Formula Indie Sessions – Interview with Amara Maree
What is your earliest memory connected to music? My earliest memory in music is probably being a little girl with 2 older sisters who i looked up to very much, and still do, and admiring their taste of listening and trying to be like them in any possible way. I would share playlists with them on our ipods and just submerge myself with anything they listened to. I was always hammered with icons like Katy Perry, Gaga, Beyonce, Britney, Ariana, you name it. It would go back to old school stuff my Mum and Dad liked most aswell. That would range between Hunters and Collectors to Baby animals to Kasey Chambers. My household was never a typical ‘musical’ household, I’m the first one of us to actually pursue any creative industry, but there was always music in our lives.
How did your passion for creating music begin? I’ve always been a passionate person about anything really. I’ve always been the type to hold my ground, fight for my opinion, make sure my voice gets heard. I always loved singing as a child, and I always knew I wanted to be a singer, that is my ultimate dream. Although i never really knew what to do with this passion and strive or how to actually pursue it until recent years. I became obsessed with Billie Eilish at 13 years old after I went to see her Happier Than Ever show in 2022, she became my entire world. I hyperfixated on her whole story, how she came to be the legend she is today and how her childhood shaped her into this amazing and natural musician, and I think that is what really opened my eyes to the world and woke me up to finally find myself and be concious enough to start actually creating and expressing myself through music. Not long after i started piano lessons, got my first keyboard and just hours and hours on end sitting at that thing and practicing and practicing until I could do it second nature. That was when I was about 15. Ever since then I’ve just devoted my entire wellbeing to creating music that represents me and how my mind unconventionally works.
What’s the story behind your current music project? My most recent single that I’ve put out was actually inspired by a brief but real crush I had on this girl who was older than me. I didn’t know her long and she wasn’t from here, but it was something about her that just really intrigued me. She was my first real girl crush and I think it became so intense for me because I had never had feelings this deep for a girl before, this real. So I wrote ‘It Could’ve Been’ basically about how I was so frustrated at the fact I couldn’t freely express my feelings for her because of the circumstances and I had created in my mind that she felt the same and she couldn’t either, but now I think I was just a very delusional doe eyed girl.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before? I wouldn’t really. I think I don’t currently have a SOUND because I’m still figuring myself out. My songs that I have released over the past year all have such different personalities, I cant even begin to make them a package. They all stand on their own. I think I am on the journey of really finding my musical identity and I think I know for sure now, after a long time of experimenting. I want to pull inspiration from pop legends like Madonna, Prince, Cher, to modern day revolutionaries like Chappell Roan, Addison Rae (my all time style icon), and Billie Eilish of course. I wanna make something that reflects ME, how I am as a person. Fun, free, loose, grounded, messy, and just a tiny bit tacky.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music? That you can create anything you want. You don’t have to stick to one genre, one style, one image. You can be whoever you want to be, whenever you want to be and however often you want to be, and you are capable of it. I used to write songs on the piano and they would definitely represent me for sure, but I always wanted more raw emotion, more passion, more authenticity, but I never thought I could reach outside the box and do that because I had already wrote something a different way. I learnt to not be a weight on my own shoulders stopping me from reaching my all time creative potential.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process? I really do love a classic synth on my songs, that is something that I dont think will ever change. I always come in with a piano song full written though, and we just build on top of it and create it into something so different and lively. I think my top essentials are definitely those 2.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now? I’m not sure if she counts as indie, but Suki Waterhouse is showing up alot for me recently. I’m really just eating up her entire vibe, it’s just so cool girl to me. Her music feels like a distant nostalgia and I cannot explain why. My favourite song of hers right now is definitely My Fun from her 2024 album. She’s just announced a new album I believe, the singles are so good aswell.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision? The entire experience of high school has really brought out my artistic vision because of everything that has happened the past year especially, when I had my first breakup, that was heavy. I think that has really influenced my vision in the way that it influenced me as a person. I learnt so much from myself and other people in the months of April – August 2025 that made me find myself and therefore find my creative truth.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I don’t really know if my music does have a main message. I think if I had to say something, I’d say don’t be afraid to tell the world how you feel. Like be honest. Being honest about everything that goes on in your mind is what will really make you find where you belong in this world. Don’t be mysterious, don’t shy away from dark conversations or lie for no apparent reason other than to not break the social norms of this society. Brutal honesty is the key to a clear conscience.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far? That if you want something bad, then work for it. Don’t pussy out and wait for it to be handed to you on a silver platter. Music has taught me to be a hard working woman and never take any crap from anyone, no matter how tall, older, smarter, or more experienced they are, you know what’s best for you always, no one else. Stand tall, proud, and unapologetically yourself.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at? This is a crazy one, but Coachella, obviously. I don’t care if that sounds like a baby dream or unrealistic, because if you truly want it, you’ll get it. Coachella would be my absolute peak of life. I’d do something crazy aswell, like bring out an icon like Sabrina brought out Madonna this year. Gagged. I would definitely love to perform at Laneway aswell for a full circle moment. I’d love touring my country and sharing my art with my own people. I would also kill to perform at venues like the Hollywood Bowl or Maddison Square Garden, insane.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why? Oh my god, I cannot even begin to choose one. I would have to say maybe Addison Rae. This is because i’m OBSESSED with her creative vision and I think it’s really similar to mine. I take a lot of inspiration from her. I also love the idea that she only works with women, that is someting I hope to progress to in the future, working with people who I can truly feel comfortable with and connect with and who will understand my vibe. Don’t even get started on the whole “she’s not a real artist” crap, she’s a visionary. I also would die if I ever got the chance to collab with someone like Rihanna or Lady Gaga, just because they are absolute icons and I’d simply pass away.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links) You can find me on platforms like Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook under @amaramaree_, Not yet do I have a website, but maybe sometime in the future. I also have Youtube but I haven’t posted on there in a long time. My Spotify is Amara Maree.
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I really hope to get accepted into my dream performing arts school WAAPA next year. As for my platform, I want to have grown my following and reached more people and commuinities all over the world. I want to be having more and more gigs and performances because I love doing that more than anything in the world, and I want to be signed to a record label. I also hope to just be giving it my all and being truly comfortable and transparent with interacting with my audience. I want to have kicked off my true rebrand and hopefully be going by just the name ‘Amara’, because that feels more like me. I want to have a clear pathway in this industry.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way? I hope they will discover that I’m a girl who’s hungry for this glamorous lifestyle and that I’m more than ready in my entire life to devote myself to achieving my dream. I hope they realise that I can be the next big thing if I get given the opportunity, just you wait and see.
