Daydreams and Green Days: A Conversation with Amy Ellen
Many hopeless romantics aren’t strangers to dozing off in class, creating scenarios in our heads to pass the time—and Dublin-based singer-songwriter Amy Ellen isn’t any different. Pulling from soundscapes similar to Lucy Dacus and Kurt Vile, Amy Ellen is an undeniable force in the indie-folk world. Whether it be her debut 2021 EP “Only You Will Know”—with tracks reminiscent of Fenne Lily’s “BREACH”—or her latest single “Day Dreamin’”—which got recognition from and praise from RTÉ—Amy Ellen’s discography grows stronger and stronger with every release.
Editor-in-chief Madison Case had the lovely opportunity to chat with Amy about the origins of “Day Dreamin’,” her new timeless indie-rock direction, and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day.
Madison Case: Hey Amy! It’s so great to meet you. How has life been treating you recently?
Amy Ellen: “Hello! Thank you so much for having me! Life has been on the quieter side lately! The past few months have been some of the busiest with music. I love the adrenaline of it all, but some down time is essential or else I’ll just burn myself out! I’ve spent the past few weeks in France visiting some friends, the perfect break for me.”
MC: Your latest single “Day Dreamin’” was accompanied by a music video reminiscent of the 50s’, with condenser microphones, diffused soft light, vintage pin-up dresses, and pearls. What draws you to the 1950s, and do you pull inspiration from any particular artists from that decade?
AE: “I’d always envisioned the 1950’s theme around the song. The inspiration stemmed from the feel of the instrumentation as it is a 12/8 shuffle. Yes, aesthetically it is a nod to the great singers of the 50’s era, such as Patsy Cline and also my favourite movie growing up was Back To The Future, so I was completely inspired by that retro vibe for the video. Overall, it was an exciting project to plan, I enjoyed sourcing the outfits and props for it. It was filmed between my bedroom and a local theatre, which I feel added a lot to the image. I was extremely lucky to have a strong team behind me helping to bring my ideas to life!”
MC: As a head-in-the-clouds hopeless romantic myself, “Day Dreamin’” resonates strongly with me. How do you keep yourself grounded? Do you have any advice for those of us who also find ourselves “day dreamin’ [our lives] away?”
AE: “Dreaming gives you things to strive towards! Keeps that energy alive, there is nothing wrong with that! ‘Day Dreamin’ has two separate meanings for me. When I was younger I would get so distracted in school, I’d literally daze out and create these little movies in my head. I’d catch myself fantasising about someone I had a thing for, imagining them liking me back. I quote “lived my life through a fairytale,” it sounds so cheesy but I was so innocent. In my adult years, this song takes on a whole new meaning. You create music that you believe is truly worth something and in the meantime, you’re hoping someone will notice something special in your work and doors will start to open.”
MC: What have you learned while being part of the indie pop-rock scene in Dublin? What’s your fondest memory since beginning your music career?
AE: “I started playing my songs with a band in college a few years ago. I had a bunch of shows with them and having suffered with stage anxiety, the more I performed the more control I had over it. I really enjoy being on stage now, but it took a long time for me to know my place. There are so many bands in Dublin! It is great, but it makes it a bit harder to break into the scene here. My fondest memory has got to be hearing is my latest single ‘Day Dreamin’ receive national airplay on RTE Radio 1! This is huge for Irish artists especially independent ones like myself!”
MC: What does your creative process look like? Do you have any muses or inspirations?
AE: “I’m so inspired by other musicians. I love music so much that when I find a band or a song I really connect with, I’m immediately obsessed! I also learn so much from other artists. Writing with my partner Axel, who plays guitar in the band, is a huge part of the process, we never forced this and even tried to resist it in someways. I guess mixing personal and professional life can have its challenges, but we couldn’t deny the chemistry was there when we would start to work on ideas together. Why stop a good thing!?”
MC: You’ve shared pictures of your film photography on Instagram in the past! What drew you to film? What other hobbies do you have outside of photography and music?
AE: “You can’t beat analogue. The grainy textures that come through in film photography give back the old school vibe. I love the idea of capturing a moment without any alterations. These days, through the influence of social media, we always feel the need to ‘improve’ images and with film, there seems to be a more natural approach to just leave it as it is.
Is shopping a real hobby? I have really starting trying to source vintage clothing before going to the high streets fashion shops. I’ve always put time into my image and enjoy expressing myself through my own style! Designing some Amy Ellen merch is the next step!”
MC: Do you have a favorite track you’ve released? Is it different from your favorite track to perform live?
AE: “‘This Life’ has a special message and I feel every part of it when I perform it. It honestly makes me emotional at the best of times. When you hear the track you don’t instantly think of it being a ‘sad song’ because of the upbeat composition. Instrumentally it’s a step in the indie rock direction of my writing. I think when you can listen to your own song and feel what you’re expressing is coming from a place that people understand and connect with, you know you’ve got something good. There’s a lot of my heart in the song. (Excuse the pun)”
MC: If you could collaborate with any three musicians—alive or dead—who would they be and why?
AE: “Kurt Vile, because the man writes amazing songs. He has such a unique sound, I find it really inspiring.
Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) because if Norah Jones can, then Amy Ellen can. That is all!
Linda Ronstadt is one of the most underrated voices in rock, in my opinion. She could sing anything and make it her own. I’d love to have been a back up singer in her band, imagine being on stage with her during that time in 70’s! Her stage presence is so compelling to watch!”
MC: You released your first EP “Only You Will Know” in September 2021, comprised of six easy-listening, folk indie-rock tracks. Where do you see your sound headed in the future? Can you tease any upcoming projects?
AE: “I have always felt a strong pull towards the underground indie scene. When I was 16, I would listen to bands like Built to Spill and Pavement on repeat. I found a genre of music that really spoke to me at that time in my life. Nowadays with Irish bands like NewDad and Just Mustard, I’m reliving that feeling of discovering music that just seems so timeless. My new material identifies with this genre a lot more than my previous releases. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a little bit longer for that though!”
MC: Is there anything about you that you think our readers should know? Where can we find and support you on other platforms?
AE: “If you like easy listening, guitar driven, direct lyrics and catchy choruses then maybe check my music out! I recently launched a new website, where you can find information about any upcoming shows, merch and releases etc. You can find it here: https://amyellenmusic.com/ . I mainly use Instagram to promote my music @amyellenmusic you can also find all of my releases on Spotify.”
Periphery Magazine thanks Amy Ellen for her contribution, and wishes her luck with her future releases! You can find her on social media and streaming platforms here:
Instagram: @amyellenmusic
Website: https://amyellenmusic.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt7WZ6YBrdKHeWp6EBsKxPw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2FFNCL0MdE9cOyoD6O7OPE?si=TMS572OmR2qpy55H6vZj9w
If you are interested in being featured in Periphery Magazine’s interview series surrounding interesting people in creative roles, please contact Madison Case at theperipheryzine@gmail.com.