On the 24th of November, Ōtautahi-based indie-pop artist Amber Carly Williams will release her debut EP ‘21 Roses’, a body of vulnerable songs that signifies Amber’s growth in who she is and where she’s been.
Amber is successfully a full-time musician, playing gigs all around Canterbury and funding this project independently, alongside the assistance of NZ On Air’s Development fund. This EP follows on from her first three singles: Kids On The Internet, Life Of The Party, and the title-track of the EP, 21 Roses (out Nov 3rd). These songs were written over the course of the last couple of years, reflecting on the journey of upbringing, loss, heartbreak and anxiety. The EP is titled 21 Roses, after the single, as it’s the most significant, impactful song of all. It’s a particularly visual song and the EP carries on certain themes of it throughout.
“21 Roses is a song I wrote about memories I have with my mum, and the symbolism of the 21 Roses represents all of the individual roses my dad gave to her for every valentines day they were together. My goal for this song was to leave a mark on people. To leave them feeling something - I for one felt some heavy feelings when I first got the master track back. Alongside the song, there is a music video, which was emotional and time consuming to put together but well worth it.” - Amber
Following on from Amber’s participation on TVNZ’s ‘Popstars’ in 2021, Amber has found herself in many collaborative writing spaces, expanding her knowledge and putting her skills to practice. However, the process of creating this EP was by writing all of the songs by herself and then bringing them to producer Terence O’Connor to work on the production. Terence has formed a beautiful soundscape that perfectly captures the essence of the songs, and Amber’s stunning voice slides right on top. This catalog of songs showcases an artist's talent that would sit comfortably amongst the likes of Lizzy McAlpine and Phoebe Bridgers.
The release of 21 Roses is set to be accompanied by an array of shows/festivals including Christchurch, South Island Wine & Food Fest and Rolling Meadows festival to name a few, setting Amber up as a must-see act for indie music fans in Aotearoa this summer.
