Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Amber Epp
CLP
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My parents like to tell a story of when I was a young kid and we were camping and I was having a great time making a drum set out of sticks and logs. Another kid came around and my parents got me to “give him a turn,” but he was very disappointed because he wasn’t having as much fun as I was on that imaginary instrument.
My other memory is of my grandpa taking a video of me performing my recital piece on the piano once a year when he came to visit. Hope I can see those VHS recordings one day!
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I’ve been told I’ve been singing ever since I was a baby. My mom brought me as a newborn to her friend’s opera recital, and apparently I tried to sing along!
I come from a Mennonite background and Mennonites are known for choral singing (at least in the Canadian prairies). So in my community it was actually very popular to be in choir and music class, even the guys. I loved singing in the school choirs and musicals.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
I always have a lot of projects on the go… The story is that I like joyful music so that’s what I try to play!
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Joyful, upbeat vocal jazz & Latin music. Ella Fitzgerald meets Omara Portuondo.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
I grew up playing classical music with every note written out. When I started studying jazz, I discovered another way to read music, which is to just look at letters symbols that represent chords, but there are an endless number of ways to play them. And then you use that to make up your own melody. That was something completely new. It’s both a great challenge and a great joy.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
I sing and play piano so I have an upright piano at home, I use a Casio or Nord keyboard on my gigs, plus some amps, mic and stand, cables, etc. I use Sibelius to write out music. I love using the Moises app for track separation – helps me to analyze music and also gives me a way to practice something… like a very specialized backing track. Oh! And a metronome. I have the old-fashioned kind plus an app on my phone that lets you do all kinds of extra stuff. I also like practicing Cuban rhythms with the Percussion Tutor app, and Brazilian rhythms with the eBatuque app
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I love Alex Cuba!. He is a great songwriter and his arrangements are so catchy. And most of his songs sound very happy, which makes me happy too.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Growing up in a culture that values music was a great foundation. My elementary school had a music teacher that would give private lessons there and it was no problem to leave class for half an hour for your lesson.
I play a lot of Cuban music, and that only happened because I met some people in my city that played that style of music. I’m not sure why, but I just love it and I’m drawn to it even though that’s not anything close to my background at all. When I went to Cuba for three months to study music, the family I stayed with said the stork must’ve been headed for Cuba, but hit a wind and dropped me in Canada instead!
I had the opportunity to play in the Havana Jazz Festival in January 2026, and I was really inspired by musicians I met who play for nine hours a day, but still look like they’re having the time of their lives.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
Music has brought me so much joy over the years and that’s the main emotion I wish to share when I’m performing.
I also hope that seeing a white Canadian that grew up here playing a style of music from another country encourages people to be open and learn about other cultures as well… To really dive in.
Lastly, I hope that when younger women see a female band leader and instrumentalist (in a very male dominated industry), they can move ahead with confidence in pursuing music because they’ll know it’s possible.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
About music: groove is king. If it doesn’t groove, it doesn’t matter what else you play.
About life: slow and steady wins the race
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
I would love to perform in northern Canada one day in the summertime, where the sun actually doesn’t set! I think it would be wild to perform at 2 AM with sunlight.
And because I play Latin music, I would love to perform in the Caribbean and Central or South America.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would love collaborate with Oscar Peterson. He played with the some of my favourite jazz singers, and his playing is so swinging and the perfect accompaniment in my opinion.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Website: https://www.amberepp.ca/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amberepp
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Lately I’ve been inspired to level up my piano playing. I am primarily known as a singer and I want to try some gigs where the piano playing is the main feature.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I hope people will discover that instrumental music can be just as enjoyable as music with singing. Particularly in jazz music, there is a lot of room for interaction between the musicians. Of course this can happen with the singer as well. I am hoping listeners will enjoy both!
