Producing Music as an Indie Artist

Amie Jay is a young singer-songwriter based in London. This spring, she is releasing her very first EP, from which the single Ricochet was published in February. Today, April 24, her second single from the album, "Long Gone", is making its debut. For that occasion, she will be sharing with us what producing music as an indie artist really is like, and how challenging the process actually is.

Happy release day! Tell us about your new track "Long Gone".

""Long Gone" was written back in 2014, and I’ve been desperate to develop it ever since then. It’s very much a pensive break up song. I’m still very proud of it and it may even be my favourite track that I’ve written. It’s very nostalgic, emotional and simplistic. Sonically, it’s kind of a warm sadness in my eyes, as the lyrics are quite emotional but the production feels quite warm and relaxed. It’s out on 24th April and will be available on all of the major music platforms."

How did you start producing your own music?

"For me, I decided that I wanted to do an EP on the spot. The idea came to me (having not recorded much before) and I was like "Yes, that’s what I’m going to do.". After doing some research, I realised it was maybe a bigger task than I thought - but I was excited by the challenge! I’ve worked with a few producers - luckily I got to know them through friends of friends or had them recommended to me. There are lots of great producers out there that you can contact online, it just depends how you want to go about it. I would recommend doing your research and finding one that suits your style, your time frame and if you’re co-writing with them, one that shares similar work ethic and goals."

Tell us about the recording process. What was it like?

"Recording is the MOST fun. It can be long and gruelling, there have been many times that I have been in the studio until 4 or 5am (which was difficult with a full-time job!). It’s just amazing to see the song come together in real-time. There’s a lot of adding, discussing, trialling, and excitement in the studio. When you get on a roll and are both bouncing off each other, it’s the biggest adrenaline rush. My favourite part of recording is layering harmonies bit by bit and listening back with them all in place - I get shivers every time!"

Being a musician involves much more than just making music. What do you do to prepare for a new release?

"I feel like promotion is a part of the industry that nobody really warns you about as an independent artist. There are places that can help you with that - it just depends on your budget and what you want. I decided to go it alone so to speak, which definitely makes it harder. You are your entire team. There is (personally for me) maybe two or three times as much admin involved in releasing music as there is actually creating it, which can sometimes be really draining and a little demoralising as it feels like not much comes from it. But it’s all about perseverance and the more you promote and release, the more you’ll be on people’s radar!"

Doing something for the first time usually comes with a few surprises and unforeseen elements. What has been the most unexpected part of releasing music for you?

"The most unexpected part for me was how long it can take. Even scheduling releases with my distributor, I have to wait around 4 weeks until tracks come out (I’m not sure on time frames for other distributors). Recording, producing and mixing takes a lot of time too, and I had very little experience with this before, so my time frames were definitely a little ambitious! I knew that the EP would be a challenge, but over a year on, it still takes up a lot of every day and there are constant challenges and setbacks to work through."

What is the most challenging part about making music as an independent artist?

"As self-pitying as it may sound, getting people to care is really challenging. People are so quick to stream a big artist’s work, but not somebody under the radar or perhaps somebody that they even know. The smallest thing can make such a difference - a share on social media, a few kind words to an artist, recommending a song to a friend… these things take up such little time but I can’t explain the difference it makes. That’s how music spreads quickly, and I wish that people could sometimes put themselves in an indie artist's shoes and think "it only takes a few seconds, but I’d be making a difference". Gathering interest and building on it takes a lot of time and you have to be quite thick skinned to keep going when it feels like you could drop it and live a lot more stress-free."

What is the best part of it all?

"The best part is (as cheesy as it sounds) seeing and hearing your music out there! Any time somebody goes out of their way to tell me that a song has affected them, or that they’re listening to it - it makes me so happy. Listening back and remembering the hours of work which has now materialised into a piece of art is incredible. It’s the high that makes all of the stress worthwhile!"

What are your goals for your music?

"I just want to keep making it. I want to develop as a writer, I want to work with plenty of people and get lots of influences, practice and learn from as many people as I can. I want to really hone my sound until it’s exactly how I envision it, and continue growing and changing my style as I change myself. My goal that I am focusing on at the moment is releasing my EP as soon as possible!"

The music industry is both exciting and challenging. Where do you see your music in five years?

"I would love to have an album that sounds exactly as I want, and says exactly what I want. To have a body of work like that would be incredible. I hope to be able to gig more and even tour. The main part for me (currently) is just to keep writing and making things that I’m proud of - and I’ll see where that takes me."

Many musicians choose to stay independent. Would you sign with a label if you got the offer?

"That’s a really tricky question because there are benefits and downsides for both. Being a bit of a control freak, I enjoy being able to work on every aspect of my music - how it’s promoted, when it’s released, how it sounds etc. It would also be a while until I felt accomplished enough or ready to sign with a label, but it’s something I would definitely consider in the future. I think it would be amazing!"

Thank you Amie Jay for sharing your story with us!

Supporting small artists is incredibly important, and makes a huge difference. Check out Amie Jay's work below, including her new single "Long Gone"!

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