Amy Jay has been studying music since the age of 6, when she started playing the violin. This youthful sophistication is readily apparent on her debut EP, Supposed to Be, best described as string enhanced, lyric driven indie folk pop (think early Sara Bareilles).
Produced by Jon Seale of Mason Jar music who has worked with the likes of Alicia Keys, Feist and Andrew Bird, Supposed to Be is soft and brightly nuanced. Jay’s voice is elegant and self assured, and the smooth production envelops us into her world with no complaint. Thoughtful and at times melancholy, the music manages to beguile us with earnestness.  Listening to it feels like floating down a dreamy river, calmly propelled by the current.
Jay also has a knack for turns of phrase that invite us to examine something familiar with fresh eyes: “I am your porcelain laced with gold, easily broken, yours to behold,” she murmurs on “Fragile.” Her lyrics serve as metaphoric vessels that convey a feeling directly to the listener.
In the midst of the final track, “Miles,” just as I was starting to grow a tiny bit weary of the breathy folk vibe, something shifted. The internal rhythm of the track picked itself up and momentum began to build, while Jay repeated the line “miles and miles and miles away,” with a mesmerizing lilt. I was once again drawn inexorably into the current and my heart cracked a little when we reached the line: “We’ve always shared the same soul, it’s such a shame we’ll never get the chance to have it whole.”
Amy Jay is a promising, talented artist and has also been fortunate to partner with a producer who knows how to highlight her strengths. It’s no surprise that she has been featured on iTunes New Artist Spotlight and Spotify’s Fresh Finds: Six Strings.