Being Present in the Process
Amanda Davis candidly shares about difficult decisions, sacrifices and personal growth in her career as a music artist.
By Kendolyn Walker
Last year, from IG Live comedians to virtual concerts, creatives kept me fully entertained. I remember putting online events in my calendar to make sure I was tuned into whatever platform was hosting. Ups and downs, 2020 was quite the year for the creative community. It was no different for singer/songwriter Amanda Davis. Let’s go back a bit. I was introduced to Amanda by a mutual sis, for the City Love NYC artist showcase that took place in Manhattan once a month. When I sat down with her at The Langston Hughes House in Harlem, in February of 2018, she started to tell me her story.
In her final year of college, Amanda had her sights set on staying in Philadelphia with her family and friends to begin her music career. On the night of her graduation party, her mother’s good friend pulled her to the side and said “You need to go. You need to go to New York.” Without question, Amanda heeded the counsel and moved. Her apartment, a job, and friendships all fell into place.
After taking a few years to working in the fashion industry and get settled in a new city, Amanda has just recently started taking time to start singing and songwriting. Her friends and family have supported her every step of the way. Amanda credits her parents and mentors with helping her to make hard decisions about her career so far. She adamantly believes that when it is time, the right doors will open. It was in this first conversation that she coined her songs as “life music.”
I hope you enjoy the full conversation in the audio clip below.
“This really takes sacrifice… You have to give the art the time that it needs. It almost demands it”.
In our most recent conversation, over Zoom, Amanda shared more about her music career and her transparency really moved me. She spoke of the sacrifices she made last year to check her motivation for singing, participating in two writing camps, one of which was hosted by Maverick City Music, being present in the process, and how collaborating with other creatives deepened her creative horizons.
*Amanda will be a featured artist at City Love NYC on November 4 at Shrine in Harlem.
“I’m learning to sit in that space of … ‘Amanda don’t think about results, but do be disciplined and take the time to cultivate something that you feel like - I’ve given my best”.
Kendolyn Walker is a creative based in Harlem who serves as producer and founder of The City Love Collective: City Love on the Radio, City Love NYC and the City Love Picnic.