Amanda Cooksey – What’s His Name?

Florida girl Amanda Cooksey is back with her new single ‘What’s His Name?’ a heartbreak song that comes with an upbeat feel. We sat down with her to chat about the new single and life in Nashville.

How long have you been living in Nashville now and do you recall if it was a tough adjustment for you after moving from Florida? Anything you would go back and do differently?

I have been living in Nashville for six years now! It’s crazy how time flies. I think I felt the stages of being homesick backwards. I was so excited to move here and work on my music. When I first got to Nashville, everything was new and exciting so that helped keep my mind off of things. I still missed my family, but I think the more time I was away from them, the harder it became. I miss them more than anything! All that being said, I don’t think I would do anything differently. I believe I am on this journey for a reason.

Tell us about how the new single ‘What’s His Name?’ came to life and what the song is about

I went through a really tough breakup last year. I lost one of my best friends which is never easy. I wanted to write a song to help cheer me up. I think everyone needs a fun, pick-me-up song after a relationship has ended. This song really helped me get through it!

You have a uniquely beautiful quality to your voice. Would you say you sang in the same style when you were just starting out?

I think my voice has definitely developed over the years. Not only am I older now, but I think listening to different genres and music from all eras has influenced the way I sing. So many different artists inspire me, and I sometimes notice certain qualities in their voices that I have adopted in my own singing voice. I also think the more I figured out who I wanted to be as an artist, the more my voice became my own.

You’re a very proud comic book nerd so I would love to know which superhero you identify with the most and why?

This made me laugh! I am a big Marvel fan. I think I identify with Spider-Man the most. I am quiet and dorky like Peter Parker, but become confident when I’m on stage like he does when he puts on the Spider-Man suit. Not to mention, he is my favorite comic book character.

You’ve competed in and won a number of beauty pageants in previous years. What were your experiences like doing those and have you always had that love of being on stage?

I was actually very shy growing up. It took me years to come out of my shell, and I still work on it every day. I loved competing in pageants! I enjoyed meeting people of different backgrounds and hearing their stories. Everyone was extremely driven and passionate about their careers. Overall, however, it helped me become more confident in myself and more well-spoken.

Looking at previous releases of yours, be it a fun upbeat tune like ‘Yo Mama’ or a really deep emotional track like ‘Girl In The Mirror’, I feel like your writing is very authentic to you as a person. Do you enjoy writing more when you get to showcase your personality like that?

Absolutely. I love writing about my personal experiences and being vulnerable. Whether it’s a love song or a song about heartache, I try to be as authentic as possible. I think songwriting is my favorite part about music.

I feel like you’ll always be a Florida girl at heart, what do you really look forward to doing when you go home for a visit?

I honestly love getting to spend time with my family. I love playing video games with my brother or watching a scary movie with my parents. When I have more time, I do love going to the beach, getting ice cream, going to the theme parks, or hanging out with old friends.

Another huge plus to you I feel is that you could blend perfectly with any genre. With that in mind who are some artists you really enjoy outside of the country genre?

This is tough because I do listen to so many different styles of music. Some of my favorites outside of country, if I have to keep it short, are Julia Michaels, Post Malone, Mac Miller, JP Saxe, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Dion & the Belmonts, and Bobby Vinton.

What’s your ideal way to spend a day when taking a break from music?

Honestly, I love watching Netflix. Finding new TV shows and movies is one of my favorite hobbies. I especially love dramas, SyFy, and horror. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends by the pool or getting food.

To finish on, do you have any further releases already planned out?

I do have some music in the works! Stay tuned. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for more details.

Instagram: @amandaacooksey

Facebook: Amanda Cooksey Music

Twitter: @ACookseyMusic

Amanda Cooksey is one of those incredibly special artists who have managed to carve out a space for themselves with a style and vibe that is so unique to them. Years of honing her craft as an artist as well as her eclectic taste in music has led to Amanda having such a distinctive voice and way of songwriting that gives a really fresh feel to anything she releases.

The song is about a really difficult breakup Amanda went through but she has put this amazingly fun spin on it and turned what would’ve been a really sad song if written by most artists, into a an upbeat number that in classic Amanda Cooksey style will be stuck in your head forever. Amanda is the master at putting an infectiously catchy chorus together and she has again nailed it with ‘What’s His Name?’ I like how Amanda never actually names the guy in question during the song or even gives him a pseudonym, instead singing “We don’t say that word around here no more”. I think people will connect with the song more doing this because they will be visualising the name that is relevant to them. I’m also a bit obsessed with the kind of quirky way she sings that line during the intro and throughout the song.

I mentioned earlier about it being an upbeat number and Amanda really helps carry that with the energy in her voice. She also has this sweet soothing quality about her vocals that helps relax a listener too. Overall I’m greatly impressed with this release from Amanda, I think she’s one of the most adept artists out there when it comes to blending other genres with country and I’m really excited to watch the bright future she has.

https://open.spotify.com/track/4VaHikOb7gswr2fx2o0nMd?si=2UwppKhdSpm8uWNoF-hFCg

Interview conducted by Craig Brooks (twitter.com/swindonforever)