Liverpool’s own rising pop star Amelia closes out a whirlwind year with the release of her shimmering new single ‘Maybe’, lifted from her debut EP ‘Meet Me in The Maybe’. A track that blends crashing synths with heartfelt lyricism, ‘Maybe’ captures the thrilling uncertainty of falling in love, knowing it could end in forever or heartbreak, but choosing to dive in anyway.
Since her 2022 debut single ‘All In’, Amelia has carved out a space for herself as a pop storyteller with both cinematic flair and emotional honesty. Inspired by icons like Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, her music is as sticky and melodic as it is authentic, each release adding to a discography that’s growing brighter with every step.
With her debut EP now out in the world, Amelia is gearing up to cement her place as one of the UK’s freshest pop voices. We sat down with her to talk about the inspirations behind ‘Maybe’, and what’s next as she steps confidently into 2025.
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Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
I first picked up a guitar when I was 11, and I would follow YouTube tutorials of all of my favourite songs. I played for hours in my bedroom every night, but my voice was terrible (!), so I started singing lessons when I was 13, and would practice non-stop. I remember playing and singing some songs at a family party when I was around 14, and feeling like I was finally getting somewhere talent-wise – it definitely wasn’t something I was born with! I’ve always loved creative writing from a young age, and songwriting felt like an extension of this for me. As I got older and matured, so did the themes of my songs.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how have they shaped your sound?
From 8-years-old, Taylor Swift has always been my biggest influence; I’m now 24 and she still is! I started playing guitar and writing songs because I wanted to be just like her. My sound is very influenced by female pop – Maisie Peters, Dua Lipa, Dylan, Miley Cyrus – but I’ve always loved a raspy, more soulful voice too! Some of my favourites to sing are Amy Winehouse, Paloma Faith, and Olivia Dean.
Was there a specific moment or experience that made you decide to pursue music seriously?
I can’t remember a specific moment, but I also can’t remember wanting to do anything else! The first time I performed onstage, I knew that I wanted to experience that feeling again and again, but performing my own music felt like magic! My first gig was a support slot at The Jacaranda in Liverpool, and I remember thinking that if even just one person left humming a song because it was stuck in their heads, or followed my social media because they wanted to hear more, that I would already be so much further than the girl who only sang in her bedroom!
Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?
There’s usually a lyric that comes to mind, or a feeling I want to explore through writing, and I’ll start humming its melody until I find something I like. I write every song on guitar first, finding chords that work best and sometimes just having “la la las” until the lyrics flow. A lot of my songs seem to fall out of me, as though they’ve been waiting to be written, and some take a bit longer. Maybe was a song that I played around with for a while, but Free Fall, which is also on the EP, I think was written in less than 30 minutes. I worked with the same producer for the whole EP, Joe Sage, so I sent him all of my demos and the songs were built from there.
How do you find inspiration for your music and lyrics?
Almost all of the time, I write about my own personal experiences, or at least draw inspiration from them. For this EP, I knew I wanted each song to tell a story about different stages of love, which is something I think we can all relate to! I drew a lot from my own relationship – including feelings you have even before the relationship starts – and hopefully you can hear that authenticity in the music!
What themes or messages do you hope listeners take away from your music?
Whilst Meet Me in the Maybe is an EP of love songs, it’s also about honesty. It’s understanding yourself and the kind of partner you are, it’s knowing what you bring to the table, having insecurities, and owning your vulnerabilities. I hope everyone listening knows the kind of love they deserve, and don’t settle for anything less than that.
What challenges have you faced as an emerging artist in the music industry?
I think most independent artists struggle to be seen and heard in a saturated industry. It can be difficult to get your music in front of the people you know will love it, but I think using social media to build a community of fans is still possible, even if the growth is slow and steady. We all know grassroots music venues are struggling more, with many shutting down, so there seems to be less opportunities to play gigs in busy venues.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your musical journey so far?
Releasing my very first EP! This has been a long time in the making, and it;s such an amazing feeling to see the songs out in the world and being listened to by my audience. I’m closing my release week with an independent launch show I’m hosting, which is super exciting! I’m a few tickets away from selling out the venue, so if you were to ask me the same question again next week, I’m sure I’d say that this show would be the highlight!
How do you stay true to yourself and your artistry in a constantly evolving industry?
I think that writing from a place of authenticity and originality is what keeps my artistry feeling like me. It’s hard to stray away from yourself and who you are when those things are so tightly intertwined with your music and artist self.
What can fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or tours?
EP Launch show this Friday 12th September! I also have some new music on the horizon, so keep your eyes and ears out for that! For now, I’m just soaking up the enjoyment of my Meet Me in the Maybe era.
Where do you see yourself and your music career in the next five years?
I would love to be in a place where I’ve had some tours of my own, and to have supported any of the artists I mentioned being inspired by earlier would be an absolute dream! I’d like a few more EPs out over the next couple of years, but would definitely expect to have an album or two out by then!
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Listen to Amelia’s new single ‘Maybe’ below.
