Amanda Emblem on Love, Life, and “Storm in My Life”

The Amanda Emblem Experiment has come out with a new and exciting single titled Storm In My Life. It is the initial issuance of Amanda Emblem, an Australian singer-songwriter residing in Kandanga Creek, this year. She is credited with writing purposeful lyrics and coming up with stories that are rich in music.

Amanda is a significant figure in Australian music, who has been active in it over two decades. This fresh track is a follow-up to the successful EP released last year called Farmtime, and it is a logical step forward in her creative activity.

Storm In My Life is a love song, which is an effective blend of powerful emotion, energy, and obvious narration through metaphor. The song draws parallels between the top and bottom of romantic relationships and an unpredictable storm, which makes it relatable and really human.

The style of music is inspired by the indie folk, alternative country, and blues-folk music genres. It has a warm fingerpicked guitar, harmonica, and attractive slide guitar lines. The central point is the singing of Amanda, which makes the balance between the emotional openness and the melodic readiness of delivery.

The song presents Amanda as a songwriter, song composer, and song producer because of the vibrancy of the sound as well as the sincerity of the words.

The song is somehow new and old, playful and meaningful. It presents the thrill and being in love. Indie folk music lovers and honest songwriting will mark the song Storm In My Life as a piece of work that they will remember even after the last notes are played.

Listen to Storm in my Life

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“Storm in My Life” is a powerful title—can you tell us what inspired the song and what it means to you personally?
The music and the title came about in the same place, at our holiday spot in a tiny beach village called Tinnanbar. My partner and I love to meet up with our mates who live there. We drink cocktails and jam around the kitchen table. I record it for laughs and to inspire new songs. That’s exactly what how it happened.

The title is powerful. I think that passion and drama work quite well together. I know firsthand having survived a few “storms” in my own love life… when it came to writing the song I drew on experience definitely!

Was there a specific moment or experience that sparked the idea for this track?
Totally!!! It was something said as a joke, in passing, from my friend to her romantic partner as a thunderstorm approached our house during one of these jams. It went like this;
Rachel: “You are the storm”
Tim “No, you are the Storm!”
It was recorded it on my phone with our jam that night. I instant picked up on it. It was such a vibrant recording, complete with electrical interference and many laughs! The rest of the lyrics took some time.

The lyrics feel emotionally charged—do you find songwriting to be a form of therapy or reflection for you?
Always. The whole songwriting process is imbedded in my emotional development. I’m influenced not only by my experiences but also by those around me. I absorb and reflect them in song, and it’s like a superpower of sorts, in that I don’t really understand how it happens, but it’s always a positive thing that I enjoy immensely.

What was the writing and recording process like for this single? Did it come together quickly or was it more of a slow build?
It was a slow build. The music came first, and the song had a working title of “But bar” for ages. The title and hook came (as described) not long after, but the two didn’t really connect until I worked on it in the studio. Then it was a complete delightful rush of lyrics… this all happened over a three month period.

How do you usually approach crafting a song—does it start with the words, a melody, or a mood?
For me every song has a different journey. “Storm” took a while to craft, but other songs just “fall” out of me, almost like they were written by someone else and I’m just a vessel to give them life. In these instances I’m lucky if I am recording because once that moment comes and goes I can’t recall exactly what I sang and played. There are a few songs like this on my coming album. I liken them to gems of the moment, and reproducing them in the studio is a process of relearning them and making them shine.

I also have a process whereby the lyrics and titles come first. I collaborate with others in this way, using a formula that I use in songwriting workshops. Often these sessions result in more than one song however, and they often get reworked over and over to get to a finished stage, ready for the studio.

Do you see this single as a continuation of your previous work, or a new direction for The Amanda Emblem Experiment?
Since my second album I’ve been settling into an easy acoustic folk environment having spent years as a rock artist trying to prove something . I liken the gentle nature of where I am at now. I feel like it’s a natural evolution, so you could say it’s a continuation.

What have you learned about yourself through making this song?
Yes. Because the title/hook was determined, before the lyrics I had to research my memory, relive some experiences and relationships that were comparable. Turned out there was quite a lot to draw from. Most curiously was my reactions to actual storms upon analysis.

Where I live, in the last few years it has flooded, with unprecedented wet weather. For some of our community it’s had devastating results. Yet despite the risks and destruction I always get excited at the extreme weather. I drew on that bizarre behavior for inspiration.

Do you have plans to perform the track live soon, and if so, how does it feel to bring this one to the stage?
The song is a great live track. I’ve already performed it quite a lot, mostly solo. Right now I’m integrating keyboard into our live set for a festival performance coming up. Getting the dynamics right on this one is the biggest challenge but it’s a great song and it hits hard.

Is “Storm in My Life” part of a larger project or album we can look forward to?
Yes, there’s an album titled “The Wood” coming very soon.

Finally, what message would you like to leave with fans who connect deeply with the emotions in this song?
I would say that it’s ok if your romantic relationships aren’t smooth sailing all the time. Just because it’s stormy, it doesn’t mean there’s any less passion. No relationship is without its challenges. Recognising that the ups and downs can add to the spice is a great way to cope and put these things in perspective.