Excited to perform at Cork Jazz Festival

“I had a realisation this month that music is not even an option in my head. It was always what I wanted to do growing up. I’m working full-time in retail. Everything else is music. If I keep putting in consistent effort, something will click.”

So says Amelia deCarteret, ahead of her performance in the Kino on October 24, as part of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival.

Something is certainly clicking. Selected as one of District Magazine’s Future Of Irish Music 2023 artists (alongside the likes of Curtisy, Moio and Qbanaa), she is delighted to be playing at this year’s festival.

Having released her debut project, Cumming & Crying On The Bathroom Floor, last year - a record themed around the good and bad side of childhood reminiscences – she is now on the cusp of far more. Starting with her session during the jazz.

“The Kino is a great venue,” Amelia enthuses. 

The audience is capped at about 200 so the atmosphere is super. You don’t need to be really into jazz to attend either. There will be a great mix of styles across the four performers.

“I put my music under the neo-soul umbrella, with influences of jazz. It’s a blend really of soul, pop, and indie.

“Projective, a great band also in the line-up in the Kino, play R & B; it’s a really high energy set. Projective are an incredible band to watch on stage. I’ll be playing for about 40 minutes and with a seven-piece band which should be great.

“Somebody made the comment that it looks like I’ve gathered the Avengers for this gig.”

And this year’s festival looks great overall – a great thing to be part of.

It takes place from October 24 to 28 with more than 100,000 attendees expected and performances spanning 80 venues across Cork, Douglas, and Kinsale. The organisers tell us to expect surprise appearances, late night jam parties, unique venues, and an electrifying festival vibe on the stages and streets of Cork over the weekend.

Amelia is delighted to be appearing on that opening night, but it isn’t her first appearance as she performed in the Opera House as part of last year’s festivities.

AN EARLY START IN MUSIC

Originally from East Clare, Amelia spent some time studying music in Dublin before finding her way to Cork.

“I moved to Dublin at 17 to officially study music but it had always been in my life. I grew up on folk music, singer songwriters like Joni Mitchell. I see a lot of those influences appearing in my work now.

It was my mum really who influenced me. We were super close when I was growing up. 

"She taught me to play the guitar from about seven or eight, along with my best friend. We’d sit down for weekly lessons and of course I was listening to all the music she was listening to. After that I watched YouTube clips to develop my playing.”

The young star was also into acting and thought for a while about studying musical theatre, but pretty soon she knew to follow her calling, even when it proved difficult.

“I was studying in the British Institute of Modern Music (BIMM) in Dublin. I was focused on commercial modern music but then Covid hit six months into the first year and it was really hard to learn over Zoom. So I left and went solo.”

It was a brave move, but necessary.

“I found it very difficult in Dublin. It was very expensive and the rat race gets to you in terms of the industry there. Some artists thrive. It becomes stressful if you spend your time comparing yourself to everyone else. It stops the creative process too. I knew I needed to stay in my own lane and go away.”

Cork is proving a balm for any past difficulties.

I love Cork. The music scene here is growing rapidly. I have come at a really important time. People are coming together. 

"There is an energy here. I think it will be the next spot for artists of any kind, but especially musicians.”

ALL FALLING INTO PLACE

Amelia shares a little snapshot of how her creative process looks behind the scenes.

“I write the lyrics and the music. Starting with my guitar at home, I get the basic song together. I work closely with a multi instrumentalist and producer Sam Healy here in Cork. He tracks things into his home system and plays a lot of instruments. I play the guitar but I wouldn’t consider myself a guitarist. I play it to write my own stuff.”

It’s a long, careful process, says the young artist.

“We might spend six months on the song, long enough that we can’t really hear it anymore. Then we take it to Cian Sweeney, another producer form Cork. 

It’s important to get the song mixed and mastered before releasing it.

Before the album, Amelia is releasing a project in November. It’s an EP with six tracks. All of her released work goes up on digital platforms but for the album she would like to do a vinyl or a CD also.

She is both grateful for and critical of streaming.

“In terms of finances it is hard to make any money on streaming. But in terms of reach, Spotify is helpful. They have been really supportive of my music and put it in front of thousands and thousands of listeners.

“I feel like a change is coming in the next couple of years with music production. I’m not sure what it is but the current set-up doesn’t work for artists.”

A FAMILY OF MUSICAL WOMEN

Amelia’s mum won’t be at the gig in Cork – she’ll be too busy making music herself. A choir instructor, she’ll be catching some sun in Portugal with choirs from there, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Her mother will attend Amelia’s next gig in Dublin, however.

Cork need not worry; this exciting artist seems to have found a happy home in our rebel county.

Amelia’s gig details are here: https://guinnesscorkjazz.com/artists/projective-decarteret/