Amanda McCarthy : Artist of the Week (03.08)
Amanda McCarthy is a well known name in the New England music scene, most notable for her lyrics straight from the heart and truthful tracks, all with a side of sarcasm. Her newest album, Road Trip, released in 2019 contains numerous stories straight from McCarthy’s mind; there’s even a story about a time she got to meet Steven Tyler and played for him. Her expressive and honest lyricism creates an outlet for her to express herself and send powerful messages to the listener.
McCarthy is best described as an artist who cannot be put into a box. Not limiting herself to a singular genre, she writes country music, pop music, folk music, and even ventures into rock. She plays in a full band, as a duo with her talented boyfriend Tom Shubsda, or solo with just her acoustic guitar. The stereotypes in the music industry try to lock her into a genre, but she fights that in her track “Folk Song”.
Her track “Tiki Bar” provides a different take on a wedding song. Telling the tale of what happens when the bride gets left at the altar and goes off on the honeymoon trip alone, McCarthy dabbles into pop, country, and folk influences and combines that with her smooth vocals. This combination perfectly exemplifies who McCarthy is as an artist - one that truly can not be labeled.
Over the years, she has had many nominations and wins for various awards. Some of these include winning Singer/Songwriter of the Year at the Limelight Music Awards, New England Music Awards (Road Trip nominated for Album of the Year), and has even made it on the first round ballots of the 59th Grammy Awards.
She relocated to Nashville in 2020 to see what other opportunities awaited her in a new city. Since being in the Music City, she has played multiple open mics, writer's rounds, and shows, and has even organized a show on Valentine's Day for local talent. She is a smart, talented, and driven musician that can not be held back by the confines of a singular genre, making her a rising force within the music industry.
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