With an unwavering intensity, Amy Douglas emerges as the musical alchemist of the dance scene. Her voice effortlessly spans five octaves, and she commands the dance floor with a captivating stage presence and a rock-infused swagger. Beyond her acclaimed songwriting, Amy is also an accomplished DJ, transforming her solo work into high-energy “dance-floor concerts” that keep audiences on their feet.
Amy Douglas’ sonic palette is a captivating blend of disco, post-disco, salsa, dub, punk, post-punk, and hip-hop – a reflection of the diverse cultural identity that defines the vibrant music landscape of New York.
In her latest collaboration with the acclaimed London duo Saison, Amy Douglas continues to forge her unique path, blending her unapologetic energy with a genre-defying sound chock-full of rock attitude. The fiery nu-disco track, “Dare Myself,” marks an exciting departure for Saison, known for its renowned deep house productions.
Embracing the vibrant world of nu-disco, Saison brings their signature rhythmic sophistication, seamlessly merging classic disco with a contemporary high-octane energy. For Amy, the track serves as a heartfelt homage to dance floor icons like Evelyn Champagne King and Kashif, as her powerful vocals and uplifting lyrics soar over Saison’s expertly crafted production.
How does the collaboration with Saison on “Dare Myself” fit into the overall trajectory of your career and your evolution as an artist?
“Dare Myself” is the first time I’ve done a song; both as a vocalist and songwriter, that taps into a place I’ve always wanted to go, and a place I’d never think to go by myself simultaneously! The first, “a place I’ve always wanted to go” is where I could pay homage of sorts to the incredible partnership between Evelyn “Champagne” King and Kashif and their amazing marriage of electro-boogie, hip hop/R+B synth-driven production and Pop Music. As such you got MONSTER hits that still live on dance floors to this day. It took post-disco into a place I’d love for it to live permanently because those songs sound timeless and fresh continuously. If those dropped as new joints today? They’d be HOT. So, I really wanted to try to tap into that headspace, and of course Evelyn the magical goddess that she is? Most of her bangers are…about LOVE. More importantly, those songs brimmed with the excitement of falling in love, so I reallllly wanted to find a way to tap into that…optimistic, “I’m permanently young and in love for the first time in my life” kind of feeling.
The second? “a place I never thought I’d go” is that “Dare Myself” IS a LOVE SONG!I am….a surly cynic! I NEVER write love songs, not HAPPY ones anyway!!! LOL! So, I had to force myself out of my “never let ‘em see you cry or be too happy” brood!
It’s fantastic that future disco reached out when they did, as I had this song lying around for about 3 years, it was written for a film that never got made, and Saison, were looking for something EXACTLY like this. Even better is that the first time I was exposed to the duo, I was handing off to another DJ one night when I was spinning the early set at Jupiter Disco, and the DJ I handed off to, put them on as the opening track, and it stopped me dead and I asked the DJ “who is that???” Fortune smiled!
Would you say that this song challenged you to push your creative boundaries and “dare” yourself as a songwriter and performer?
Absolutely! As I mentioned? If I have to write material for someone else? I can sort of “write them into the film if you will” everyone has to do it, and as aforementioned, this was supposed to be…for like an “indie rom-com!” LOL! So initially in writing it? I wasn’t….”me” in that moment. When it was not to see the screen? I held onto it, thinking “well maybe someone else would want this one” Ultimately? It was up to me to put it to task. I won’t lie, the first few times I put down the vocal I….giggled. No, I cracked up. I may have even lapsed into moments of singing “I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story to make myself laugh harder. I just never write songs for myself, where I’m “this person.” My songs are…much darker.
As the “Queen of Nu Disco,” how do you balance your rock and roll roots with the dance music influences in your songwriting and performance?
Ya know? I have NO idea when that title was…bequeathed unto me…..and….it’s like……hysterical to me, and it’s definitely that rock chick looking at that title which makes me laugh so hard. My aspirations were NEVER to be a “Queen of Nu Disco” and the only Queen I aspired to be remotely like, was Freddie Mercury!!!! That said? I’m a songwriter first, so I let THAT lead. Do I know more about dance music and culture now than a decade or so ago when I made the move from lead singer to this? YES. Do I allow for anything other than good song construction to drive my boat? No. I never will. Songs outdistance all artistry, they are the only thing. I figured so long as I allowed myself to remain a storyteller, even one telling my own experiences as I maneuver through (at the risk of sounding like Ariel) this “whole new world?” The same headspace that allowed for me to write anthems meant for Wembley Arena, would still work perfectly here, and let’s be honest. Both require a flamboyant cocksure motherfucker, to get it DONE. That I’ve been called a Queen of anything is humbling, even if my mission was always to be the Assassin who’d gladly take the HEAD of a Queen, or a King.
You mention being influenced by Evelyn Champagne King x Kashif – what is it about their sound and style that you find particularly compelling, and how did you aim to channel that on this new track?
That partnership took dance music to the hippest most permanently futurist and simultaneously timeless place it can really go, while living comfortably on the radio as well. THIS has ALWAYS been the goal for me. Hits that fit into your life, and just happen to make you wanna bring dat ass. I also love that Kashif brought “the new sound” a punk funk, synth driven hip hop influenced angle to R+B Pop Music to begin with, and with Evelyn, I think they made anthems that are always a “first time” feel. You’re in love for the first time, hit that club for the first time, danced for the first time, that elation of floating on air when you’re in love. Timeless. I just tapped into all my records of their partnership TBH, which….I’d be lying if those songs, most notably “Love Come Down” and “I’m In Love” were not etched into my subconscious by now!!!!!! I… just….put myself into a time machine and went to it!
As someone coming from a hard rock background, what has been the journey like for you to establish yourself as a voice in the dance and electronic music scene? What have been some of the challenges and rewards along the way?
It’s been very challenging, especially in a live context. I’m hopeful that now that I’m DJ, that becomes a better situation for me. This is a scene that rewards the DJ above all things, and I absolutely have struggled with that headspace, as not only a vocalist and writer, but as a performer who feels very often now relegated to “where these things CAN happen.” I don’t love being someone’s live PA that goes on for a blip during a party at 1am, and while I DO think learning to DJ has been INCREDIBLY rewarding for me, and I love it? I don’t love that I HAD to learn to do it, or I’d never be able to see through being able to finally release what will be my definitive solo vision, this being a COMBINATION of the best elements of rock and dance, and using that DJ gear to be “the band.” It’s hard to say what would have transpired during the time of HARD FEELINGS, had I known how, but there were so many other variables that kept that from getting off the ground as it should have, so I sucked it up, and learned, if ONLY to present a better vision, a solo vision to the fans around the world who still ask when I’m COMING. I am grateful for all I’ve learned. I am grateful, for example it led me to write “Something More” for Roisin Murphy. I’m still so proud of that song, and I love how much that song touched lives. I am grateful for the stages I’ve touched, but it’s not enough for me. I’m used to a life of being onstage sometimes upwards of 3 hours, swinging around a mic, screaming and sweating! I NEED that in my life to feel whole.
With the success of your previous collabs, how do you approach the creative process when working with other artists and producers?
Each situation is different. I try to be a fluid open vessel who is there to assist in what is needed. I listen for where I can be most helpful and get out of the way otherwise! LOL!!!
Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for the next phase of your career? Where would you like to take your sound and artistry from here?
Solo. No more modular lead singer shit for a minute, and unless I’m truly inspired? No features with that same headspace. If it’s a fit? If it makes my spine tingle? There’s always room in my schedule but right now I’m focused on SOLO, and I’m going to, by hook or by crook show the world what I really want to do, which will showcase that rock and roll animal, that alley cat, that genuinely gorgeously sleazy slutty glory, if you will, married with the dance Queen you’ve come to know. I want to make 202-‘s “Bad Girls” cum “Get Lucky” “Eliminator” and “Dynasty.” I want however to incorporate modern fresh sounds into that, I love Club (ALL CLUB, I won’t participate in this silly Baltimore, Vs. Jersey Vs. Philly thing!), I love Juke, I love Hip Hop’s influence in Dance, so I want something that bangs hard and fresh, but keeps my roots and I want to be OUT more showing people what that looks like.
And in that regard: What’s up next for you? Any upcoming projects or releases to tease us with?
I’ve been in the studio working with Zillas on Acid, Hard Ton and a bunch of other things, and the aforementioned solo stuff. THIS is what’s the look for now. Stay tuned.
Photos: Rich Frosted
CONNECT WITH Amy Douglas:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | X | TIKTOK
CONNECT WITH Saison:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | X | SOUNDCLOUD
