THP Interview: Amy Shark, Dropping Knowledge And Collaborating With Legends

Soaking up the good times to get through the bad, Amy Shark must be hot in the brightness she’s radiating as she furthers her music career, and we are right here with our sunscreen ready to take in all the rays! Although many things this year have been on pause, Amy has still been going full speed with multiple releases and an album and tour announcement! 

With only four years “in the industry” under her belt, she’s already been hailed by some as one of Australia’s most formidable emerging songwriters. With her breakthrough single going 5x Platinum, her track ‘I Said Hi’ hitting 4x Platinum, and her 2019 single ‘Mess Her Up’ going 2x platinum, we can only expect a treasure of an album. She even managed to scoop up not one but two ARIA awards last month! One for Best Pop Release with ‘Everybody Rise’ and another for Best Australian Live Act with Amy Shark – Amy Shark Regional Tour.

A songstress like this, you can expect to be as busy as a bee (no pun intended), but luckily, Amy had some time to talk to us about her latest collaboration with the legendary Travis Barker and how she’s grown in the four years she’s been in the spotlight as well as the lessons she’s learned along the way. 

‘C’MON’ dives into you trying to be your best self while navigating the highs and lows of the music industry, what would you say have been some highs for you? And how have you overcome the lows?
It’s quite a turbulent career being an artist so I guess I’ve learnt over the last 3 years to really appreciate and soak up the good times whether I’m on stage or writing a good song so that when the low times appear I feel balanced. Cause nothing is ever great all the time. But if you’ve celebrated all the little wins and the big wins you’re strong enough to handle the obstacles. 

And you worked with Travis Barker on this recent single, what is your favorite memory of working on this collab?
Travis was so accommodating throughout this whole process. I had already written the song so it was just about finding the right beat etc.. Travis blew my mind with every drum idea he sent me! He took the song to a whole other level. I feel so privileged to have one of the best drummers in the world on one of my songs. 

This isn’t the first time that you’ve collaborated with a member of Blink-182. Back in 2018, you collaborated with Mark Hoppus for ‘Psycho,’ how did this recent one with Travis and the last one with Mark come about? 
Both came about via twitter lol. Mark sent me a message saying we had a couple friends in common and also that he liked my music so we arranged coffee. Then I guess through Mark, Travis was exposed to my music so he hit me up and said we should collab one day. 

Seeing your collaborations with Mark, Travis, and even The Chainsmokers, do you have any other dream collaborations on your bucket list, so to speak? And if you could describe your 2020 using a Blink-182 song, what song would it be?
I do have a dream list somewhere in my head I guess but I don’t really bust myself to collab with people. If it comes naturally and feels good then sure, but I enjoy writing music and releasing music all on my own just as much.  2020 in a Blink song would be a mash up of ‘SHUT UP,’ ‘RECKLESS ABANDON,’ ‘PATHETIC’ & ‘I MISS YOU.’ 

What bands or artists would you say have had the biggest influence on your sound and career?
Blink-182, Dashboard Confessional, Tegan and Sara, Amy Winehouse, Silverchair and Eminem. 

2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, but have you found that it has allowed you to explore your creativity more?
Yeah, I guess so, I didn’t really put much pressure on myself to be super creative. Main thing I spent time on was my album, which was already recorded, but I got to sit with it for all the finishing touches, which I loved having the time to do.

You’ve been in the music game for a few years now, in what aspects would you say you’ve grown the most since you started, and what is something you hope to accomplish musically over the next few years?
I have a lot more knowledge now on how the machine works. I’ve grown a lot as a musician from songwriting to production and I’ve also learnt to pull back on saying the word YES. 

Your last big project was your album, Love Monster in 2018, can fans expect another EP or album in the near future, and if so, can we get a few details about the project?
Very excited to say that my second album will be coming out in 2021, that is all I can say for now … sorry  

Last year you got to be a part of 5 Seconds of Summer’s Friends of Friends Charity show that helped raise money for the Blacktown Youth Services Association, what was it like to be a part of this charity show, and are there any other philanthropy projects you’re part of or charities that are near and dear to you? 
I think Friends of Friends is such an incredible initiative and the 5sos boys do it very well. I support Autism Australia, which is a disorder close to my heart but there are many great causes I often raise money for and support.

If you could pick five songs to describe your life at this moment (you can include your own) what would they be and can you tell us why?
1. Glass Animals / ‘Heat Waves’  – mainly because it’s getting very HOT here in Australia lol
2. Nina Simone / ‘You’ve Got To Learn’  – Life is full of challenges but you have to remain calm and surround yourself with good people. 
3. Amy Shark / ‘C’mon’  –  Things are getting busy again so it’s important for me to have the right people to lean on, guide you and help you up.
4. Bleachers / ‘Chinatown’ – I’ve recently moved to Sydney and this song somehow makes me feel alive and at home. 
5. Michael Buble / ‘Home’ –  The borders are currently closed due to the pandemic so I can’t get back to my hometown, so this one hits me hard.

And lucky for you, you don’t have to wait for more information about Amy’s second album, as she recently announced it last week, along with an Australian tour planned for the summer of next year! Amy Shark’s sophomore album, CRY FOREVER, is set to release early next year. See her post with the full tracklist below!

2021 looks to be a promising and exciting year for Amy already, and we can not wait to cry forever once this album drops- we already have our tissues in our shopping cart. Want to cry with us as we wait? Well, press play on this playlist with some songs Amy would use to describe her life at the moment!

What track do you claim off of CRY FOREVER? Are you planning on seeing Amy Shark on tour? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @TheHoneyPop! You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AMY SHARK:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

Featured Image Source: Courtesy of Sony Music