Amy Studt
 (Source: Amy Studt Website) |
Growing up in her British hometown of Bournemouth, Amy Studt (born March 22, 1986) started teaching herself piano, playing guitar (ÃÂÃÂvery badlyÃÂÃÂ) and learning the oboe. There was no escape from music, as StudtÃÂÃÂs dad is a violinist and conductor who has toured with Roy Orbison and played on films, while her mom was head of music at a school. ÃÂÃÂMusic was something that was always there,ÃÂÃÂ she says. ÃÂÃÂI canÃÂÃÂt even remember getting into it. I think if youÃÂÃÂre from a musical family, you either absolutely loathe music, or you give in and do it yourself!ÃÂÃÂ Of course, she gave in, writing her first song at age 9. From there, the songs never stopped, and Studt spent most of her time working on them on her own in the music room at school and ÃÂÃÂbeing constantly teased about itÃÂÃÂ.
At 13, she decided not to move on to the same strict school as all her friends, but to attend the areaÃÂÃÂs rival school instead. ÃÂÃÂAt that school you got a lot of freedom,ÃÂÃÂ she smiles wryly, ÃÂÃÂand with freedom, things start getting a little bit more interesting. You didnÃÂÃÂt have to wear a uniform, and there was a lot of free time. When you get to a place like that, you start bending a few of the rules.ÃÂÃÂ Her recent troubled history has, at least, provided plenty of lyrical inspiration. ÃÂÃÂFor some reason,ÃÂÃÂ she shrugs, ÃÂÃÂI just seem to have had an insane amount of experiences in a short time, so thatÃÂÃÂs why I think I needed a release. I write more now than ever, because I needed to get it out. And punish those people! Revenge is mine!ÃÂÃÂ
By the time Studt was 14, sheÃÂÃÂd written 42 songs. Her dad, who regularly works in studios, suggested she come along one day and record some for fun. She gave or sold the finished CD to various friends, and by a strange twist of fate, one landed on the desk of Simon Fuller (Annie Lennox, Spice Girls, S Club 7). Simon got on the phone to Studt before the day was out. ÃÂÃÂI never wanted to be famous at all,ÃÂÃÂ she says. ÃÂÃÂI genuinely just loved writing. Just like if you love tennis, you play it all the time - same with writing songs. You want to write something better, you want to say everything in one perfect song, but it never happens - so you keep writing.ÃÂÃÂ
Her first single, ÃÂÃÂJust a Little Girl,ÃÂÃÂ found its way onto playlists in New York City, Los Angeles and throughout the United States.