Stockholm-based artist and producer Amanda Cy shares her new single “Yangtze”, debuted live when Amanda opened for Griff on numerous tour dates last month. The latest taste of her forthcoming EP Waterworks – “Yangtze” perfectly captures the moment the tears start to fall and just won’t stop.
Tapping into Scandinavian melancholy, “Yangtze” is all about letting go and letting your feelings out – a theme that runs throughout the new project. “I cry me a river, yeah a Yangtze” Amanda earnestly sings, in reference to the far-stretching river in China, with her deft songwriting backed by a surge of pulsating 90’s flecked instrumentation.
Calling in friend and producer/songwriter Madelene Eliasson (Anna Of The North, SKAAR) to help bring “Yangtze” to life, Amanda recalls some of the song’s initial inspiration: “Conveniently, the process of writing Yangtze turned out to be relatively fluid. I knew I wanted to write a pop-banger à la MUNA, and had the idea of naming it Yangtze in the back of my head. After dealing with a long creative dip, I decided that I wanted to start producing my own demos and I spent my Christmas in 2021 experimenting with production techniques. I then realised that the chorus-idea for Yangtze fit perfectly on top of one of my own production loops. That unlocked everything.”
Speaking more on lyrical essence of the new single, Amanda said:
“Yangtze is an ode to crying and how good it can feel. It’s about accepting that you’re an emotional being and that sometimes it’s just better to cry it out instead of stoically trying to keep things bottled up.
“I love crying and the way it can release so much tension – but it’s so easy to associate it with attention seeking, weakness, shame and all these negative things. Whether alone, in public or on someone’s shoulder – if you want to cry – please cry.”
Discussing the project as a whole Amanda says; “writing Waterworks has been one of the most rewarding experiences ever. After a challenging period in my career and losing some of my belief in my own artistry, I never thought that I’d be able to finish a body of work, but with each song emerging, I was writing my way out of a pretty long creative slump.”
Teaming up with production duo Teddy Failure (LOVA, Winona Oak), they became the executive producers of the Waterworks EP. Bonding over their shared taste in music, an eclectic mix of Robyn‘s sparkling synth-pop, Joy Division‘s foundational angst, Phantom Youth‘s modern goth melodrama and flowerovlove‘s effortless cool had been on heavy rotation in the studio while they worked.
The project features previous single “Know Nothing” which arrived with a stunning music video created in collaboration with Amanda’s sister and her production company Fanny & Alexander Productions. It also includes “A Mother’s Touch” – the EP’s emotional centre which deals with feelings of grief and missing someone you never felt you knew in the first place.
Outside of music, Amanda is a keen mountain climber and her experiences in the Swedish wilderness often inspire her – whether it’s to be in the moment and be still with a breathtaking view or analysing the intricacies of systems which exist in nature.
Timing is critical – whether that’s inside or outside of the studio – that’s a lesson which Amanda has learned as she’s grown up honing her craft. Discovered by music executives at just 16-years-old, she turned down a record deal knowing that she still needed space and time to grow. After learning the ropes working as a songwriter at UMPG, she decided to independently release her critically acclaimed debut EP “Ugh!” in 2021, lead single “My Name Next To Yours” caught the eye of Fresh Finds, Vogue Scandinavia, Swedish radio and fans around the world.
Waterworks showcases the growth of Amanda’s own artistry. Having spent the last few years working behind the scenes penning songs for LÉON, Paloma Faith, and Otto Knows, Amanda has stepped into her own as an artist.
Amanda Cy‘s new single “Yagnzte” is out now. New EP ‘Waterworks’ is out 23rd May.
