Amy Thiessen #ProjectSundari
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Amy Thiessen #ProjectSundari

Calgary, Alberta, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2015 | SELF | AFM

Calgary, Alberta, Canada | SELF | AFM
Established on Jan, 2015
Solo Electronic Folk

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"Calgary singer Amy Thiessen still keeping it real and really raw with new release"

Amy Thiessen is a rebel.

No, not in the bad-ass, law-breakin’, drinkin’ and cussin’ sense of the term, but nonetheless in a way that one would assume to be the opposite of her upbringing and in direct contrast to the rural girl she is.

She’s a yoga instructor. She’s a vegetarian. She’s an artist who laughingly calls her songs “little healing bubbles.” And she wears every single one of her emotions on her sleeve and in her work.

Again, it’s as if she was rebelling against that early life, daughter of a cattle rancher, who was named one of the Calgary Stampede’s 100 Outstanding Albertans for his veterinary innovation. Although, tellingly, she says she didn’t find out about that honour until well after the fact, causing her to laughingly and lovingly relate, in context to his stoicism, the age-old saying: “There once was a prairie man who loved his wife so much he almost told her.”

No. Stoic and reserved — she’s the exact opposite of that.

“I’ve always been that way and trying not to be that way makes me sick, literally sick,” Thiessen says, sitting in the Kensington coffee spot Higher Ground. “So I’ve been really emotional and I’ve always had a lot of emotion. And there’s only one way, one place to put that, in my opinion.”

That would, of course, be those “bubbles.”

Thiessen has been a fixture on the local singer-songwriter scene for the better part of a decade, releasing an EP and a full-length debut, Give Up the Fight, while also captivating audiences in clubs and at festivals with her heartfelt, folk hymns about the emotional roads we’re all required to navigate.

Her sophomore effort, In Between Goodbyes, which she’ll release Saturday night with a show at Festival Hall, is much the same — a record that stares directly into the reality of loving, losing and living, and shares these feelings without so much as flinching, no matter how painful they might be for all involved.“I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, ‘Why do I write the way I write?’ Because it can be polarizing. People really love it because it’s really raw and really emotive or people will really not enjoy it because of those reasons,” Thiessen says.

“And for me it’s always been about if I can dig to the root of something, the root of how I feel and what’s really honest at that moment, then if I can share that, it’s no longer just about me. Those feelings are universal and those situations are universal and the faith that you have in a relationship is no different than the faith that you have in your life. All of those threads just go together anyway.

“For me, that’s the most important thing, just connecting to something that’s honest and then seeing what comes up.”

Helping her this time out was Juno-winning Calgary guitarist, songwriter and producer Russell Broom, noted for his work with such acts Jann Arden, SheDaisy and George Canyon.

He brought on-board some of the musicians — such as jazz drummer Jon May and bassist Kaley Kinjo — and lent his considerable instrumental prowess to it, but most importantly, in the producer’s role, he gave Goodbyes the delicate touch it deserved.

“He kept me going back to something that was really authentic, and very, very simple,” she says.

That, again, serves Thiessen and her material well, be it Kingdom Come, which is about her grandmother’s harrowing experiences through the Russian Revolution but brought back into the context of how brutality can beget incredible humanity, or the wonderful he-felt, she-felt duet with fellow Alberta singer Curtis Glas, which could, easily, earn her play on commercial country radio.

But it’s not all riding the emotional rails, as one of the album’s best efforts is the swinging, sweet sorbet I’m With You, which Thiessen admits was “written for the record and written for being a little more palatable.”

She laughs. “It’s upbeat and it’s fun and it’s good to have something in there that’s upbeat.”

That goes for the audience as well as for her, although, over the years, Thiessen admits that she’s figured out how to dial back the emotions for her performances.

Yes, they’re still emotional experiences — it’s why audiences are drawn to her shows — but they’re not the raw, unfiltered expressions of someone who’s still freshly scarred or even aglow.

“It’s an energy, it’s something you tap into,” she says. “It’s not necessarily personal anymore. It can’t be. I’ve done that, I did that with my other album, I had songs where I kept trying to drive up those emotions. And those emotions weren’t always what I wanted to be in all the time. So if I could feel the energy of the song, or the intent behind it without getting too caught up in the story of it, then it can just move through me and I can move on to the next song.

“That’s when the universality and why being really truthful and clear, for me, makes it more effective to sing them later.”

And, with In Between Goodbyes having been completed more than six months ago, some of the material dating back to well over a year ago, that means she’s in a pretty safe place as Saturday night’s release party looms large.

That said, it doesn’t mean that Thiessen will be approaching the big night with the stoicism that you might think her birthright.

It will be, she says, one filled with great emotion.

She smiles. “I don’t think it could not be.”

Amy Thiessen releases her new album In Between Goodbyes with a show Saturday at Festival Hall. - Calgary Herald/ Edmonton Journal/ Leader Post/ London Free Press/ Vancouver Province


"Amy Thiessen set to release sophomore album In Between Goodbyes"

If there's one thing local yogi Amy Thiessen won't bend on, it's the truth.



The folk-pop songstress has dug deep to pen a raw, often visceral sophomore album, In Between Goodbyes.

"Sometimes I know the root of how I feel and the raw or more personal the emotion, sometimes makes it easier," she says of her process, adding the tricky part comes when there's a situation that's obscured by what you want, or think you should feel.

"Then when you go to write a song, it's like you've already told yourself these stories or internalized all these things, but they're not real.

"Every time you write it and you say it, it doesn't make sense," she says.

On In Between Goodbyes, it meant peeling back the layers of situations and relationships, like in Shooting Arrows, a snapshot of watching a lover wrestle demons from the sidelines.

"There's a man and he won't tell you what's up, but you can feel it and you can sense it and they keep saying, 'oh nothing's going on,'" she says of the track.

"I'm not the only girl who's gone through that. But so often it's like what do I do? How can I make it better? How can I be a better girl?

"No this just sucks. Let's just say, 'this just sucks,' and move on from there."

As concrete and specific the song might seem, it has that universal quality.

While In Between Goodbyes is a shift from the more spiritual side of her debut, Give Up The Fight, Thiessen says her lifestyle ultimately affects her writing.

"I think my most accurately skill as a yoga teacher is to hold a really safe container for people to go through their process and to grow.

"And the reason I can probably do that is because I'm on the other side sharing and doing stuff that makes me really vulnerable and nervous, and so I have a better understanding of what they're going through."

In Between Goodbyes is rich in moments and emotion; from Crumbling Walls, a look at a childhood friendship nearing its expiry date, to Kingdom Come, based on Thiessen's grandmother's journey through the Russian Revolution and Be Still, which plumbs the uncertainty and potential of new love.

"I think what I like about folk music is that heart of it," she says.

"You're looking for real truth beyond the social constructs or beyond what you should think or feel. It's an honesty."

Thiessen will release In Between Goodbyes at Festival Hall Saturday Night. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 and include the album. - Calgary Sun


"Calgary songstress's sophomore album 'always comes back to the truth."

In Between Goodbyes is the name of Calgary pop-roots-folk-rock musician Amy Thiessen's new album. The title captures perfectly the authenticity of those rare, fleeting moments when we are truly present in our lives — moments Thiessen tries to capture in her songwriting.

"The album is really raw," she says. "There's a lot of emotion in there. It always comes back to the truth, and I feel like by expressing it as purely and authentically as possible, I’m giving other people permission to do that for themselves.”

Intriguing and insightful songwriting aside, Thiessen's most compelling tool is her clear, pop-friendly voice. Versatile, powerful and genuine, it's the spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine of her lyrics easy to swallow.

If Thiessen's words hit home, she comes by it honestly. She lost her beloved older sister to cancer at a young age, and found her way to yoga and spirituality by travelling the world. Those travels also exposed her to a wide variety of music, and her own sound reflects those influence.

The new album picks up where 2011's Give Up the Fight left off, exploring and expanding similar sonic territory — plenty of upbeat roots-pop rhythms and melodies. Although the album's sound is full and dynamic, Thiessen says the recording process was straighforward.

"It's actually super stripped down." For example, her vocals are pretty much exactly what she sang into the microphone. "Most people would put big reverb on the voice, but we didn't do that."

Thiessen will be joined on stage Saturday by a band of stalwart Calgary musicians including Jon May, Russell Broom and Kaley Kinjo.

This summer will see Thiessen touring Alberta and B.C., with a journey east planned for the fall. Beyond that, you can bet there's more recording-studio time in the cards.

"I've already started to write for the next album." - Avenue Magazine


"Soulful folk hits the Peace"

Alberta folk/pop artist Amy Thiessen will be passing through the Peace Country on a summer tour this month, hitting the Rolla Pub on the 9th and Whole Wheat 'n' Honey on the 10th.

Thiessen just released her second album, In Between Goodbyes, last May, and is currently on a tour of Alberta. Dawson and Fort St. John are the only B.C. stops on this tour, though she's planning a Canada-wide tour after this one.

The Alaska Highway News had the opportunity to chat with her about her tour, her influences and some of the experiences she's had along the way.

She is familiar with Peace country, as a child she visited Dawson Creek where her grandparents lived, just outside of Pouce Coupe.

"It's adorable," she said. "I keep finding really cute places there."

Thiessen is no stranger to rural settings, having grown up in the same Alberta farmhouse her father was raised in. But she said she tried escaping those roots from an early age and has only more recently come back to them.

Most of her influence though, comes from a more emotional rather than physical landscape. "I'm a pretty emotive songwriter," she laughed.

"I can tell when I hit the mark because I'll get goose bumps or I'll want to cry or I'll want to laugh," she said. "It's an opportunity to know myself in a really honest way, and I think that in that same sense when I write like that, my hope and my intention is a meaningful connection. If I go to that place that maybe is vulnerable or raw, it allows a space for somebody else to do the same thing. I love that."

She said that her "soul folk" music is inspired by anything from family to relationships, even dreams.

"I recently wrote a song where I woke up and I had this crazy dream, and the whole song is based around this dream," she said. "In two days it was done, and that doesn't happen often, but when you can have those it's like it's not something you consciously think about and it comes out, it's cool."

She said that being the youngest of five children made her particularly introspective, which helps the songwriting process.

The primary goal for Thiessen is to create those honest emotional landscapes that she hopes will resonate with others, just as she relates to honesty in the music that she listens to. "As my father, who is a farmer, would say: just don't lie to yourself." - Alaska Highway News


"Amy Thiessen delivers ‘that heartfelt oommph’"

FORT ST. JOHN – Singer songwriter Amy Thiessen graced Fort St. John with her angelic voice and stage presence at Whole Wheat ‘n’ Honey Café on Thursday evening, July 10.

The Calgary native is on tour promoting her second album, In Between Goodbyes, an introspective collection that navigates the high seas of her emotional journeying and hits home.

“I tend to feel things really, really big, and so getting to the truth of things and the heart of how I feel is definitely a huge motivator,” said Thiessen, discussing what inspires her music in an interview with the Northeast News.

“Dreams can motivate me, or situations in peoples’ lives around me can definitely motivate songs as well,” she said.

Born into a farming family an hour southeast of the city, Thiessen went on to receive a bachelor of arts in commerce and was on course for a practical career.

But when she entered Canadian Idol in 2005 and landed in the top 100, she decided to take her musical talent seriously.

Unsure how to move forward, she continued with school, developed a business plan, and graduated in 2007 with the skills she would need as a self managed artist.

She released her first EP, a recording with more music than a single, but not enough for a full album, in 2010, called Tell Me, and in 2011 she released her first full length album, Give Up the Fight.

On May 31 she released her second album, In Between Goodbyes.

“Honestly I really love this album, I’m really proud of it and really excited by it,” Theissen said. “The songs that I love or I connect with the most will change every day depending on where I’m at.” She doesn’t have a favourite.

Before Theissen rendered the crowd at Whole Wheat ‘n’ Honey spellbound, she performed for a full house at Rolla Pub on Wednesday evening, July 9, an experience she referred to as “super adorable.”

“Everybody was really good at listening, and it was interesting because it’s a lot of guys that, truck drivers, etcetera, and it’s me singing feeling songs, and everybody’s listening, so it was pretty amazing.”

To promote her new album she’s touring across the country, and has already performed in Edmonton, at Astral Harvest, a music and arts festival near Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta, in Dawson Creek and Grande Prairie, before returning to Calgary for weekend gigs.

A more extensive B.C. tour is slated for September.

“Everybody’s been really supportive up north, so it’s just been fun . . . (if) people want some heartfelt, like, oommph music, I’ll be there.”

Thiessen has done more than 600 performances since 2009 and has toured Canada, from coast to coast, many times. - Northeast News


"Thiessen shares the spotlight"

To some it’s a purely selfish pursuit. To others it can be a competitive endeavour.

But to Amy Thiessen, the art and act of making music is best when it’s a communal experience.

That’s why at least three hump days a month you’ll find the Calgary singer-songwriter co-hosting the Pussy Willows Wednesday jam at beloved local haunt Mikey’s Juke Joint. She’s one of four local musicians — along with Sarah Vann, Brooke Wylie and Dawn Desmarais — who rotate through the duties of making sure the jammers not only have a little encouragement, but even a little musical backup should they need it.

“If there’s a lot of you, you can help each other out,” says the engaging Thiessen, who also makes room on the stage for other of her struggling artist friends. “If I have some people come to a show and some of my audience sees them and likes them, it’s not like they’re going to like me less. If anything, they’ll probably be happy because they came to my show and they discovered someone new. And vice versa. . . . For me it’s also slightly selfish. I want to learn music and I want learn to support people, so if somebody plays at my gig and I’m like, ‘Well let’s work on you song so I can learn how to support you,’ I’m getting a little less too, which is really nice.”

OK, so maybe it is as mercenary as philanthropic, but the past almost two years she’s been helping others with their craft while also gaining a foothold of her own in the city’s always crowded singer-songwriter scene.

She got a tremendous boost last year with the release of her debut Give Up the Fight, an album made possible through funding from the fine folks at Rawlco Radio, who, as a condition of their licensing, have been responsible for dozens of stellar Alberta roots releases in the past couple of years, as well Amp 90.3, who saw enough talent and promise in Thiessen that they gave her a career development grant. (It’s a similar commitment to local talent as their Rock Star competition, which will hold its finals this Saturday at Mount Royal’s Wyckham House.)

It’s not hard to hear why they’d want to get on-board with the musician, as Give Up the Fight is a lush, dewy folk-pop record that takes its cue from such artists as Bruce Cockburn and Joni Mitchell, while giving it a glossier sheen not unlike, say, Ani DiFranco or even Chantal Kreviazuk.

Along with her vocal and songwriting skills it also, Thiessen says, provides a platform for the positive and spiritual side of who she is as a person. It’s a side she’s been cultivating over the past several years beginning with the death of her sister, which sent her off on a pilgrimage to India and then, later, to South America where she was introduced to the practises of shamanism.

“The whole basis of that album, from the imagery to everything, was taking my two different worlds — which was the more contemporary folk and working with a shaman in Peru — and somehow bridging them. Like saying, ‘Yeah, you can be super spiritual sometimes and you can be pissed off sometimes and that’s all kind of the same thing. It’s not denominational, it’s not saying, ‘You have to believe this way. . . .’ Give up the fight, it’s all OK. There’s nothing wrong with any of this,” she says. “So for this album it was really important to me that it had both elements and I fused them.

Besides, the one-time Canadian Idol contestant notes, artists such as Mumford and Sons, Michael Franti and DiFranco all come from a consciousness-driven place. “A lot of music, period, does,” she says.

When she’s onstage, she still likes to marry her musical and spiritual worlds, as an in-demand yoga instructor, who sweats the class first then soothes and cools them down with the singing of mantras to wrap things up. And as for her own songwriting and instrumental skills, she’s still working on them, taking tips from local craftsman Russ Broom, as well as taking piano and guitar classes — not just for her own career, of course, but for less selfish reasons.

“I don’t want to be that musician who goes up and, I can play my songs, and that’s it. I really want to be able to support people on their music, and I really want to jam with people. That’s the coolest thing about music is that you all of a sudden go into this,” she pauses. “It’s like yoga, except with people, you go to this space and everything opens and you start listening to everybody lets go of their ego and you listen to each other and you play music. Whereas yoga is just you on your mat dealing with your stuff. I like music, because it’s the same thing with more people.”Spotlight

Pussy Willows Wednesdays run Wednesday nights at Mikey’s Juke Joint.

mbell@calgaryherald.com Follow on Twitter@mrbell_23

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald


Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Thiessen+shares+spotlight/6080700/story.html#ixzz1lcxcxK52 - Calgary Herald - Jan 31, 2012


"Indie 403 featured Artist of the month Amy Thiessen"

Overview

Take the term “Singer/Songwriter”, add the divine powers of yoga, and that is where you will find Amy Thiessen. She is not your ordinary “Folk singer”, nor is she your ordinary “acoustic singer”. She has given a unique twist to these common terms with her powerful spirit and soul that make her stand out in the all-too-common culture of “Singer/Songwriter” in Calgary. With her debut album titled Give up the Fight, released in 2011, Amy has really given a new insight into the relationship between healing yoga and song. Realizing her two passions and bringing them together has given her musical career in Calgary a kick-start! There will sure be no stopping her from pursuing these passions in life.

The Artist, Influences, & Style

After growing up on a farm outside of Calgary, Amy moved to the city to join in the University life. A degree in Commerce was where she set her focus. Although she valued the education she received in the degree, she soon found herself a bit lost. At 23, she decided that going to university and working in night clubs wasn’t working for her, so she made a great escape to India. Here, she found herself delving into healing work, yoga, and buddhism. This opened a different path for her to follow. No more TV, no more magazines. She had discovered she wanted more. While finishing her degree at university, she had come up with the plan to become a musician. There was only one problem: she didn’t play an instrument. Amy has always been a singer since youth, but it wasn’t until her mid-twenties that she started to really hone the craft. After reaching the top 100 in Canadian Idol, she was given the confidence this was a possibility that she wanted to pursue. With the support of her family, friends, teachers and a lot of practice at open mics, Amy soon learned to play the guitar and began writing songs.

Amy has always been a writer. She’s always written lyrics and poetry, and now with her guitar in hand, she fell in love with the “singer/songwriter” folksy music style. She values stripping the music down to hear the intention in the words. After studying with a shaman in Peru, she was introduced to different types of spiritual music and Mantras that affected her in ways that were unexplainable: “[It] was as if the music was a magnet that drew out certain emotions within people”. This is where she truly discovered how much power music really has and that the combination of healing work and music is something that she wanted to share with others.

In her process of song writing, she has found that the art of yoga actually helps her to transcend her thoughts or clear her mind to a space where she can write songs. Being in this healing space helps her to be able to catch the ideas that are coming to her at the time and be able to articulate them into song. She explains: “When I write a song, I face myself. Every time I’m on stage I face myself. I face my fears. I face trying too hard because I’m nervous. I face being afraid and wanting to put something out there. But then there’s that other side of just trusting yourself, just being honest. Being authentic and not putting on a show and just being who you are in front of people. That’s yoga. It’s the same thing, just done in different context.” Making these discoveries, she knew she had found a solid path for herself to follow, and her musical career has been on the move ever since.

Her Debut Album

Give up the Fight encompasses all of Amy’s practices and experiences and shares them to the world through song. It bridges the gap between the spiritual world she lives in and connects it to the people listening. There is a combination of emotionally charged songs and spiritual mantras to make up the album. Give up the Fight is about giving up resistance to what is happening, being wherever you’re at, and trusting the space inside of you. You can buy it at www.amythiessen.com.

Looking Forward

In 2011, Amy kept busy. With the release of her album, she toured Canada twice (West in the spring and East in the fall) and hopes to be able to tour at least once a year; however has every intention on staying in the Calgary community. As the music scene continues to grow, she believes that staying in a sweet, nurturing community like Calgary is more beneficial right now than moving to a place with an overwhelming amount of things going on. In the next couple of years, Amy plans to have a solid career as a musician along with the healing yoga work she does and is aiming to play 200 shows a year at folk and yoga festivals. She wants to expand on the idea that art can open you up to something deeper inside yourself and plans to use everything she has gained in life and be able to share with others through workshops and that is why she is Indie403’s Featured Artist of the Month. - Indie 403 (indie403.com) - Jan 2012


"Amy Thiessen "Give up the Fight""

Café shows are a mixed bag. Although acoustic pop and singer-songwriting can always find a home amidst a fireplace and an espresso, it’s rare that a musician will push the limits of their respective genre while still promoting a relaxed atmosphere. But when that gem does come, it makes up for all of those out-of-tune guitars and awkwardly empty shows.

Inglewood-based artist Amy Thiessen fills the role of the innovative café instrumentalist. When she took the stage at the House Coffee Sanctuary a couple of weekends ago, I certainly didn’t expect what she had to offer to the 10 or 15 customers in the shop. Although Thiessen did indeed play an acoustic guitar, she combined it with her jazzy, Feist-like voice, some spiritually reflective lyrics and the occasional beat-boxing that kept the small crowd engrossed.

That creativity is exemplified on her debut album, Give Up the Fight, which was released in April. On it, she records with a number of different musicians — including a saxophone and a trombone player — and manages to produce a pretty funky album. Her background in teaching yoga seeps into the songs as mantras, prayers and lines such as, “I am a daughter of the sun, sister of the moon. Transcended through the womb of supernovas and galaxies that are traced throughout my body like chalk.”

Thiessen’s lyrical honesty and powerful voice deserves a listen. She’s still cementing her sound, but is well on the way. - FFWD weekly magazine (Aug 2011)


"Amy Thiessen Give up a Fight new CD worth a listen"

Every now and again a great CD comes our way from our many friends in the music industry. This is one of those CD's. "Give Up The Fight" from Amy Thiessen. A great mix of of well crafted peformances. I am particularily liking track 8 Kali Jai. The title track "Give Up The Fight" has a nice feel showing a clear diversity in Amy's vocal style. But on a whole, it's well produced, written and presented. We've got to give her credit for being self managed too. There's something about retaining your creative control on projects like this.

The CD has been billed as "Soul-fed Folk". In reality it is a very ecclectic mix of pop, rock, world and even R&B. This is her second release, following up a EP released in 2009. in 2010, she booked herself over 200 shows. A momentum which we're hearing will continue for the balance of 2011 with word of a stop over in Victoria. That would be great. Play In Victoria will keep you posted on that once we hear anything.
- Play Victoria - July 2011


"Concert in the Gallery Production presents Amy Thiessen"

STAFF WRITER
Calgary-based singer songwriter, Amy Thiessen takes over the Dawson Creek Art Gallery Tuesday, Apr. 26 on her CD release tour.

The Concert in the Gallery Production will feature Thiessen’s personal brand of folk music mixed with a wide range of other musical genres from rock to ancient mantras inspired from Thiessen’s visit to India where she developed a love affair for healing work, yoga and Buddhism.

Her independent debut album, Give Up the Fight, pairs spiritual and physical well-being with the divine powers of music.

“If everyone was truly comfortable and happy with themselves, the rest of the world would be symptomatic of that,” says Thiessen on her website.

“Music is my way of connecting to that somehow. I came back from India and started learning to play the guitar as a part of my plan to deliver that essence to people. That work is exemplified in Give Up The Fight.”

Tickets are available at the door. The show starts at 7 p.m.

More information can be found at www.amythiessen.com. - Dawson Creek Daily News


"AMY THIESSEN Give Up The Fight"

AMY THIESSEN
Give Up The Fight
By Lindsay Wilson

Local Calgary artist Amy Thiessen has put her heart and soul into her debut full-length release, Give Up The Fight. The end result? A soul-drenched folk album, woven together with elements of rock, ancient mantras and, of course, Thiessen’s lovely, lilting vocals and honest lyricism.
“'Give up the Fight' is the title track of the album. The inspiration under it is simply recognizing and accepting who we are. Whether joyful or angry the first step to channeling that energy is to accept it,” explains Thiessen.
Intertwining the spiritual realm with music was a natural process for the 28-year-old local artist, whose goal is to invigorate and inspire others about life and the beauty that surrounds it through her two passions: music and yoga.
“I would love for this CD to inspire and move as many people as possible. There is a lot of love and intention in it and I want to share that,” explains Thiessen, who as a yoga teacher by day and singer/songwriter by night embodies terms such as love and intention to her very core.
Inspired by her studies of spirituality and Buddhism in India under the instruction of a Peruvian Shaman, Thiessen took up guitar a few years ago to bring her love for singing to the next level.
Fast forward a few years later and here she is, CD in one hand, guitar in the other, performing her candid observations about life and messages of hope in venues across Canada.
“Tour, play, tour, play, write,” laughs the singer/songwriter.
“I’m touring this spring through Alberta and B.C., and then again through Eastern Canada at the end of August. I hope to play a few festivals this year, but mainly this year is about getting my name and music out there so that next year we can hit the festival circuit.”
With the help of a team of local session musicians and producer Rick Mizzoni, Thiessen has faith that Give Up The Fight will have just what it takes to get her into the folk festival circuit line-up for next year.
After celebrating her debut album with two CD release parties, one that was held at Mikey’s Juke Joint on April 17 and the other at the Ironwood Stage & Grill on April 19, Thiessen is thrilled to be spending the month of May touring throughout B.C. - Beatroute Magazine


"Sassy trio of ladies who ‘just don’t give a folk’ touring across Alberta"

Ladies that Like to Folk
With Kaley Bird, Amy Thiessen, and Sidney York
Wednesday, October 28 at 8 p.m.
Jeffrey’s Café (9640–142 St.)
$10 at the door

When one thinks of folk music, images of protest marches and plain-dressed banjo-players singing songs like “Kumbaya” may come to mind. But Sidney York of the Ladies that Like to Folk doesn’t think this image of the genre holds water anymore.

“Folk music has evolved," York says. "Folk music is a musical commentary on life as it is right now.”

York, along with fellow Calgarian Amy Thiessen and Edmontonian Kaley Bird, are all seasoned musicians. Bird released her debut album last year, while York has been teaching classical music for several years, and put out her own debut album earlier this year. Thiessen started out in a jazz trio and has since released a four-song EP, garnering radio play from CBC and CKUA. When these Ladies combine, their varied musical styles create an eclectic kind of folk music for audiences to experience.

“We offer a lot from different genres [...] I know my music borrows from a number of different styles, and Sidney York’s style borrows from jazz. Amy has almost a pop sound,” Bird says.

After meeting each other through a mutual friend, the three women decided to tour the province together, billing themselves as the "Women of Folk," but something about the name didn’t seem quite fitting.

“[It’s] not a bad name, but I think people [who came to the shows] were expecting more traditional, less shaven artists,” Thiessen says.

However, it didn’t take long before inspiration gave the trio an idea for a new name.

“We were in Jasper chatting about this tour and how we needed a new name. We weren’t even talking about that when I said something about us being ‘ladies that like to folk.’ Kaley stopped us right there and was like, ‘That’s it! That’s the name!’ [...] Hopefully this name is a little more edgy, reflecting [the fact that] the music we write is more contemporary,” explains Thiessen.

Now the threesome are preparing for a cross-Canada tour, starting in Edmonton this month, but it hasn’t been all lilies and roses getting this far.

“It’s a lot of work to put a tour together,” Bird says. “[But] we do like each other’s music, and enjoy each other’s company, so that helps.”

“We book our own shows, we do all our own publicity, although we do have our own publicist now,” adds York. “I’m a bit of a tour monster [...] I love to be out on the road.”

Life won’t be slowing down for the Ladies following the tour. Bird’s second album will drop in January, while York will be working on new music videos, and Thiessen will be working on her debut album, to be released in the spring. But none of the Ladies have ruled out the possibility of recording together in the future.

“I love touring with these girls because they inspire me the whole time. Each of us brings a different quality and dynamic and with that I think it offers a richness to the show. Not only that but we get to hang out, and these are two very entertaining women who I just keep enjoying more and more,” Thiessen says. - The Gateway


"Folk singer finds her spiritual roots"

Folk singer finds her spiritual roots
September 23, 2009
By: Lindsay Wilson

At the age of 27, singer-songwriter Amy Thiessen has developed a spiritual connection not only with music but with life in general — something that most people spend a lifetime searching for.

A certified yoga instructor by day, and performing folk-roots artist by night, Thiessen has found her niche in this world and wants to share her soulful, empowering lyrics with the world.

“I’m in music for the spiritual aspect, and I want to help people connect with themselves better,” said a very grounded Thiessen, who carries a warmth and energy with her that is inspirational on its own.

Thiessen came out to Cochrane’s Blue Dog restaurant in August, and is looking forward to returning Sept. 25-26.
Her journey started in 2005 when Thiessen put together her first band Discourse Poetic while attending the University of Calgary.

Amy Thiessen, a singer/songwriter and certified yoga instructor, has developed a deep spiritual connection with her folk-roots music and the world around her. (Photo by Lindsay Wilson)

She put the band together after trying out for Canadian Idol in 2005, which sent her all the way out to Toronto and back with a strong belief that pursuing music was more than just a possibility — it was a must.

After Discourse Poetic’s time had passed, Thiessen put together a jazz trio called Blue Stranger in 2007. She also joined Calgary’s long-time successful rhythm and blues band Blue Rhino in 2008.

Thiessen continues to play with Blue Stranger, featuring Gerd Krause on guitar and either Pete Fischer or Andre Patterson on horns.
In late 2006, Thiessen decided it was time to pick up a guitar and expand beyond her aspirations as a vocalist to begin writing her own songs — songs that are inspired by her extensive worldly yoga training.

Her motivation is to inspire others to believe in themselves and connect with all that is beautiful in the world.
Thiessen’s ambitious solo journey transpired into her EP release in October last year entitled Tell Me, which features four original songs and has earned her radio play on both CBC and CKUA.

She spent July touring with folk femmes Sidney York and Kaley Bird across Alberta, two women whom Thiessen is reuniting with this November on a cross-Canada tour called Ladies Who Like to Folk.
Thiessen aims to release a full-length CD by the spring of 2010.  Pre-purchase of the CD is now available online at

www.myspace.com/amythiessenband.

When Thiessen is not touring, she regularly hosts an acoustic open mic at the Oolong Tea House, located in Kensington in Calgary, on Tuesday nights.

It’s something she loves doing as a way of giving back to the music community that has helped her get to where she is today with her music.

“I never thought music was possible,” said an overwhelmed Thiessen, who is particularly grateful to her fellow musicians for supporting her and challenging her musically.

Thiessen will return to the Blue Dog Sept. 25-26 at 7:30 p.m. each night.
For any further details, call the Blue Dog at 403-932-4282. - Cochrane Eagle


Discography

Satellite (Single) 2016

Gypsy Heart (Single) 2015

In Between Goodbyes (LP) 2014

Give up the Fight (LP) 2011

Photos

Bio

Amy Thiessen is a pop/folk singer-songwriter who has devoted her life to both the creative and the healing arts. Those worlds fuse subtly on her sophomore album, In Between Goodbyes, in the form of captivating folk-pop songs that showcase a seemingly-effortless authenticity and an ease with exploring the depths of one’s spiritual and emotional life. Amy’s calling card is her powerful, versatile pop voice, which defies easy comparison to other artists but that at times recalls many:  the dreaminess of Dido, the jazzy sophistication of Joni Mitchell, and the raw fragility of Basia Bulat, to name but a few. 

While pursuing her music career, Amy has also become a certified yoga instructor and teacher trainer, and attached trainer who travel frequently to hold workshops and retreats. The roundedness that comes with the yogini’s life, and the ease with which it allows practitioners to reach deep within themselves and “share their souls” freely and joyfully, are clearly audible in Amy’s songs and performances. Her music is a rare combination of light, catchy and accessible and thoughtful, heartfelt and evocative.

In a recent interview announcing her upcoming single ‘Gypsy Heart’, Amy mentioned the following: After a big and rather emotional year I am looking forward to where the music is taking me. this new record is becoming a more lively folk rock record. I've been working with some great people out of LA, Andrea Stolpe who teaches songwriting at Berklee, Devon Lougheed from Canadian band Smashing Satellites, Simon TJ producer of Jackpot, and will be doing some work with Jim Reilly of the New Dylans in Nashville. The vision for the new record is a bit rockier with fuller production in the vein of the new Laura Marling or Ryan Adams. 

Band Members