A Quick Chat With…Amity

I was absolutely blown away by singer-songwriter AMITY‘s first appearance on the blog with compelling ballad, ‘Bite Me! which claimed the Song of the Month back in April.

Amity is more than just a musician – I like to call him the ‘singing advocate’ as he speaks up for the voiceless and tackles the most taboo topics such as mental health, abuse and suicide. So I’m absolutely thrilled to have caught up with the promising artist to talk about his latest single, ‘Hurricane Heart’.

NLM: Hey, thank you for taking part in an interview with NEW LEASE MUSIC. How is 2025 treating you so far?

A: It’s been a wild year, lots of ups and downs, but I’m so grateful for the journey that has brought me to where I am today.

NLM: You recently released your single, ‘Hurricane Heart’ (30th May). What is the public perception of the single so far?

A: I’ve had people telling me that they can relate to Hurricane Heart, and that the song is helping them process things they’ve been through, which is exactly what I aim to accomplish.

NLM: What inspired you to produce/write the single?

A: I wrote Hurricane Heart from my own experience of the aftermath of destructive relationships, and I wanted to spread awareness while telling not just my story, but the story of those who have experienced similar situations and haven’t yet found the words to express it. I actually wrote it live on stage after a soundcheck, as the first few lines had been going around in my head for a while, and it finally blossomed into a song in that moment.

NLM: How would you describe the single’s sound to potential fans?

A: It’s definitely my most uptempo release so far, though there’s still a variety of dynamic textures throughout the song. It has something of a rockier influence, and it explores deep lyrical topics.

NLM: What message would you like the listeners to take away from your single?

A: That they are not alone, and that it’s okay to still be affected by something for a long time after it happens – it’s a normal response to an abnormal situation.

NLM: Are there any plans to release an official video for the single?

A: In the future, I’d absolutely love to do that, but for the time being, it’s unlikely to happen too soon.

NLM: If you had to feature one mainstream artist on ‘Hurricane Heart’, who would it be and why?

A: For some reason, people keep comparing my voice to Adele’s, so it would be interesting to hear how she might interpret this song.

NLM: What plans do you have in store for 2025?

A: I have a show at the Royal Albert Hall coming up on the 15th of July, I’m also playing Durham Fringe Festival and starting work on recording my next EP, so stay tuned!

NLM: How can potential fans find you?

A: My Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok share the same handle of @amity_sings, my Twitch is AmitySings, my YouTube is Amity Miller, and my website is http://www.amity.music.

NLM: Finally, if music didn’t exist, what other professional would you do?

A: If music didn’t exist, I would have wanted to go into another career where I can help people and make a positive impact on the world, such as going into science, which I’ve actually always had a passion for.

Award-winning artist Amity explores the other side of love with single, ‘To Be Known’.

After making an expressive entry on the blog with debut piano-led single, ‘Bite Me!’ – which claimed the blog’s Song of the Week title for two consecutive weeks over on Instagram – award-winning singer/songwriter AMITY returns to the spotlight with a compelling follow-up, ‘To Be Known’.

While the music industry is forever saturated with love songs that glamorises the idea of the perfect loving relationship, ‘To Be Known’ addresses the grey areas of the topic, which is often overlooked. Delivered with a delicate piano backdrop, the 18-year-old adds that perfect touch of vulnerability to his usual soulfully raw vocals and explores how love can be a frightening experience, especially if one is not use to receiving such intense feelings.

This is why this young music maestro in the making became an overnight sensation; Amity is not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and explore topics that most would shy away from. Such bravery, coupled with uniquely compelling storytelling, has earnt Amity flowers from the likes of the Guardian and the BBC. Starting his music journey during lockdown, using music as a coping mechanism, Amity hopes to inspire and encourage his rapidly growing fanbase and prospective listeners to speak up in what they believe in. His latest single, To Be Known’ is a true testament to Amity’s artistry as the stunning ballad offers a safe space to ponder on the dubious areas that love can sometime presents.

‘To Be Known’ is the second single from Amity’s Albert Hall-backed debut EP, set to release with a launch show at The Royal Albert Hall itself in July…but for now, have a listen to the compelling single below…

Connect with Amity via:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amitysings/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/amity_sings/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@amity_sings
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/amitymiller
Website: https://amity.music/

New Lease Music’s Top Ten Singles of 2024

Last but not least, here are the top ten singles of 2024!

On this list, you’ll find some epic gems from around the globe – from the UK, US, South Africa and Japan, keeping you entertained throughout the week and hopefully beyond!

I hope you like this year’s list…and if you so happen to enjoy these releases, why not give it a like or make a comment below.

Keep your eyes peeled on NEW LEASE MUSIC for some fantastic releases for 2025! Take care for now…

    Song of the Day: I Was There – The Grand Cru

    International award-winning songwriting team, THE GRAND CRU (comprising of Welsh and American talent) have shared a brand new album, entitled ‘September 11th – Music To Heal Your Soul’.

    The Grand Cru includes ex Jesus Christ Superstar lead, Steve Balsamo (who’s written for Slash, Meatloaf, Cliff Richard) and ex member of The Story’s and Balsamo/Deighton. Also on ‘The Cru’ is multi-award winning Welsh singer/songwriter Darren Parry who’s a former UK Songwriting Contest winner, Billboard, Unisong, ISSA and USA Song Of The Year award winner (who’s co-written with The Korgis, Dan and Laura Curtis and others).

    The third Welshman is Rhondda’s multi-talented Lee Gilbert who is an acclaimed singer /actor. His 25 yr career has spanned from Theatre, Radio and TV work which runs alongside his very busy music career. The fourth member and brainchild of ‘The Cru’ is Florida based Bonnie Skop, who’s family has a long history in music; including her Dad managing Ted Nugent and Bob Seger in their early days! The Grand Cru get their name from the French words… meaning “a wine of the most superior grade”. These songwriters are certainly that!

    100% of the net proceeds from the sale of the album go to support the Enlisted Association Of The National Guard of The United States (EANGUS). EANGUS is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the status, welfare and professionalism of Enlisted members of the National Guard and has a constituency base of over 450,000 soldiers and airmen, their families, as well as over 350,000
    retired members/veterans.

    Darren says… “Steve, Lee, Bonnie and I have written the album predominantly on Zoom over the last two years or so having been approached by The National Guard via a contact of Bonnie’s in the US. We have donated six of our songs to the cause but have written bespoke songs including “I Was There””.

    Steve says…‘I Was There’ is a very emotional song about the morning of 9/11 in New York. The song focuses on three different characters… one female character is going to work in New York that morning, another character is a guy taking a flight from New Jersey to San Francisco”. Lee continues… “the third character is a child who fortunately sleeps late so he’s not on time for school. You’ve gotta listen to it, it’s a real emotional rollercoaster of a song”!

    ‘I Was There’ was performed by The Cru for the EANGUS 9/11 Remembrance Gala at The One World Trade Centre building in New York on 11th September this year for a star-studded event, hosted by Kelsey Grammer (of hit show Frasier).

    ‘I Was There’ and ‘September 11th – Music To Heal Your Soul’ album are out now. Why not watch the video for the emotive single, featuring the three Welsh talent.

    Connect with The Grand Gru:
    http://www.darrenparry.com
    http://www.stevebalsamomusic.com
    http://www.leegilbertmusic.co.uk

    Grete shares her beautifully raw EP, ‘Grey’

    Lithuania-born, Manchester-based artist GRETE has perfected her own brand of alt-pop – culminating in the fresh, unique and exciting 5 track EP that is ‘Grey’.

    While the EP successfully executes a huge variety of musical styles and each song is entirely distinct and standalone, there are several themes that span across the tracklist, tying ‘Grey’ together and turning it into a cohesive, emotionally vulnerable story. Each song focuses on a different low point in Grete’s
    past, conveyed through cuttingly honest lyrics and reinforced by moody, mesmerising and sometimes even manic instrumentation.

    Grete’s debut single, ‘With u’ is a hybrid of many different popular styles including RnB, jazz and pop, akin to influences such as Yebba and Maro. The live instrumentation invokes a warm, emotional sensation and the dynamic vocals encapsulate the intended emotion perfectly. ‘With u’ is a heartfelt ballad in which Grete is comparing her current life to a previous time.

    Second single, ‘How Long’ progresses into a darker, more twisted space. This is brought to life by dissonant chords, biting and distorted guitar leads and Grete’s soaring vocals. The track is punctuated with glitchy details and electronic sparkles, complimenting the instruments and contributing to the cosmic scale of the song.

    Grete’s latest single, Cz u don’t’ is a forward thinking, experimental yet vulnerable track influenced by artists like Halsey and Hiatus Kaiyote. The song winds through various sections with a beat in 7 as the backdrop, culminating in a whole-band-polyrhythm to end. The protagonist of ‘Cz u don’t’ is searching for reasons to leave an unhealthy relationship.

    Grete started singing when she was only three years old, beginning her performance career in small ensembles and bands. She was quickly spotted and invited to the biggest stages in the country, such as nationally broadcasted competitions, top level musical theatre productions, international concerts and contests, even reaching the finals of ‘The Voice’ Lithuania 2018. Gaining local fame opened many doors for function gigs and session work but that was not the career she truly wanted to pursue.

    Grete chose to leave Lithuania and start fresh in the UK. Now she is studying pop music vocals in RNCM. Influenced by artists like Jazmine Sullivan, The Weeknd and Yebba, she began writing vocally colourful and harmonically intricate songs with strong messages and old R&B references.

    Why not have a listen to Grete’s stunning EP below…

    Must Listens: How Long, With u, colder Summer