Ask Amanda

Have a question you've always wanted to ask Amanda but never knew how? Post it here and we will pick some to ask her next time we get a chance to do an interview.

Can we have an update on the possibilty of a solo "Windows" tour please? There are some people on here who need some live Amanda to look forward to...

Did you ever have vocal lessons or did you teach your self to sing?

Lady Draconian wrote:

Did you ever have vocal lessons or did you teach your self to sing?

I can answer that for you - we asked her in our interview last year She's self-taught, although she got some tips from her musical family.

Thanks Emily! She's amazing, I want to be as good as her one day!

No problem, here's the quote!

Quote :

What kind of vocal training have you had to be able to sing all these styles?

I've never had any formal training. My entire family is comprised of musicians, some professional or retired. We were one of those circus-type families in the sense that we were always having concert sand jam sessions and hootenannies. I just grew up in that environment and it basically chose me. I've known my entire life that music was my calling and I'm very fortunate in that respect. The musical influences from my various family members range from classical to jazz to folk to rock (my Mom was a Black Sabbath-loving hippie :-). Techniques and tips were passed down to me and I've been able to put all of that to practical use.

The Kingston Trio and John Denver.

Ok, so I made a list with some questions:

What's your favorite food?
Do you remember anything from your childhood?
Where did the inspiration of Inner Whore come from?
Can you write Arnold Schwarzenegger without Google?
Hot or cold weather?
Coffee or Coke?
What's the most famous person that you have ever met?
A thing that you should "throw away" but you don't... (old stuff or things like that)
The most exciting thing that ever happened to you
Your favorite drink
If you decide to change your name, what name would be?
What's the best TV show ever?
What was the last book that you read?
If this is your last time singing, what song would you sing?
What would you ask yourself if you were doing an interview?
Have you ever broken your bones?
What was the best concert that you've been in? (not as a singer)

Can you write Arnold Schwarzenegger without Google?
I definitely can't but I'm really curious what would she answer to that

Wow Gabriela that's a lotta questions!!! hehehe

Indeed, but they are all interesting ones!

yep!

Well, i have a question... i love sing and i took any lessons for 18 months but i want to know how i can begin a singer carreer ??? Thank´s for you answer...

Ask away people! We'll be asking Amanda a bunch of your questions in our next interview! (which will be fairly soon!)

My question(s):

1. When you're composing a song, which usually comes first -- the lyrics or the music?

2. As someone who writes their own lyrics, what is your process? Do you write down thoughts and then arrange them, or do you have some sort of more technical approach?


Thx.

- In your carrer till now, what was your greatest challenge? And made you overcome it?
- What is it like working with Jorn Lande?
- If you could clone someone, from the past, who would it be?

-When will you come visit us in Brazil?!

fehidragon wrote:

When will you come visit us in Brazil?!

In that vein, are you going to do a show in New York soon? (even better, New Jersey?)

Hattye wrote:

Well, i have a question... i love sing and i took any lessons for 18 months but i want to know how i can begin a singer carreer ??? Thank´s for you answer...

We asked her something similar last time, here's the answer she gave then

Quote :

What advice would you give to a new band or music project that has just started up? How should they go about in the music industry?

Get out while you still can!!! *kidding* Well, I'd say that perseverance probably counts as much if not more than the traditional and obvious factors like talent, luck and hard work. Most of the people that I see fail in this business are those who simply give up after a certain amount of time because they get tired of playing the game. Or of the game playing them. If you stick to it and roll with the punches long enough, something will eventually come about. Of course, the traditional and obvious factors still apply!

If you have any other questions, now is the time to post them! We'll be sending some off to Amanda very soon.

Why Germany?

Because her husband was German :p

AH, okie. Thanks!

Just the obvious question really-I loved the intimate solo show of "Windows" material etc I saw in Wolfsburg so what's the likelihood of there being some touring with this show? I don't mind where the touring is, I'd find a way to get there and see it again!

Can't control myself

- Would you dress up like Lady GaGa and go to the bank?
- Can you explain a little about the new songs you're singing?
- Do you still have your dools, toys and stuff?
- Rather be voiceless or deaf?
- When you wrote "Windows" songs, you were a little bit younger than today. The same with "In The Beginning There Was". And, sometimes, thoughts can change a lot in a really short time. Today, is there something you'd change on the lyrics/albums in general?
- Were you a good student?
- Have you ever felt like "is this what I should be doing"? How did you get over it?
- Do you think that a chinese dog would understand if you talk to him in English?
- What's the picture of your cellphone screen?

' Gabby wrote:

Do you think that a chinese dog would understand if you talk to him in English?

But I do second this question "When you wrote "Windows" songs, you were a little bit younger than today. The same with "In The Beginning There Was". And, sometimes, thoughts can change a lot in a really short time. Today, is there something you'd change on the lyrics/albums in general?"

' Gabby wrote:

Can't control myself

1. Would you dress up like Lady GaGa and go to the bank?
2. Can you explain a little about the new songs you're singing?
3. Do you still have your dools, toys and stuff?
4. Rather be voiceless or deaf?
5. When you wrote "Windows" songs, you were a little bit younger than today. The same with "In The Beginning There Was". And, sometimes, thoughts can change a lot in a really short time. Today, is there something you'd change on the lyrics/albums in general?
6. Were you a good student?
7. Have you ever felt like "is this what I should be doing"? How did you get over it?
8. Do you think that a chinese dog would understand if you talk to him in English?
9. What's the picture of your cellphone screen?

My apologies for not getting on here sooner to answer your questions personally! OK, here goes...

1. I have dressed up similarly to Lady Gaga and gone to a bank and also a supermarket, a restaurant and I even think to my Doctor's office before at various times for various events: a good friend's bachelorette party was themed "The Incredible 80's" (OK, I was more dressed up as Cindy Lauper, but close enough), then for a video shoot I did as a character called Amandarina I played in a band I had with Sascha Paeth for a while, then here and there for Halloween, etc. Short answer made long, but : yes!

2. Not sure if you were referring to "Windows" songs or Kiske-Somerville ones. In any case, every song I sing is meaningful and emotional - in some way or another - to me.

3. Haha! Actually, technically my Mom has kept all that stuff, so yes! Also, I gave Sander my She-Ra collection years ago when we first started working together (on the Invisible Circles album of After Forever) and he's had it on display ever since!

4. Oooo, tough one. I think I'd rather be deaf because then it wouldn't matter how crappy I would sing and I would still be happy. OK, actually perhaps I'd want to be voiceless. Living without listening to music? I could always still write...

5. I'd probably change everything. That's why it's best to have else someone mix, master to the point of satisfaction and then walk away! You grow and change and evolve; as a person, as an artist, as a woman, etc. and so I would either have done lots different or would never have written those songs in the first place. That goes more for "in the Beginning" than "Windows." For me, "Windows" was really something that had no compromises and I'm still happy with it today.

6. It depends on who you ask!!! I was well-behaved, though I missed a TON of school. Ended up graduating a year early with a 3.89 GPA and #11 in my class and won a scholarship to the University of Michigan. But I didn't like school; always felt there was something else I could be doing, so I wanted to get out as soon as possible! Did that make me a good or a bad student?

7. Ah, but who hasn't? It depends on what you mean. If you mean regarding music, then no. I've always wanted to be in music, of music, just plain musician. In other things in life, well... like living in Germany. Haha!

8. Actually, I'm sure that he wouldn't. Blitz only understands English and a little bit of German. If you speak to him in French, he just stares at you.

9. I have a picture that I took of a really cool labyrinth made out of candles. Obscure, but I like it.