History degree with The Open University, but I did it part-time so that I could still continue with music. When I finished that degree, I didn’t want to say goodbye to academia just yet, so I applied for a Master’s at the London School of Economics. I didn’t think I’d be accepted, truly, it was a shot in the dark. I’d signed a publishing deal at this time, and I was in the process of releasing my debut EP, but everyone in my team was so supportive and rallied around to help me do both.

Since graduating from LSE, I have been full-time in music, because there is no time like the present! I am loving every moment of it and I’m taking everything I’ve learned through academia into my songwriting, music videos and general ethos. It’s who I am. It’s strange to think that my grandad laid out my career path from such a young age, and I didn’t even realize it.

It has been a crazy last few years, and we expect at least three more. How do you stay positive in general about the unknown and motivated as an artist?
This is such a great question. I grapple with this daily. On the one hand, there is more opportunity than ever to be discovered. We have social media and Spotify and all of these avenues for progress. But, it’s also much more saturated. Then add in the incoming threats of AI and the rising costs of touring. It can all be quite overwhelming. When I have those moments, I remind myself why I’m doing all of this. I love people. I love connecting with people, and I still get to do that at my shows, and through my social media channels. No one can take that away from me.

I love what I do, and I would keep chasing it, regardless of the social climate. I think we have to stay positive because we don’t have another choice. I think about all of the nefarious figures in the world that want to silence musicians, or disrespect them, and I think, ‘do I want them to win?’ They can’t win if we keep showing up and telling our stories. They can’t win if we prioritize creativity and give it the respect it deserves. No one can break community, and that’s why I am very keen to build.

What can we expect next from you short-term in your career?
I’m gearing up for festival season! I’m playing Country By the Castle, Lytham Proms, British Country Music Festival and Lakefest, to name a few. I’ve always dreamt of playing big festivals, so I feel very lucky this year. I’m also releasing the 3rd single from my debut album in the coming weeks.

The album roll-out has been so rewarding so far, and I can’t wait for people to hear the full project as I’ve worked so hard on it. I plan to keep showing up, writing relatable songs, and aiming higher with each passing year!

What is your motto in life?
I’m a sucker for a good quote. I’ve spent my life recalling different quotes and affirmations before going on stage. It’s hard to pick a specific motto or quote, for this reason. I can, however, share a bit of my philosophy. I believe that we attract what we are. If we are positive, we can attract goodness into our life. If people meet us where we’re at, then we need to be kind and pleasant company. If opportunities are granted to those who are open to miracles, then we must be willing to believe in magic.

Of course, this concept is widely talked about as manifestation, so it’s nothing new under the sun. I just really, truly believe in the idea. I’ve lived most of my life in accordance with these principles and it’s brought me so much peace and happiness. If you believe in your heart that the universe has special plans for you, you can relax a little bit, and let life unfold beautifully.

To learn more about Amy Jo, please check out the links below:
Website - amyjoofficial.com
Instagram - @amyjoofficial
Facebook - @amyjoclough
YouTube - @amyjocloughmusic
Spotify - @amyjo

Photo Credits: Michelle Fredericks

Singer-Songwriter Amy Jo on the Rising Country Music Scene in the UK and Mental Health Advocacy