Amanda Somerville profile picture

Amanda Somerville

You're past the point of safe return, anyway.

About Me



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Hello, Lovies, and welcome!
I’m a nutty musician from Michigan who somehow got herself known in the European metal scene, even though I’m not really a super-mega-metal-diva girl. But that’s not a secret. Not one I’m keeping, anyway!
You might know me from the various work I’ve done with other bands, but you may be surprised at what else I have to offer and I invite you to look around, have a listen and let me know what you think!
OK, now on to the more serious, official stuff. Enjoy!
xx
Amanda

Singer-songwriter with a razorblade edge.

In a business where image often overshadows substance, Amanda Somerville gives the industry CPR with a breath of sincerity through music that is so real, it’s goosebump-inducing. The windows to this songwriter’s soul are her songs, which are ambient and groovy, yet extremely radio-friendly. Combining heart and soul with hit songwriting, you’re bound to be moved.
Since 2000, Amanda has resided and worked mainly in Germany and the Netherlands . In that time, she has independently sold over 7,000 CDs of her solo work and gained thousands of fans all over the world. She is currently engaged in both studio and live work in Europe and is exploring options for her latest solo album, "Windows."
Discography

Solo:
-In the Beginning there was... (Debut Album, 2000)
-Blue Nothing (EP, 2000)
-Never Alone (EP, 2003) sold approx. 5,000 copies in Germany .
-Aina: Days of Rising Doom (2003) - wrote concept and all lyrics, co-wrote music, worked as vocalist, vocal coach. Sold approx. 40,000 copies and garnered many new fans world-wide. Included several famous guest musicians such as Glenn Hughes, Sass Jordan, T.M. Stevens.
-Windows (release date unspecified) new solo album currently being finished
Other bands & projects:
-HDK - System Overload (due in 2008); co-writer, vocalist, co-producer, engineer
-Avantasia - Lost In Space I & II (2007), The Scarecrow (due in 2008); vocalist
-Andre Matos - Time To Be Free (due in 2007); worked as vocalist, engineer
-Epica - The Phantom Agony (2003), We Will Take You With Us (2004), Consign To Oblivion (2005), The Road to Paradiso (due in 2007), The Divine Conspiracy (2007); worked as vocal coach, vocalist, co-writer, engineer, producer
-After Forever - Invisible Circles (2004), Remagine (2005); worked as lyric editor, co-writer, vocal coach, vocalist, producer; After Forever (2007); worked as lyric editor and vocalist.
-Asrai - Touch in the Dark (2004): worked as lyrical editor; Pearls In Dirt (2007); worked as songwriter, vocalist
-Ebony Ark - Decoder (2006); worked as vocalist, producer
-Kamelot - Black Halo (2005), Ghost Opera (2007); worked as vocalist, lyrical editor
-Phaeno Science Center (2005); commissioned to write and perform song about and for the grand opening of science center by Zaha Hadid, Frank Oppenheimer and Joe Ansel
-Boehringer Ingelheim (2005); commissioned to write 2 jingles for new swine vaccine:)
-Edguy - Hellfire Club (2003), Rocket Ride (2005); worked as vocalist, lyrical editor
-Shaman - Ritual (2002), Reason (2005); worked as vocalist, lyrical editor
-Mob Rules - Hallowed Be Thy Name (2002), Ethnolution A.D. (2006); worked as vocalist
-Luca Turilli (Rhapsody) - Prophet of the Last Eclipse (2002); worked as vocalist
-Virgo - Virgo (2001); worked as vocalist, lyrical editor
-Various other bands (Felony, Reverend Right Time and the First Cousins of Funk, Lunatica, Brainstorm, Imari Tones, etc.)

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 2/4/2006
Band Website: amandasomerville.com
Band Members: Amanda Somerville - Vox & Keys;
Sascha Paeth - Vox & Guitar;
Miro - Vox & Keys;
Olaf Reitmeier - Vox & Bass;
Robert Hunecke-Rizzo - Vox, Drums & Percussion

Influences: Paul Simon
Sarah McLachlan
The Kingston Trio
Carole King
Sheryl Crow
Paula Cole
Tracy Chapman
Ani DiFranco
Blondie
John Denver
Cultured Pearls
Veruca Salt
Prince
Diana Krall
Rob Zombie
Aretha Franklin
Tori Amos
Coldplay
Dave Matthews Band
Mamas & Papas
Harry Chapin
Sade
U2
Loreena McKennitt
Madonna
Natalie Merchant
my Mom & Dad (aw!)
Sascha Paeth
Miro the Hero
Robert
Ole
Ashley Peacock (The Times)
ALL THE ROCK/METAL BANDS & ARTISTS I’VE WORKED WITH:
(-After Forever
-The Story of Aina [Andre Matos, Tobias Sammet, Glenn Hughes, Michael Kiske, Sass Jordan, T.M. Stevens, Marko Hietala, Simone Simons, Jens Johansson, Emppu Vuorinen, Derek Sherinian, Candice Night, Erik Norlander, Olaf Hayer, Oliver Hartmann, Herbie Langhans, Rannveig Sif Sigurdardottir, Cinzia Rizzo, Damien Wilson]
-Asrai
-Ebony Ark
-Edguy
-Epica
-Kamelot
-Luca Turilli
-Shaaman
-Virgo, etc...)
Mieskuoro Huutajat
Jem and the Holograms
She-Ra ;-)
Sheesh, this could go on forever...
Sounds Like: Singer / Songwriter slashed at with a razor blade, painting over the scars with makeup and slowly taking revenge out on the microphone.

If names are what you're after, then perhaps a bit like Fiona Apple, Rachael Yamagata, Jewel, Chantal Kreviazuk, Dido, Jem, Cat Power, Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan, Evanescence, Moloko, Annie Lennox, Kelly Clarkson & Sade thrown into the blender and whipped into a strange, frothy and eclectic concoction.

Type of Label: None

My Blog

Post-Tour Dips, Pre-Tour Jitters & A Broken Nose

Hello, hello! I'm spoiled, I know. I know it and I love it. I get to earn my bread and butter doing something that I love to do, I get to travel all over the world and meet and work with all kinds of...
Posted by Amanda Somerville on Wed, 14 May 2008 09:22:00 PST

Video Tour Blog - Experience it with me!

Hello my Dears!My goodness, tomorrow is the first show with Epica in Cambridge, MA (near Boston). The past week has been a blur, and now here I am sitting on the tour bus with everyone else asleep, br...
Posted by Amanda Somerville on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:12:00 PST

On Tour With Epica

Hello my Dears, and especially this time to Epica fans, Sadly, Simone Simons, the lead singer of the Dutch band Epica, is still ill and will not be able to go on the planned tour through the USA an...
Posted by Amanda Somerville on Sat, 22 Mar 2008 01:30:00 PST

MUSIC ONLINE & Happy New Year!

Hey-ho, peeps~So, I got back to Germany a few days ago and have been wishing those whom I haven't seen since I went back to the States in December a happy new year. I would think that this is normal, ...
Posted by Amanda Somerville on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:41:00 PST

Merry Rockin’ Christmas!

Hello, fellow Christmas Elves~So, what could be better than being home for the Holidays, getting your Mom a new puppy, having a white Christmas and lots of your loved ones near? Well, it probably coul...
Posted by Amanda Somerville on Tue, 25 Dec 2007 06:33:00 PST

Avantasia in the Charts, Movies, On Tour, AND Asrai Release

Hey there, peeps~So, yeah. I'm pretty stoked about Avantasia doing so well. "Lost In Space" is 9 in the singles charts in Germany, 4 in Norway and 3 in Sweden. How cool is that? Plus, it'll be featur...
Posted by Amanda Somerville on Wed, 28 Nov 2007 05:11:00 PST

Fall Musings, Avantasia, iTunes & Catching Up

Hello, Dearies~ Ah, the leaves are falling. The temperature is dropping. Smoke is curling up from chimneys in cozy little villages and it smells like the year is coming to a close. I find myself on...
Posted by Amanda Somerville on Sun, 04 Nov 2007 02:26:00 PST

"Angel of Mine" Controversy

Hello everyone, especially this time to Evanescence fans~ I was searching the web for an interview I'd done a while ago and serendipity-stumbled upon these threads on an Evanescence forum: ht...
Posted by Amanda Somerville on Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:00:00 PST

Avantasia, HDK, Our Stage, Facebook

Hello, my Dears~I have to make this relatively quick, otherwise I'm going to be later than I usually am (which is always too late, anyway!).Just wanted to let you know that I've officially gotten perm...
Posted by Amanda Somerville on Thu, 19 Jul 2007 07:46:00 PST

New Store, New Songs!

Halli-hallo!Sitting here on my new laptop, trying to fit everything I need to do into one day. I'm spending waaayyyyy too much time behind a computer lately, but I'm the only person running the show a...
Posted by Amanda Somerville on Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:10:00 PST