Fiona Amaka On the Making Of “Cowards and Shadows”
What was the initial spark or idea that led to the creation of "Cowards and Shadows?"
It seemed like literally everyone I knew had a story to tell about being ghosted in different scenarios, and of course I do too. What was interesting was that stories weren't limited to romantic relationships - people were also talking about being ghosted in job search scenarios after they'd invested lots of time in multiple interviews and meet ups with the same employer. It got me thinking about the mental energy that can get taken away when you've been ghosted and ways to break that pattern. So my thoughts came out in a song, which I started performing at acoustic open mics before it was fully finished. I was struck by how quickly people picked up the theme when I played the song, and the expressions of anger and sadness. But also sheepishness - folks can get a bit uncomfortable about the times they've been the ghoster! So I decided to record the song.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for this song?
I've been working with producer Andy Zanini for a couple of years, and we'd never included violin sounds on any of my other songs. When Andy first added violin sounds to Cowards and Shadows it added a whole new dimension and almost took my breath away. I was also lucky to have Stefan Antoinette involved in the mixing and he added his ingredients to the pot to bring out further colours and groove.
What impact do you hope "Cowards and Shadows" will have on your audience?
Well, I hope people will enjoy the song. And "let it out and close the door" if that's what they need to do!
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in music?
I'm a frustrated writer! I started writing short stories when I was quite young and I moved on to writing songs in secondary school. My first gigs were with blues function bands singing classic covers in my late teens. It was a great experience being part of bigger bands, and a lot of fun - the more people in the band the more drama! I started gigging my own songs much later. The influence of vintage blues women like Billie Holiday still forms part of my sound amongst the folk, rock and soul influences.
What do you enjoy most about being a musician?
As an independent artist, it's really important to me to sing what I want to sing and play what I want to play without being pigeon-holed into genre limitations. So you can expect that to continue!
