Back to Basics with Ambar Cassidy
Mustard had the pleasure of speaking with current Belmont University student and singer-songwriter Ambar Cassidy!
Mustard had the pleasure of speaking with current Belmont University student and singer-songwriter Ambar Cassidy! Together we discussed their love of all things black and white, studying at Belmont University, their upcoming single “feel this way (live)”, and so much more!
1. Mustard is grateful to have you join them at On The Shelf. How are you doing today?
Thank you so much for having me!! I am doing well, thank you.
2. Mustard has observed that your life is a black and white movie. Could you share what the black and white represents to you?
Yes! I really love the simplicity of black and white, it’s timeless.
3. Is there a specific black and white photograph or movie that inspired you to show your life this way? What are your thoughts on humans who are not willing to give black and white movies a chance?
The specific black and white movie that inspired me to show my life this way is the movie “The Wizard of Oz”. This movie inspired me because of Dorothy’s strength and perseverance. I have always loved the dreamy soundtrack to the movie. I encourage those to tap into some neo-noir and Judy Garland movies because she really did change the music industry for the better.
4. Growing up your parents wanted you and your siblings to play an instrument. You chose the piano. What stuck out to you about the piano? How did you feel about learning an instrument?
Yes, we were very lucky. My parents actually picked the piano for us, haha. I played the piano until I could convince my parents to let me take voice lessons and let voice be my instrument. The piano is a very beautiful instrument, but I did not find myself practicing it very often.
5. Mustard wonders if the black and white keys on the piano play an important role at all in your movie?
Actually, no. But that would have been super clever.
6. You were also a theatre kid. How did theatre help you develop as a performer? Do you have a favorite play?
I was and totally still am. Theatre helped me get more comfortable being onstage as well as show me how important having good vocal technique is. One of my favorite shows ever is the show Next to Normal. It is so brilliantly written.
7. The Myrtle Beach live music scene inspired you to take music more seriously. Can you recall the show or band you saw where the proverbial light bulb went off?
Yes. My friend Liz Kelley (who everyone should listen to btw). She is a total rockstar and works so hard. She really inspired me and still does.
8. Who (or what) influences you?
Some of my favorite artists at the moment are Eloise and Holly Humberstone. But, so many things influence me!! I am a huge film/tv lover. I am always watching something. I also love reading books and just writing as much as I can. Life can be pretty inspiring when you really pay attention.
9. What is your creative process?
It always changes. But I have found the more art I’m consuming, the more I produce. As well as the more I write, the more I want to write if that makes sense.
10. You are currently a student at Belmont University. What are some lessons you've learned so far at Belmont that have made an impact on you? What are you studying?
I am a songwriting major at Belmont! I just love it here so much. A lesson I’ve learned is how important individuality is and leaning into your own voice. I often felt like I had to fit into a box in terms of my writing and my artistry but Belmont has helped me see that it is actually more compelling to do your own thing.
11. Last October you released your debut single "feel this way." What was this inspiration behind this single?
“feel this way” was the first song I wrote that I was really super proud of. I knew the second it popped into my head that I wanted it to be the first thing I put out. This song really helped me process some big emotions I was having and I felt like it could connect to a lot of people.
12. You followed it up with your sophomore single "i tried." Could you share more about this single?
“i tried” was kind of the black sheep of the songs I was making at the time. I was writing just plain heartbreak songs and then “i tried” surfaced. I thought it was a really important song because it talks about a lot of my mental struggles and how mental struggles can impact the people around you. I still think it is a really special song and I am really proud of it.
13. "i tried" takes the listener on your journey of self-discovery. How did writing this song help you reflect?
This song helped me look at my brain from a bird’s eye view. I got to look at the struggles I have from outside myself. It helped me come to peace with a lot of my struggles while also finding a way to move on from them.
14. What can fans expect from your upcoming single "feel this way (live?)"
“feel this way (live)” will be back to the basics. It’ll show listeners how the song was originally written and how most of my songs are written. Just me and an instrument.
15. Can fans pre-save this single?
They can! The link is in my instagram bio @ambarcassidy but I’ll also attach the link below:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ambarcassidy/feel-this-way-live
16. A human gets the opportunity to see you perform. What three words best describe your live performance?
That is a great question. Maybe comforting, intimate and emotional.
17. What is next for Ambar Cassidy?
A lot more music and learning.
18. Where can readers listen to your music?
Wherever they listen to music! My music is out on all platforms.