New to Hot Press: Amanda St. John

Amanda St. John hails from Northern Ireland, and music is something that’s been a part of her life since the beginning. “I’ve always been singing and writing, before I even knew I was writing songs,” she says. “I was just coming up with melodies and rewriting the lyrics to tunes – it’s always been such a part of me.”
Because music is such a part of St. John’s identity, it’s no surprise that it was a source of strength for her when she survived a serious car accident. “It was like 300 feet down a mountain,” she recalls. “I had no pulse, I was unconscious with a head injury. I don’t know how spiritual you are, but I feel like I could have left. I really was fighting to stay. I asked myself, what do I need to do to get out of this? And as clear as day, it was like, sing. I was going, all I have to do is sing? Well, if I get out of this, I can do that!”
And she did. Her single ‘Grow’ has been used in ad campaigns internationally and played on radio stations throughout Ireland and the UK. “With that song especially, a big thing for me is the honesty of the lyrics,” she says. “It’s about overcoming our own negativity, which is something I think a lot of people can relate to.”
“I’m a wee bit older,” she says. “My music is a bit more mature – I don’t always fit with what’s new and cool. But I would say that my music is very honest and raw. It’s even got a bit of that Motown sound. I’m a country girl from Ireland, so everyone’s like, how could she come up with a Motown sound? It surprises people, because there’s not too many Irish musicians doing that.”

See: Her play Whelan’s with support from Runabay on February 12.
Hear: Her debut album, Grow, available now. Check out the video for "You Blew It," from Grow, below.