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“I am reminded of a mix of 1960s soft rock, folk, and Brazilian influences on Giselle & Erik’s Healing EP, bookended by ‘Take It All Away’ and the hopeful ‘Full Glass of Life,’ both beautifully sung by Giselle, backdropped by Erik’s rolling guitar, and sweetened with vocal harmonies. Giselle’s piano on the gentle ‘Heal’ and Erik’s Brazilian guitar on ‘I’ve Been Thinking’ are among the highlights on this soothingly quiet release.”
-Warren Kurtz (Goldmine)

Nashville, TN (November 6, 2023) –  After experiencing a life-or-death medical surgery, Folk/Jazz duo Giselle and Erik found comfort in music with the release of their new EP, fittingly called “Healing.” 

Track Listing:
1. Take It All Away
2. I’ve Been Thinking
3. Heal
4. Life’s Peace
5. Full Glass of Life

Born with a congenital heart condition called Bicuspid Aortic Stenosis, Erik has endured two open-heart surgeries; one in 2006 at the age of ten and another in 2021 at age 25 – atUF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida.

“Healing” features a cathartic collection of songs, showcasing the range of emotions both patients and caregivers feel while battling health issues.

“This EP is a vulnerable documentation of us trying to grapple with life and death and the fear of the unknown,” the duo shares. “We find ourselves trying to focus on being present and cherishing life. We hope that sharing our story can help others heal, too.” 

Giselle & Erik also released the official music video for “Full Glass of Life,” which was the song the couple danced to at their wedding in April 2023. 
“We hope that ‘Full Glass of Life’ encourages listeners to take the extra moment to appreciate life. For us, we had a big moment that forced us to really look around and savor the small moments – but, this experience also reinforced that the small moments are always there and always worth admiring.”

The 2-year anniversary of Erik’s most recent surgery is on December 14, 2023.

About Giselle & Erik:
Originally from Orlando and Gainesville, FL and currently based in Nashville, TN, Giselle and Erik are a husband-and-wife duo. Their genre-crossing style melds their roots in folk and jazz. Each of them songwriters, Giselle and Erik offer their audiences a collection of original music that pairs Giselle’s warm, lyrical voice and mellow piano with the sweet sounds of Erik’s jazz and classical guitar.

The Disney Dream cruise ship was the most recent venue to host Giselle and Erik, where they spent nearly five months entertaining for the Walt Disney Company. In back-to-back years, the duo was recognized by the international DownBeat Student Music Awards for their work in the Vocal Arrangement and Latin Group performance categories at the graduate level.

Giselle Felice is a vocalist, songwriter, and creative entrepreneur from Orlando, Florida. As a child, Giselle sang for the TV show, Barney & Friends, then worked with John Marsden while in high school to produce her first singer/songwriter album, “A Passing By.”

Giselle was selected as a composer for The Canales Project’s Hear Her Song 2021-22 season. She was also featured at TEDxUF as both a speaker and singer/songwriter for her talk, “I Challenge the Patriarchal Norm One Song at a Time” (2021).

Erik Abernathy is a guitarist and bassist from Gainesville, Florida. He studied extensively under Brazilian guitarist, Ulisses Rocha, and his unique style is inspired by genres including Brazilian music, Hot Club Jazz, classical guitar, Bebop, Rock, and Blues.

Erik was a jazz finalist for the Wilson Center Guitar Competition and Festival (2020). His original big band composition was recently recorded by the University of Florida Jazz Band.
 

For more information, visit www.giselleanderik.com and connect with Giselle and Erik on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify.​

Nashville, TN (October 27, 2023) – Soulful, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Ellisa Sun recently released her newest single called “Who Knew.” You can listen to the song HERE!

With feisty lyrics like but there was one little hitch in your plan and she’s standing there holding your hand, “Who Knew” is a powerful breakup tune that showcases Ellisa’s cheeky sense of humor and captivating storytelling skills.

“Born in the 2020 lockdown on a zoom co-writing session with my friend, Kenzie Cates of Vancouver, ‘Who Knew’ is a very sassy tune about a guy who says he needs to be single to ‘find himself’ and then immediately finds another woman who looks just like the recently dumped one,” Ellisa shares. “When I tell this story at my performances, I’ve been surprisingly met with a lot of folks who’ve encountered this exact scenario…

This song tells a very specific story about rejection, loss, and saltiness. I absolutely loved the way my co-producer, Connor Gehlert, and I pieced together this song, making it a cool mixture of rock, soul, and singer/songwriter genres. The surprise ending is my favorite part!”

“Who Knew” is the second single from Ellisa’s upcoming album “Sarabi,” following “Once Upon A Time” which was released on September 1, 2023.


About Ellisa Sun:
Ellisa Sun cuts her heart out and leaves it on the stage, which is why she never wears white.

Originally from Los Angeles, she decided to hit the road in 2018 and embarked on her nationwide Dreamboat tour, playing 170 shows in 365 days while living in a 30-foot Winnebago. After the tour, Ellisa relocated to Nashville, Tennessee.

Inspired primarily by R&B, soul, jazz, and bossa nova, Ellisa’s music is a unique blend of genres that creates a textured sound with raw, heartfelt lyricism. Ellisa’s music can be heard on the Sony Pictures Television show L.A.’s Finest, starring Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba and the Hulu show Dollface, starring Kat Dennings and Brenda Song. Her song “Evening” was recently featured in the show Kung Fu on the CW. 

Ellisa launched a wildly successful crowdfunding campaign last year with ifundwomen and successfully raised $15,000 to support her upcoming record, which will feature 8 original songs and a team of Nashville’s finest musicians, producers and songwriters.
For more information, visit www.ellisasun.com and follow Ellisa on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Spotify and Apple Music.

Nashville, TN (October 24, 2023) – Big congratulations are in order for singer/songwriter and recording artist Justine Blazer! Justine took home two awards at the 2023 Josie Music Awards, which took place on October 22 at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN.

Her best-selling hit record “Girl Singing the Blues,” co-written, produced, mixed, engineered and mastered by Blazer, won the coveted “Blues Album of the Year” award. Justine has been getting worldwide airplay for this album and has accumulated over 120K streams on Spotify.

“I was ecstatic when they called my name,” Justine exclaims. “Blues is a genre that I love so much and I pour my heart and soul into my music. It feels wonderful to be recognized. Standing in that iconic Grand Ole Opry circle, accepting this award – that is a moment I will cherish forever…

This award represents my personal journey, growth and all the obstacles I have faced. It also showcases my producing and mixing skills, my team and all my musical collaborators. I want to thank Josie, Tinamarie and the JMA judging panel. Also, I’d like to dedicate this award to my dad, who has passed on. He loved the Blues and would have been so proud of this moment!”

Justine also wants to thank and recognize her co-writers, Armand Hutton, Corey Lee Barker, Shay Watson, Tom Bender, Lou Molitch, her band tracking engineers, Bobby Balow and Bobby Holland at Pentavarit Studios in Nashville, her guitar players and musical partners of 10 years, Lou Molitch and Brian Jones, her publicist, Colleen Lippert (Anchor Publicity), her musicians and collaborators, Kerry Adams, Kitt Wakeley, Natalie Jean, Suzanne Grzanna, Larry Mitchell, Kezia Alford, Claudette King, Damian Wyldes, Alan Baker, Shay Watson, Isaac Velasquez, Jeff Bradshaw, Syreeta Thompson, Kirk Donovan, Paul Thacker, Diego Vasquez, Smith Curry, Nick Buda and more.

“Girl Signing the Blues” previously reached #1 on iTunes USA,  #1 on iTunes Belgium, #18on Billboard’s Blues Albums Chart, #1 on Amazon’s Best Sellers Chart and #1 on Amazon’s New Releases Chart. The album has also won recognition from the Global Music Awards, InterContinental Music Awards, Radio Music Awards, Indie Music Channel Awards and World Songwriting Awards.

Justine also won Best Holiday Song of the Year for “Who Let the Jolly In,” written by Kezia Alford, Claudette King, Corey Lee Barker and Justine Blazer.

In addition, Justine produced the winning song for Social Impact Song of the Year, “Spread Hope Send Love Around The World,” by Amy McAllister.

About Justine Blazer:
Originally from Detroit, MI and currently based in Nashville, TN, Justine Blazer is a Billboard, Music Row, iTunes-charting and multi-award winning producer, singer, songwriter, composer and recording artist. She is a member of The Recording Academy (GRAMMYs), Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music. Having opened for the likes of JasonAldean, Justin Moore, Lee Brice, Kathy Mattea, Regis Philbin, Lonestar and more, Justine has also received endorsements from Luna Guitars, ProMedia Training, Dean Guitars, Ram Trucks, Chrysler Incorporated, Antares, RME and Mojave Microphones.

Justine has been on various TV shows, including American Super Group (MTV), and has had sync-licensing placements on The Young and the Restless (CBS), A Treasure for Christmas (Lifetime Network), the Telly-Award winning film Hashtag Blessed (Prime Video), Tubi, Redbox and more. Her music video for her popular single “Good Trouble” was also aired on both CMT and TCN. 

Her upcoming song, “Holiday Heart” (written by Blazer, April Henry, Corey Lee Barkerand performed by April Henry), will be featured on the GAC TV network in the new holiday film ‘Journey to Christmas’ on Sunday, October 29th. 

Justine is a voting member of the Recording Academy and attended the 64th and 65th GRAMMY ®️ Award Shows as a balloted artist. 

For more information, visit www.justineblazer.com and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.

Nashville, TN (October 20, 2023) – Nashville-based Indie Rock band Point Taken returns with a new single called “Stranger in the House.” You can listen to the song HERE!

With anguished lyrics like I just want to know that I’m still sane, splash of cold water to the face, step out in the world and stare into space, “Stranger in the House” describes the numbness that those dealing with mental illness often feel.

“As a band, this song resonated with us all because of the story it tells. We all have faced challenges with mental health, specifically depression, in our lives. In putting these thoughts and feelings to paper, we hope our listeners know that we can relate to the struggles they face and know they are not alone.”

Point Taken, made up of Noah Rogers, Sam Ferrara, Madden Purcell, Corwin Aycock,   Kyle Gyenes, Collin Higgs and Jon Lewis, includes an eclectic array of genres and sounds in their music, featuring elements of Rock, Punk, Ska, Americana and Jazz Fusion. An official music video for “Stranger in the House” will be released on October 24th.

About Point Taken:
Nashville-based indie band Point Taken is a horn-spiked rock sensation, fusing rock, jazz, indie, and pop elements. Formed in 2021 by a group of lifelong friends and talented musicians, their electrifying live performances are known for delivering high energy and captivating entertainment. With a seamless blend of diverse musical influences, Point Taken’s dynamic sound and soulful horn arrangements create a unique sonic experience. Their charisma on stage and innate chemistry leave audiences exhilarated, solidifying their position as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. As they continue to push creative boundaries, Point Taken promises an unforgettable musical journey that defies genre norms.

In August of 2023, the band released a 5-track EP, “Here,” which was recognized by notable publications like Broadway World, Authority Magazine, Music City Memo and more.

You can follow Point Taken on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.

Nashville, TN (October 13, 2023) – Rising country music singer/songwriter Caleb Orr recently released the official music video for his debut single called “Can’t Break You.” You can watch it HERE!

“Can’t Break You” debuted at #14 on the iTunes Country Chart and #7 on the Play MPE Country Top 20 Chart. The song was featured in notable publications like Country Aircheck, Music Row Magazine, Authority Magazine, Skope Magazine and more.

“We are so impressed with Caleb’s vocals,” Music City Melodies shares. “He has such a distinctive tone that reminds us of Randy Travis. We see great things for Caleb’s future and can’t wait to watch his career soar.”

With relatable lyrics like I quit smoking and drinking, drinking and fighting, fighting and hurting, hurting and lying, after all these habits that I’ve broke free, there’s still one that’s got a hold on me, Caleb brings back traditional country music with three chords and the truth. “Can’t Break You,” produced by Justine Blazer, describes a love story that listeners will be sure to empathize with.

“This song means a lot to me because it’s my debut single and I want it to resonate with people,” Caleb explains. “I want to have longevity in music. I try not to limit myself by setting a bar. I like to keep things just as fun and entertaining as possible for me as my audience. I want to go as far as possible no matter how long or what it takes.”

Caleb will also be releasing “Christmas on a Boat” this holiday season, which has already been nominated for “Best Christmas Country Song” by the Holiday Music and Film Awards.


About Caleb Orr:
Growing up in Helena, Alabama, Caleb Orr found his passion for music at a young age. He and his two older siblings were raised on music legends like Alan Jackson, Van Halen, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. Although he started playing guitar at age six, Caleb only began performing publicly in 2022 when he was 23.
 
After receiving his GED in 2017, Caleb began taking his songwriting more seriously. His willingness to listen, learn and take advice led him down the path of achieving his dreams.
 
Inspired by talented artists like Jamey Johnson, John Mayer, Drake White and Justin Moore, Caleb describes his unique sound as “country with a bit of soul.” He released his debut country single “Can’t Break You” on September 29, 2023, which reached #14 on the iTunes Country Chart and #7 on the Play MPE Country Top 20 Chart.
 
When not writing music, Caleb enjoys watching football, hunting and fishing.

You can follow Caleb on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.

“Katie Fee is one of our favorite artists in the music industry right now. The 90’s country element she incorporates into each song is truly a breath of fresh air. It has been a pleasure to watch her career blossom this past year and we can’t wait to see where her career takes her next. ‘Runaway Heart’ is pure beauty, just like Katie.”
-Music City Melodies

Nashville, TN (October 13, 2023) – Country music singer/songwriter and recording artist Katie Fee recently released her debut album called “Runaway Heart.” You can listen HERE!

Track Listing:
1. Hello Good Times
2. Just Needs You
3. Runaway Heart
4. Ghost
5. The Cold Came Back
6. You Stole My Heart
7. Haven’t Even Poured The Whiskey
8. If It Wasn’t For You
9. Go To Church
10. Keep On Rollin’ Til The Wheels Fall Off

Throughout 2023, Katie has been releasing singles from her highly-anticipated album, including “Hello Good Times,” “Just Needs You,” “Ghost,” “Haven’t Even Poured The Whiskey,” and “Go To Church.” Her music has been featured on numerous playlists and in coveted publications like Authority Magazine, Broadway World, Music Row Magazine, Platinum Mind, Drop the Spotlight, Country Town, Music City Melodies and Crazy Women Country. She has also been compared to legendary artists like Jewel, Gretchen Wilson, Eric Church and Taylor Swift.

“I was born with a runaway heart, but maybe runaway hearts don’t always run away from things,” Katie explains. “Maybe they are also running towards something. No matter which one it is, I tend to keep on rollin’ til the wheels fall off (even if that’s not necessarily the healthiest thing to do). I try to run from pain and heartbreak and can close myself off as a way to keep from falling apart. In those times, I really just need support from my loved ones. I run towards love, towards adventure, and towards music – and that’s really what these songs are all about.”


About Katie Fee:
Katie Fee’s love of music stems from an early age in which she listened to ‘90s country artists such as Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and Deana Carter. In the Fall of 2017, Katie left her hometown of Sioux Falls, SD to attend Belmont University in Nashville, TN, where she studied music business. Since moving to Music City, Katie has thrown herself into Nashville’s songwriting community, co-writing with other songwriters and playing in writers’ rounds around town.

While she fuses influences of past and present, country, rock, and pop, the South Dakota native still strives to stay true to country music’s storytelling roots. Whether the song’s about love, heartbreak, having a good time, or working hard, Katie weaves the listener through a story along the way.

On July 2nd, 2021, she released her debut EP “Sunsets and Fireworks.” The title track has been described by Three Chords Country as “What you would get if Eric Church‘s Springsteen were written by a young Taylor Swift,” perfectly summing up the songstress’s influences. “Sunsets and Fireworks” has gotten radio play on several stations including Radio SoBro, CountryRadio.UK, and SheWolf Radio.

In addition to music, Katie also enjoys traveling. In the past few years, she’s managed to put the two passions together and play shows out on the road in places such as South Carolina, Alabama, The Listening Room in Pigeon Forge, TN, and Wild West Songwriters’ Festival in Deadwood, SD.

2023 is filled with new music for Katie, including the releases of “Haven’t Even Poured The Whiskey” on March 24th, “Go To Church” on May 19th, “Hello Good Times” on July 14th, “Just Needs You” on August 18th and “Ghost” on September 15th. She released her debut album “Runaway Heart” on Friday, October 13th.

Katie recently returned from her “Hello Good Times” tour, making stops in Deadwood, SD, Keystone, SD, Spearfish, SD, Rochester, MN and Clarksville, TN.

For more information, visit www.katiefeemusic.com and follow Katie on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.

Nashville, TN (October 1, 2023) – Folk-Americana singer/songwriter and recording artist Lindsey Hinkle recently released her newest single called “Sense of Reality.” You can listen to the song HERE!

With endearing lyrics like I get so nervous when you’re around, butterflies keep my feet off the ground, “Sense of Reality” tells a stunning story about unexpected love.

“I wrote this song about a crush I had on a co-worker,” Lindsey shared. “I had a photo I took of us and realized I was in love with someone, who I thought, was way out of my league. Turns out she wasn’t and that feeling was surreal – like no high I’d ever felt at the time. Playing this song for her launched what would be the beginning of my longest relationship to date.”

In addition to releasing her own music, Lindsey is also a published songwriter and is excited to announce that Drake White and Colbie Caillat will be releasing “Power of a Woman” (written by Lindsey Hinkle, Drake White, and Kelli Johnson) on October 7th.

About Lindsey Hinkle:
Lindsey Hinkle is a self-taught musician armed with resonating lyrics that are filled with insight into the human condition, as well as haunting and penetrating vocals that seem to echo mercilessly inside your head. She has been writing and performing original material since age 13, and has opened for artists such as Keith Urban, Lady A, Sugarland, Little Big Town, Thompson Square, Drake White, Shawn Mullins, Marc Broussard, Jennifer Nettles, Sugarland, Darius Rucker, Indigo Girls, Kristy Lee and Michelle Malone. 

Lindsey cites Beth Hart, Patty Griffin, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Indigo Girls and James Taylor as her primary musical influences. Lindsey’s style of both music and lyrics have often been compared to the stylings of John Mayer by industry critics and professionals.

At age 17, Lindsey won the Eddie’s Attic Open Mic Shoot Out in Atlanta, besting singer/songwriters with more than double her years’ worth of experience. 
 

In 2019, Lindsey moved to Nashville, TN with a big purpose – to get sober. While living in a halfway house, she began writing music as a way to cope with the struggles she had experienced. Now, with almost 5 years of sobriety under her belt, Lindsey uses her music to spread joy to others. “I believe my purpose is to create music with the intent of joy and/or emotional awareness. This helps me heal and allows me to forgive like those who have forgiven me.”
 

In December 2021, Lindsey was mentioned in Billboard and People Magazine for co-writing Drake White’s “Power of a Woman,” alongside her lifelong friend Kelli Johnson. The song has garnered over 13.5 million streams on Spotify alone since its release in late 2021. On October 7, 2023, Drake White and Colbie Caillat will be releasing a duet-version of the song.

Since the release of “Power of a Woman,” Lindsey has decided to embark on her own journey recording, producing, mixing, and releasing her first full-length album that has been literally a lifetime in the making. She released the first single off the album, “Shades of Gray,” on September 1, 2023, which received rave reviews from both press and fans. The song currently has over 11K streams on Spotify. She released “Sense of Reality” on October 1, 2023.

Lindsey supplies vocals as well as live, recorded loops singing her own background vocals, percussion, and acoustic accompaniment on select songs. 

A member of the LGBTQ+ community, Lindsey strives to support other LGBTQ+ artists and advocates for equal rights for women.

For more information, visit www.lindseyhinklemusic.com and follow Lindsey on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok and Spotify.

Nashville, TN (September 29, 2023) – Rising country music singer/songwriter Caleb Orr recently released his new single called “Can’t Break You,” which debuted at #14 on the iTunes Country Chart. You can listen to the song HERE!

With relatable lyrics like I quit smoking and drinking, drinking and fighting, fighting and hurting, hurting and lying, after all these habits that I’ve broke free, there’s still one that’s got a hold on me, Caleb brings back traditional country music with three chords and the truth. “Can’t Break You,” produced by Justine Blazer, describes a love story that listeners will be sure to empathize with.

“This song means a lot to me because it’s my debut single and I want it to resonate with people,” Caleb explains. “I want to have longevity in music. I try not to limit myself by setting a bar. I like to keep things just as fun and entertaining as possible for me as my audience. I want to go as far as possible no matter how long or what it takes.”


About Caleb Orr:
Growing up in Helena, Alabama, Caleb Orr found his passion for music at a young age. He and his two older siblings were raised on music legends like Alan Jackson, Van Halen, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. Although he started playing guitar at age six, Caleb only began performing publicly in 2022 when he was 23.
 
After receiving his GED in 2017, Caleb began taking his songwriting more seriously. His willingness to listen, learn and take advice led him down the path of achieving his dreams.
 
Inspired by talented artists like Jamey Johnson, John Mayer, Drake White and Justin Moore, Caleb describes his unique sound as “country with a bit of soul.” He released his debut country single, “Can’t Break You,” on September 29, 2023. 
 
When not writing music, Caleb enjoys watching football, hunting and fishing.

You can follow Caleb on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.

Nashville, TN (September 22, 2023) – Nashville-based Folk/Jazz duo Giselle and Erikrecently released their emotional new single “Take It All Away.” You can listen to the song HERE!

“Take It All Away” is the second single off of Giselle and Erik’s upcoming debut EP, “Healing,” which reflects their experiences through Erik’s open heart surgery and recovery in 2021-22. Their debut single, “Full Glass of Life,” also from the “Healing” EP, is available on all streaming platforms.

With touching lyrics like only thing I need when I leave is to be hand-in-hand, they can take it all away if I have you, “Take It All Away” is a deeply personal song that showcases the love that the married couple share.

“After facing open heart surgery, ‘Take It All Away’ is about us coming to understand and reclaim what matters most,” Giselle and Erik explain. “Sharing this life with the people we love is our biggest blessing.”

About Giselle and Erik:
Originally from Orlando and Gainesville, FL and currently based in Nashville, TN, Giselle and Erik are a husband-and-wife duo. Their genre-crossing style melds their roots in folk and jazz. Each of them songwriters, Giselle and Erik offer their audiences a collection of original music that pairs Giselle’s warm, lyrical voice and mellow piano with the sweet sounds of Erik’s jazz and classical guitar. 

The Disney Dream cruise ship was the most recent venue to host Giselle and Erik, where they spent nearly five months entertaining for the Walt Disney Company. In back-to-back years, the duo was recognized by the international DownBeat Student Music Awards for their work in the Vocal Arrangement and Latin Group performance categories at the graduate level.

Giselle Felice is a vocalist, songwriter, and creative entrepreneur from Orlando, Florida. As a child, Giselle sang for the TV show, Barney & Friends, then worked with John Marsden while in high school to produce her first singer/songwriter album, “A Passing By.”

Giselle was selected as a composer for The Canales Project’s Hear Her Song 2021-22 season. She was also featured at TEDxUF as both a speaker and singer/songwriter for her talk, “I Challenge the Patriarchal Norm One Song at a Time” (2021). 
 

Erik Abernathy is a guitarist and bassist from Gainesville, Florida. He studied extensively under Brazilian guitarist, Ulisses Rocha, and his unique style is inspired by genres including Brazilian music, Hot Club Jazz, classical guitar, Bebop, Rock, and Blues. 
 

Erik was a jazz finalist for the Wilson Center Guitar Competition and Festival (2020). His original big band composition was recently recorded by the University of Florida Jazz Band.
 

For more information, visit www.giselleanderik.com and connect with Giselle and Erik on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify.​

“On ‘Normal,’ Amanda McCarthy embraces the philosophy that life is a collection of experiences that don’t have to happen in a prescribed order, beautifully singing, ‘I’m writing my own fairytale, finding out what normal means to me.’ By the end, she confidently declares, ‘I’ve been breaking down the barriers since 1993,’ the year when country music’s Top 10 first included Martina McBride, who I am reminded of here with her compelling and entertaining storytelling.”
-Warren Kurtz, Goldmine
 

Nashville, TN (September 22, 2023) – Most people don’t exactly plan to drop out of college, become a parent before the age of 21, and move to a new city in the middle of a pandemic, but Amanda McCarthy has always been pretty good at tackling the unexpected head on. With the release of Amanda’s newest single, “Normal” expresses her happiness in living an atypical life on her own terms and she hopes to shine light on the often under-represented group of young parents pursuing the music industry.
With poetic lyrics like why gaze at greener grass when you could chase the bluer skies, you can even find the beauty in the rain if you try, “Normal” showcases Amanda’s staggering ability to connect with her fans.

“Most people go to college, develop their career, get married and then have children. I dropped out of college, had a kid, developed my career and then got married. Writing ‘Normal’ was truly a game changer for me. I spent the entirety of my twenties simultaneously loving my life, but also feeling very insecure about my story and its origin. Comparison is the thief of joy, and I was the victim of that adage. But, when I walked into the writing room, my co-writers (Marcus Brown and Sam Ferrara) told me the stories of their lives and how theirs don’t look like a “typical” life either. And I just kind of woke up and realized that not everyone has to live the same life. There isn’t one single right or wrong way to live. We’re all on our own path, doing the best we can in whatever order things come. It entirely changed my outlook on my life, and this song has made me proud to own that journey and tell the story behind it. It’s only fitting to release it in honor of my 30th birthday.” –Amanda McCarthy

Amanda has previously been compared to legendary artists like Michelle Branch and Kacey Musgraves, paving her own way and making a name for herself within the music industry. Music City Melodies adds, “Amanda never ceases to amaze us with her undeniable talent. Her music is raw, honest and vulnerable, and her new single ‘Normal’ reflects just that. Her music resonates with listeners, building an irrefutable bond with listeners.”

About Amanda McCarthy:
After developing the first ten years of her career in her home base of New England, Amanda McCarthy credits coming face-to-face with Steven Tyler in a local bar, and singing an Aerosmith song for him, as the catalyst that convinced her it was time to move to Nashville. “I knew that if I could get through that, I have the nerve to do almost anything”, she recalls.

In a situation where most would have given up and settled for a traditional 9-5, Amanda McCarthy has gone on to make a full-time living out of her music, averaging 300 shows a year (solo and with her full band) on every kind of stage you can imagine – from smokey bar corners and quaint coffee shops, to opening for national headliners (Hunter Hayes, Train, Imagine Dragons, Hall & Oats, REO Speedwagon, OneRepublic, Jason Isbell, Natasha Bedingfield, Pentatonix and more), winning awards with her original music, and playing iconic venues across the country like The Listening Room, Live Oak, 3rd and Lindsley (Nashville), The Bitter End, Mercury Lounge, Piano’s (NYC), Hard Rock Cafelocations in Boston and Connecticut, and hundreds more.

​
Writing songs both for her own artistry and for other artists’ projects, Amanda was described by one of her earliest mentors as “a storyteller compelled to speak the truth” and she has held that promise true ever since. Her debut full-length album “Road Trip” was released in 2019 to high acclaim. Additionally, Amanda released four singles since moving to Nashville, including her newest song “Normal” on September 22, 2023.

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​For more information, visit www.amandamccarthy.com and follow Amanda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Spotify.