Wolverhampton's Amy G helps budding popstars

Known on stage as Amy G, she has set up her own pop school in Wolverhampton offering vocal, performance and songwriting training.

“I want to help create the pop stars of the future,” she says. “There was nothing like this in Wolverhampton catering for the pop industry. There are lots of dance schools and musical theatre schools but nothing designed for the pop world.

“The pop school is for anyone who wants to be the next Billie Eilish, or another pop star, and they want to learn how to perform, write songs and become a recording artist.

“But it could also be for someone who started on this journey years ago but stopped and wants to pick it back up where they left off,” explains the 26-year-old University of Wolverhampton graduate.

Amy is currently living her own dream as a full-time singer so knows exactly what it takes to pursue a passion for the stage.

She has been belting out songs since she was a child, inspired by her aunt Janette Baggot, who sang under the stage name Janny Lee Stone.

Originally she performed in a band called Splash of Colour, known across the Midlands for their rock ‘n’ roll repertoire, with Amy’s grandfather Larry Micklewright.

Amy started her training at the acclaimed Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London and she credits the stage school with helping to boost her confidence and performing skills. She went on to study musical theatre at the University of Wolverhampton’s School of Performing Arts, which is based at its campus in Walsall.

A professional singer since the age of 18, the beginning of her career saw her travel the world on cruise ships and achieve residencies in some of Dubai’s finest hotels.

In 2015, she narrowly missed out on the chance to be a backing singer for Grammy award-winning artist Michael Bolton and join him on the road for his tour. She was the only UK vocalist to reach the final three in the online competition, which required her to send a 60-second video of herself singing lines from some of his most recognisable hits, How Am I Supposed To Live Without You and How Can We Be Lovers.

Over the years she has turned her talents to writing songs and in 2017 released a track in aid of Compton Hospice and Cancer Research UK, which she had penned at 15 after losing her grandfather to cancer, and dedicated it to people across the nation who had lost loved ones or were battling serious illnesses.

Amy, who recently released new single Loved & Lost, has continued to make waves in the music industry, performing at venues and festivals across the country.

Now she sees The Amy G School, which is based at APS Studios on Imex Business Park, as the next step in her journey, providing the training, guidance and opportunities that weren’t readily available when she was growing up in Wolverhampton.

“I’m a trained vocal coach and I’m putting what I learned during my degree into action,” says Amy, a former pupil of Coppice Performing Arts School in Wednesfield.

Vocal tuition is tailored to each individual student to help them reach their highest potential.

Songwriting lessons include guidance on how to structure tracks and use lyrics within a song while performance training aims to help even the shyest of budding stars conquer the stage and help those who are more experienced move to the next level.

“Recording studios are available at APS allowing students to delve into the experience of an artist and feel inspired right away,” Amy says.

She says the whole programme has been designed to ensure that pupils build their confidence and develop the skills they need to succeed in the industry.

And Amy is enjoying the opportunity to use everything she has learned during her career so far to help others following in her footsteps.

“The best thing about teaching is when someone leaves after a half-hour or one-hour lesson and they can do something they didn’t think they could do the day before. It’s very rewarding,” says Amy.

When she’s not teaching, she is still enjoying performing for audiences around the country.

“I’m really happy I get to sing for a living and I get to indulge in it every day. I’ve worked hard to build my career, there is nothing else I would rather be doing. I meet so many lovely people and I’ve got quite a big fan base – I call them the G Gang,” says Amy. “I did a festival the other day and sang in front of 9,000 people. That was a big moment because for years I’ve only done lots of small festivals.

“I’ve been working towards a show like this, building my confidence in talking to the audience so it was quite magical.”

To find out more see amygschool.co.uk or follow facebook.com/amygofficialxo