Finding Your Own Sound

Its a funny thing being a singer and a songwriter yes it is convinient but it also requires you to really trust your own sound. Making music is definitely an art but it is also a business. I always marvel at some of the current artists in the industry and the characters that have been made up for them. Some are like actors portraying in their own film and what is funny is that some people actually believe that it is really them. Music a business and like anything it needs marketing so sometimes an artist will do something over the top just to gain press.

As artists we have to determine what our sound is and what audience we want to target. Some are not willing to change or develop with the times and sadly enough are left in the dust. I think its essential to have your own sound but also be influenced by what is currently going on. There is a reason why certain music is selling right now and the artists who change and develop with time are the ones that I think have a better chance of staying in the game long term.

They say that with every new album it is like a snap shot of an artists life. So basically their sound develops over time and is an evolving process. I am experiencing that right now as we speak as I am writing my second album. The music will be more contemporary but I do not want to loose some of the qualities from my first album. I am trying to find a balance between the two.

Making Moves

I'm lining up some music videos for my first album as well as my up and coming second album which should be released in june or july of this year. I'm also talking to some publicists and hoping that I can get a marketing campaign under way for the album as well so that I can get more press. I'm always thinking about how I can up my game and do things differently so that I can succeed. I think sometimes we don't know what we get ourselves into when we start something but sometimes if we did know it might discourage us to do it.

I truly think that things happen for a reason and the universe is aligning to make it possible for me to do another album. I am working with all new producers on this second album so it took a little longer to find the right team. However I know I have found the right people and am just relieved that I found them for reals.

Anyways I hope all of you have a great weekend! Stay positive and productive!

Love,
Amy Serrata
XOXOXOXOXOX

VH1 Reality TV Show

Some amazing things have been happening to me lately. Last week I was asked to go down and be filmed on VH1 for Brandy and Ray J's new family show that will be airing in mid April of this year. I worked with their father Willie Norwood on my first album he came up from LA and helped me with the final recordings of my album. He is a really talented vocal coach and choir director. I'm working on my next album right now and would love to work with him again.

I am in the thick of writing my second album right now as well as writing songs for other artists so things are very busy. I am also busy with doing several other things in my life as well. This year has brought about many new changes but I am embracing them fully! I've learned that if you let fear dominate your actions you aren't fully living. Make 2010 great guys!

Love,
Amy Serrata
xoxoxo

BET Has Written Up About Me

I'm proud to announce that BET has written a review about me on their site it can be seen on here:

http://blogs.centrictv.com/music/subcentric/autonomous-guess-who-questlove-is-a-fan-of-”amy-serrata”/

AUTONOMOUS: Guess who Questlove is a fan of…”AMY SERRATA”
Published by Anita Bryant on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 1:34 pm. Amy Serrata

Amy Serrata is a perfect example of soul music having no boundaries. Her sound and style is timeless and is creating a buzz in the music community.

Amy’s interest in singing arose at an early age listening to the sounds of Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong to name a few. She sung in choir and started singing lessons at the age of 10 years old when she attended Nido De Aguilas, an international school in Santiago, Chile.

In 2006, Amy started singing with the Stanford University Gospel Choir. A couple years later a friend of hers encouraged her to create her own music.

Digital Connection:

“I actually met Questlove from Twitter technology is amazing isn’t it?! He sent me a link saying how I am one of the people that he loves listening to. I met him about a month ago at the Fahrenheit, a club in San Jose, when he was out here doing some dj gigs. I came up to him after his set and he knew my name. I had a press kit for him but he said that he already bought my album and that he is spinning it all over I was floored.” – Amy

Amy is currently focused on performing, working on her next album and writing songs for other artists.

For more music, shows and information:

http://www.amyserrata.com

http://www.myspace.com/amyserrata

Purchase album: iTunes, Rhapsody, EMUSIC, Napster, Amazon, CD Baby

TAGS: amy serrato, bay area soul, Questlove

My Second Album

I have some great news! I have finalized all of the details for my second album and I will be working with a production team by the name of Block Cheddar in LA. They will be executive producing my whole album which will be a total sigh of relief for me because it makes my life so much easier in so many ways. I do not produce...as of now :) I am a singer and songwriter so its essential for me to find producers that understand where I want to take my project. I am working with basiaclly all new producers on this second album which is why it took me a little bit longer to get everything together. Some of the producers that will be on this project are Vishnu from Block Cheddar, Ski from Camp Lo, Apple Juice Kid and Bedrock.

The sound for this second album will be very soulful and will have more of a commercial edge to it than my past album. The songs will be faster more up beat but it will still have that sense of Amy Serrata (since my sound has a unique spin to it). I am so excited to share it with all of you! :) I am expecting to have this completed by this summer if all goes well.

Your love and support is much needed at this time. I really need it to be able to do my next album. To purchase my music from my first album go to:
myspace.com/amyserrata
www.amyserrata.com
itunes rhapsody emusic napster amazon cdbaby

Love,
Amy Serrata

DOWNLOAD HELLO WORLD FOR FREE

Download my song Hello World for free here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?ziyqj1iin3i

ENJOY and all I ask is that you pass the word on and check out the rest of my music!

Love, Amy

The Real Test Is...

The more you learn the more you know and I have been taking the time to learn more about the music business. It really is very fascinating. The music business is in such a flux right now and so many people are scrambling because they are not sure what to do next. I think there are two ways that an artist can look at the new avenues that technology has provided us. One they can think oh I am just an artist I do not need to bother with the business side and they are so wrong. If you are an independant artist you do need to worry about those things or your music will not get heard. Now if you are lucky to form a team around you or get signed to a label then yes you will not need to worry about the business side as much. However, even if you do have a team you will want to know what is going on and how you can contribute.

There are people out there that will help out others in the business and offer them advice. Even people who have been in the business for years say that they are still paying their dues. There is a reason why most people give up in this business lol its because it takes so much work and sometimes it does not pay off. There really is no guarantee however if you think about it there is really no guarantee with anything in life. Just because you go to school to become a lawyer does not mean that you will be set in life or successful. Yes you will have the tools to be successful but it is up to you with what you do with those tools.

"Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But its not. It takes patience, it takes commitment and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. Its whether you let it hard you or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you chose to perservere." (Barack Obama)