Amana Melome’
Amana Melome’ discusses her musical evolution, motherhood, multicultural influences, and rediscovery of her authentic self through Recalibrated: The Remixes, celebrating freedom, growth, and self-empowerment.
1. Your new album Recalibrated The Remixes celebrates the journey of reconnecting with your authentic self. What was the most important personal discovery you made throughout this process?
That is a wonderfully difficult question to answer! So many discoveries made in this expansion, I could write a dissertation about it. In a nutshell: given ourselves permission to SHINE fully, in all of our authentic magic, big, loud and unapologetically it is so much easier said than done. Where there’s a will, there’s a way to get out of our own way! The Journey of RECALIBRATION to RECALIBRATED (sister albums) paints my journey of different aspects of this, which unfolded over many years of my life. Recalibrated: the Remixes is the final full stop, take a moment and let’s acknowledge how far we’ve come and rejoice together on the dance floor!
2. The album brings together producers exploring dub reggae, funk, disco, jazz-house, and soulful house. How did you choose these collaborators, and what surprised you most about their interpretations of your songs?
I chose each of these producers with a specific song in mind, knowing the vibe I was hoping they would bring to my songs! I could hear the reggae version of Con C.Alma in my heart, I recorded a vocal sketch of it, and reached out to Somos Animales DUB in Argentina, sharing the vibe and the intention behind the lyrics. They came through beautifully and the remix is Dub reggae gold! I knew I could expect some disco – house grooves from OPOLOPO of Sweden, as we’ve worked together in the past and I love the energy! With Cee ElAssaad and Joel Holmes I reached out with a short but sweet intention: I want to dance and celebrate the strength behind the song SO DONE! It is an anthem of self empowerment, and a celebration of standing fully in one’s power and magic. It’s an invitation to spark an inner fire, let’s rejoice together! That was the common thread for the RECALIBRATED: The Remixes album! I am delighted with each and every remix on it, and I intentionally created a sound journey for the listener, so that although you may be listening to the same song more than once, it feels very different!
3. Space Age Mama Jama Recalibrated revisits the very first song you recorded over a decade ago. What was it like returning to that track with Saverio “Sage” Principini, and how does the new version reflect the artist you are today?
Indeed! The idea came to me as I caught myself singing the lyrics of Space Age Mama Jama over a jazzy piano riff loop, completely different than how I had written it! From there I got so tickled by the idea, I reached out to Saverio who replied with equal enthusiasm and here we are! The Amana that I am today brings a whole new layer of fire and sophistication rooted in knowing her self worth and inner magic, unbothered by the world after kicking down the walls of self limitations. Amana then was an artist who had this spark inside, but was acting out the part, while thriving to become her. Today I truly feel I am embodying the Space Age Mama Jama flame RECALIBRATED, and I’m SO happy I decided to give this song that I wrote for my first album years ago, a new life today on my fifth album!
4. You stepped away from your musical career to focus on motherhood before reconnecting with your creativity. How has becoming a mother influenced your artistic perspective and the messages you want to share through your music?
Becoming a mother has definitely revealed new super-powers! While giving my full heart, love and attention to my little one, I had to carve out literal pockets of time to give myself permission to prioritise myself. Sometimes that looks like meditation, or a beach walk, other times it’s painting, which I picked back up when my daughter was tiny because she would often be asleep on my chest in a kangaroo pouch carrier. Painting was the only way I could express my soul without waking her! Losing myself in this magical creation of our daughter made me find my way back to myself and trying to uncover what I’m made of and what makes me thrive and why. I compare the RECALIBRATION to RECALIBRATED journey to that of a butterfly. A caterpillar, gone through chrysalis where the deconstruction happens. The unbecoming, before the rebirth where, although you’re still yourself, you’re a completely new version of you, that’s gone through it and come out on the other side! Reminders also that we’re all on this journey together! These are the messages in my lyrics in this project. We are amazing magical beings: look at these wings!!!
5. With a family background deeply rooted in jazz and a multicultural upbringing spanning several countries, how have these influences shaped your musical identity and your approach to blending different genres?
Jazz runs in my blood, although I’ve never studied the rules of it. Rhythm beats in my Soul. I grew up listening to a huge variety of artists and genres thanks to my mother and grand parents. My mixtapes would span from Brazilian music, to African music, hip hop, to Italian pop, to reggae, and back to jazz. I see myself as simply an artist, and I try to maintain an openness to exploring while standing strong in my authenticity. Consequently I believe most of what I create has a natural jazzy denominator (without me trying to make it so). I tend to braid Jazz with Soul and World music, but the emotion of what I’m writing about is what most dictates the final genre of a song. I feel I AM Jazz in my essence, the freedom to flow and soar in the different directions. I leave the labels to others.
6. Now that Recalibrated The Remixes marks the conclusion of this personal and musical chapter, what comes next for Amana Melome’? Are there any new projects, collaborations, or creative directions you’re excited to explore?
Oh YES! I am open and excited about upcoming collaborations in some fun and exciting directions! I can’t share details with you quite yet, but I have my next four albums planned out in my head and heart! What I can share is that an homage to my family and jazz lineage is one of the seeds I am watering. Stay tuned!!!