An alumna of the Nuyorican Slam Team, she fuses music and poetry through powerfully transparent performances focusing on social inequalities and celebrating love, blackness, and what it means to be woman. She is the author of two collections of poetry: the water under the bridge and Mouth Full of Concrete.

Her debut album Something Melancholy is now available.

In this interview spotlight, we chat with Amy about the debut release, her influences, the digital music world and much more.

Full Q&A along with links and the video for Burning in Birmingham can be found below.

Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)

I am from Spanish Harlem. My music is a sonic exploration of emotion. I like calling it protest soul. My band likes calling it cathartic rock. We’re still figuring that out haha!

What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?

I have only been singing for a few years. Poetry was my first love. I have been writing since second grade and it has led me on several different artistic paths. I went to Tisch Drama School because I didn’t think that a career in poetry would be possible, so I studied the art of acting and took a lot of incredibly beneficial classes at NYU’s Experimental Theatre Wing. ETW curated a space that enhanced the relationship between the voice and the body, we had a lot of unconventional singing classes that led to the discovery of my voice and eventually to me joining a gospel choir. It is still insane to me that I have only known myself as a singer for 3 years. Every performance is somewhat of a master class, I don’t have any formal training so the world of improvisation has been my classroom. I look forward to continuing my education as a musician, but for now I am really enjoying all that I do not know. The possibility of discovering another part of my voice, keeps me coming back.

Who or what are your biggest influences when it comes to your creativity?

I love that I get to answer this question often because I have SO MANY.

I owe so much of my resilience and bravery to Nina Simone, I often feel a terrifying kinship with her during performances. Others that keep me going or brought me here are Marvin Gaye, Gil Scott Heron, Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Solange, Frida Kahlo. All of these artists and the hundreds that are not mentioned have carried me through my artist journey with such care.

How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?

THIS IS MY FIRST ALBUM AHHHHH. MAJOR KEY.

We didn’t really have a plan. I just needed to be in the studio, constantly around my best friends and collaborators as I dealt with the loss of my mother and quite a few health issues. This album was an attempt at healing, the ultimate self-care project. I am so thankful to everyone who met me where I was and did not ask too many questions, they knew I would not have answers but had faith in the work. I am so lucky.

Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?

Everything is everywhere. There is a lot of content and it gets a bit disheartening when you have to reckon with the fact that talent/an important message is sometimes not enough to breakthrough. I am hopeful though and have seen the power of the internet do beautiful things.

How do you feel about streaming services? Any romantic attachments to the physical formats: vinyl, 8-track, cassettes, CDs?

I think streaming services are incredibly beneficial when it comes to reach, just wish there was a way to make them more of a financial opportunity for emerging artists. I bought a bunch of physical CDs for this album, it is my first one, I needed to make it tangible. I certainly look forward to releasing future projects on vinyl. There is nothing like it.

Where can we follow you online and hear more music?

• http://amyleon.com/
• https://twitter.com/amydelilahleon
• https://www.instagram.com/amylion101/
• https://www.facebook.com/amyspoetree/

Anything else before we sign off?

I love and appreciate every talented heart that dedicated time to making this album possible. Everyone should know who they are and check out all of the other projects they are affiliated with.

WOO SHOUT OUTS TO MY TEAM:

• Guitar: Mike Haldeman
• Bass: Chris Gaskell
• Cello: Seth Kaplan
• Piano: Jake Pinto
• Drums: Dillon Treacy, Colin Taylor
• Backing vocals: Maralisa Simmons-Cook, Becca Q. Co & Alisha Roney
• Producer of Strange Grace: Lucas Hanson
• Co-writer of Child of the Sun: Jesse Bielenberg
• Mixed by: Alex Pyle
• Mastered by: Lucas Hanson
• Artwork by: Sarah Coppin & Alex Schaefer