1. At 19, the beautiful, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Amy Jackson translates
her awe for soulful sixties divas into a captivating style. The incredible artist had her
debut single „Fancy Things‟, charted at number one on the UK Singles Chart after
release on 16th April 2011. She became a multi-Grammy Awards nominee who has
one two awards; „Best New Artist‟ and „Best Female Pop Vocal Performance‟ in 2011.
Tibyaan Nassir revels in her unvarnished truth.
Wherever she is, Amy is, girl – in Adidas and big hoop on their iPods.
undoubtedly, a south London earrings, with a spit curl! Tiny In Los Angeles for the
girl, with the swag, the attitude Nike backpacks. Mine was Grammy Awards, Amy was as
and not-so-perfect vocabulary black and had like a massive independent as ever.
to match. (“I can be rather little „I <3 Me‟ key ring”. Her mother was not there to
presumptuous at times,” she However stylish and hip her see her. "It would be great to
teased.) When she found out a teenage life was, Amy admits have her here," she explains,
boyfriend had cheated on her, that she would hide in her "but there were other matters
she tracked him down in room listening to Tracy to be handled." Instead, she
Nando‟s and punched the hell Chapman and still admires the rings her from the red carpet
out of him. (“Fools and Their Spice Girls. “It was always pop to announce that she has won
Tiny Things,” her hit single, music,‟ she says. “I would her first Grammy (for Best
was written about the dance ro Destiny‟s Child, and Female Pop Vocal
The New breakdown of that
relationship.)
Amy loathed her music teacher
in high school (“He kept
oh my God, there was a time
when I was obsessed with
Usher. I always imagined
singing with him on stage,
Performance). Her mother just
screams and cries and laughs
(it would be difficult to hear
anything else above the roar).
By the time she performs,
Girl In telling me to breathe properly
when singing and that it was
okay to look fat!”)
Fatefully, her mother couldn‟t
afford Brit School, a
being his „Bad Girl‟ and „Boo‟.
Wow. I was obviously too
cool.”
But Amy‟s musical epiphany
came at fifteen. “I remember
Adele has beaten out the Jonas
Brothers and her friend Taylor
Swift for Best New Artist.
Town performing-arts school whose
graduates include Amy
Winehouse and Leona Lewis.
“Yeah, it upset me. Then again,
being home alone in the
bathroom and singing. I loved
the echoey-feel of the room,
you know? When suddenly you
everything happens for a sound like some long lost
POP SINGER/SONGWRITER reason. I wouldn‟t be where I
am today, talking to you guys,
sister of Beyonce or
something. I was actually
AMY JACKSON if I had gone to Brit school.
Hell, I would be touring
singing „Dangerously in Love‟.
I loved it, the feeling of letting
SHARING HER STORIES, HER America with my third album!” out this roaring voice”. Her
she joked. mother then came home, hid
INSPIRATIONS AND HER She went through the fashion behind the door and recorded
rites through school life as a
SOURTHERN LONDON LIFE. London girl. “From twelve to
her voice. “I was so mad at her
when I found out she was
thirteen I was just crazy,” she spying on me. I felt kinda
remembers. “Cute checkered humiliated. But when I heard
BY TIBYAAN NASSIR dresses. Big round glasses. it over, while considering
Two short ponytails. I called deleting it, it felt... strange. It
PHOTOGRAPH myself „Cute Lil‟ Misfit‟ haha. felt kinda refreshing. I wanted
Then I really got into hip hop to share this feeling with the
BY TIBYAAN NASSIR and R&B and became a Rude world. People listening to me
28 | May 2, 2011 May 2, 2011 | 29