"One thing I say is onto the next. No point in fixating on previous releases or something that’s gone wrong. Just focus on moving forward, spread good energy and positivity.”
That's AMA elegantly telling Clash her day-to-day motto. West London’s latest talk, 19-year-old Ama Maria M Jones is the progressive musician riding a fresh wave of experimental beats for her debut EP 'Screenluv'. With a concoction of six love songs, the up and coming singer-songwriter talks to us about the mechanics of 'Screenluv' and how being a millennial attached to technology influences her music.
Following the blow up of her 2018 single, ‘Monochrome,’ and her February 2019 release, ‘Slip,’ AMA has since been working with a handful of acclaimed producers – Pasque, Jarreau Vandal, and Karma Kid (to list a few) – on the makings of 'Screenluv'. Having worked on the EP for a year and a half, she emphasises her reaction to all her support: “It’s definitely exciting when I hear a person whose quite established wants to work with me, makes me think I’m doing something right.”
Having written the entirety of 'Screenluv' herself, it’s fair to say AMA’s knack for song writing is admirable. Having dropped, ‘Real,’ and ‘Crystal,’ as her two releases, AMA excitedly details: “The guy I was working with said this track was really good ‘you need to release it as a single’.”
We discuss her fantastic single ‘Crystal’ – dropped via Dirty Hit, acclaimed director Arnaud Bresson is the magic behind the screen, morphing atmospheric camera cuts with lagged images, and the two spent two days across Clapham, Peckham and Brixton to get the right texture.
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Whilst 'Screenluv' is AMA’s first EP release, like any other artist, she has spent time grafting a selection of material to make the perfect first release. She recalls: “the first EP I made, I was about 15 and it was called ‘The Box Room’ because I had the smallest bedroom and was the youngest child.”
Continuing, AMA states that it wasn’t until she released ‘Monochrome’ did she realise that was the style of music she wanted behind her artist name. At just 19 the West Londoner is establishing the pros and cons of growing up amongst a world of technology and is pushing this experience into the direction of her music. A powerful statement to not only see the darkness of technology but also know how to use it to her advantage and invest in her songwriting.
Out now, 'Screenluv’ opener ‘Destination’ courageously opens up a new beginning for AMA, she enthusiastically exclaims what this track shows to her and her fans: “I think ‘Destination’, is very suitable for the opening track, it’s saying I’m ready to go, I’m ready to show you my music. It's almost like describing why I’m putting out the EP as well, I’m pursuing what I want. I have arrived and this is who I am.”
With heightened synths and rippling trap beats, 'Screenluv' engulfs nonchalant textures at the core of its sound, but that’s not to suggest it’s just one tone. From light to dark, 'Screenluv' eases you in with positive, uplifting energy. With opener ‘Destination’ into buoyant cut ‘Crystal’ and concluding on a darker note ‘Distance’ AMA isn’t one to keep her sound to one adjective, adding“what I like the EP to show for me, as a new artist is my writing and the versatility of the sounds being very different; but I like to think they all kind of fit together in a cohesive way.”
She continues: “As a new artist we all kind of want everything instantly, but you have to just get your head around the fact this isn’t the case and things will happen at the perfect timing.”
Having hit just over a million streams on Spotify in August with ‘Slip’ it’s evident that 'Screenluv' is a very positive beginning for her creative journey.
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Words: Laviea Thomas
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