Amori
Please introduce yourself: what do you do? where are you from? where are you now?
I’m Amori, a singer-songwriter from Juncos, Puerto Rico, currently living in NYC.
This question might pose as an unfair advantage given your proximity to the process & product, but how do you describe your music to someone who hasn't heard your music?
As someone who grew up with a myriad of influences coming in all directions and languages, I consider my music a product of that fusion. I am a songwriter at heart, so lyrics are the drawing and outline of my songs, and I paint them with colors of Latin indie and indie folk sounds.
Earlier this year, you launched your single, "Mienteme". Listeners can instantly tap into the bittersweet-ness of your delivery; it seems to vine its way through your harmonies. Is lying (as a form of protection) necessary in a relationship?
I believe that honesty is a core value that is crucial when it comes to relationships, any kind of relationship. I consider myself a blunt, transparent individual. I always say what's on my mind and ask tough questions even if I’m not ready to hear the answer. ‘Miénteme’ was born out of me feeling the opposite for the first time. This desire of wanting to be lied to because I already knew where the situation was headed, and I wasn’t ready to let go just yet. I would say that more than necessary, lying to others and lying to ourselves is a survival mechanism that one has to be aware of and try to avoid.
Your latest single, "Old Me", is a sparkling rose-colored gem of a contemporary pop song. Nostalgia, a grip of honesty, a drip of melancholy...it's all there. Even the moody slide guitar & the background vamps of 'I’ll see you when I see you’ stand as witnesses to the emotion of the song's lyrics. It's a 2021 song, but can easily transport to the 1990s-era alt-pop arena that held space for acts like 10,000 Maniacs, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Saint Etienne, and The Cranberries. Are there any bands or artists that resonate with you from this era?
Thank you for your kind words!! My co-producer and co-writer Darryl Rahn had a huge stake in how the song ended up sounding, and I am obsessed with the direction we took. He is a brilliant songwriter and has an impeccable ear for production, and at the time he was listening to a lot of Sheryl Crow. I have definitely been influenced by bands like Goo Goo Dolls and The Cranberries.
You're an indie artist releasing music during a pandemic. Congrats to you, as this is no easy feat. Were the studio sessions socially distanced? Were there any unseen hurdles in your way during the recording process? How have you been maintaining your sanity & stress levels throughout this time?
Thank you, because it is not easy, at all!! I build up my demos as much as I can at home, and with fellow songwriter Darryl Rahn with, whom I live with. When you have DIY music, there isn’t too much to worry about in terms of COVID exposure, as the work was being done at our house, with help from our friend Zeno Pittarelli, an incredible sound engineer and fellow musician. They were the reason I remained sane (semi sane). I always had them to create with and develop my ideas. Zeno’s girlfriend, Alyssa Demarco is not only one of my best friends, but she’s an insanely talented photographer and musician. So, between the four of us, we really lifted each other’s projects and sanity during this time. I would not be answering these questions, and my songs wouldn’t exist like they do if it weren’t for my COVID family, Darryl, Zeno and Alyssa.
You're in New York City now, but you're from La Isla del Encanto. Both NYC & Puerto Rico are homes to zillions of diverse, mega-talented music artists. Have you struck a creative balance between both homes? Furthermore, which of the two territories lends more to your artistry?
This question drives a lot of what I do in my life. I live to create this balance you speak of, and I don’t think I will ever fully arrive. I yearn for Puerto Rico every day of my life, and homesickness has inspired me endlessly. However, I have built a community in New York as well, so, I feel incredibly lucky to have two homes. Between the two territories, I think Puerto Rico lends more to my artistry, while New York gives me more resources to make my music happen.
Besides your own music, you've lent your voice supporting & collaborating with other artists. One of your most recent collaborations was with indie pop artist Gina Chavez for her Latin Grammy-nominated EP, "La Que Manda". As a matter of fact, you played your part in backing vocals for Gina’s Latin Grammy performance debut, along with an all-star ensemble including the award-winning producer/artist Linda Briceño, and the Venezuelan percussion maestro Luis Quintero, to name a few. What was that experience like for you?
A dream come true, to say the least. Gina and I co-wrote ‘La Que Manda’ before the pandemic hit in January of 2020. When we walked out of that session, I felt like I was walking on air. We have great chemistry, and everything just clicked. To me, that was ‘it’: being able to live out my dream of being a bilingual songwriter. Getting the Grammy nomination for her EP and getting to perform with her was like entering an alternate dimension. She’s been working on her craft for so long; getting to witness her dream coming true was indescribably inspiring. I call Linda Briceño ‘La Maestra’ because anyone that knows her understands how much knowledge and wisdom she has to share, both in the studio and out. They’re all just masters in what they do. Being in the same room as them feels like finding out that ‘magic is real’ and you’re suddenly invited to see it happen.
Speaking of magic: If you had a magical chance to collaborate & record with 3 vocal artists, dead or alive, who would they be?
Sara Bareilles, Vicente García, El Kanka
Bilingualism & Biculturalism in music, I feel, is at an all-time high. It has evolved from novelty catchphrases like 'Livin' La Vida Loca', to non-Latinxs screaming Bad Bunny lyrics. Without watering down your lyrics for mainstream acceptance, your music releases seem to walk this cultural tightrope with ease. As a songwriter, is this an intentional tactic, or is it a natural flow for you to express yourself in both languages? And do you think the public can handle it: For example, I've heard many times from non-Spanish speakers, "I don't know what he/she said, but I understood it." Has this generation of pop music listeners evolved to a point where comprehension-en-Español is a given trait?
It is an intentional tactic that is inevitable, to me. Even if I wasn’t trying to exist bilingually as an artist, my songs sometimes come out in Spanish and sometimes in English. Amori is a recent project, less than a year old. I’ve been writing songs my entire life, but something about how bilingual and bicultural the music industry has become makes me feel very validated in my craft. People love Spanish, as a language, and the cultures tied to it. When ‘Despacito’ came out, and I saw Luis Fonsi singing in Spanish at the (American) Grammys, I thought to myself “anything is possible.” If a fellow Puerto Rican can make his song (in Spanish) reach such mainstream success, it signifies just how receptive people are to our culture and language. Music is truly all about emotions, as well. Every chord and melody note is provoking an emotion and telling a story. Even if you don’t understand word by word what is happening, you can get all of the emotional context by just listening. That is what I hope English speakers do with my music: just listen with intention and feel what's happening.
What's next for Amori? Is there a full-length album on the horizon?
No album just yet, but in the near future. I am trying to empower myself in my production knowledge. Making music is a very expensive endeavor, so I just want to focus all my resources on singles for now. I find the single-release cycle to be very liberating. I can give myself fully to each song (both financially and creatively) and continue to write and gather material for a full-length project.
Lastly, what advice would you give to a youth from the diaspora who wants to do what you do?
As cliché as it sounds, put yourself out there and be present. Often when I walk in a room knowing I might not be the most talented, or the person with the most connections—but I will make it my job to be the most present, authentic, and genuinely interested person.
Music, like any other business, is about community and connection, and you won’t get far if you’re only trying to be interesting. You have to be interested. I’ve found a lot of luck in asking genuine questions and seeing every person I meet as a learning opportunity. “What do they know that I could grow from?” “How can I be inspired by this person?” If you ask people to inspire you, they will. We all want to be seen and heard, so make sure that you’re not focusing too much on yourself, but rather focus on how you can see and hear other people in order to build authentic bridges that will last you a lifetime. Along with that, leave your self-doubt at the door. Check it at the door, like a coat. Everybody struggles with impostor syndrome. I struggle with it daily. But when I’m in a session, or at a show, I will not sabotage myself by thinking ‘I don’t deserve to be there’. I will give myself the grace to believe that, in that moment, I am exactly where I deserve to be, and believing otherwise will only breed poor interactions and poor work. Put yourself out there, and once you are out, believe in yourself more than anybody else. Be unapologetically confident.