We had the good fortune of connecting with Amber Denae and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amber, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Everyday I have breath I expect to get into an adventure. No day is the same. I grew up in a sheltered, christian home and I had issues with keeping people close to me. Moving throughout middle school and high-school shyly and behind the scenes was easy, unless there was music involved. The stage was a freeing space, and that’s where I learned who I am. I liked being the one who no one thought was coming, and as I grew older into this person I am now, I stepped outside of my comfort zone because it made me a more rounded person. I can’t thank my friends and my family enough for the encouragement to continue being myself and opening my eyes to new experiences that I would have never went for on my own. As an artist, I was told that I had something to present to the audience that was different, and being myself was always a risk because not everybody would understand what i bring to the table. In this portion of my life I want to push people’s ears into new discoveries when they hear my music or voice. I graduated from Columbia College Chicago to understand “ the rules” when it comes to composing and what harmonies are most effective during a specific section but the point of learning all that information was to add on to it. It’s fun to have a balance between the expected and the unexpected because I get to choose what comes next. And without risk, there’s no flavor.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I write and sing pieces that related to my individual experiences growing up as a queer sheltered, Spiritual, black woman. I still get very nervous when I talk about something I’ve written or sing on a different stage because when I release my art into the world it’s not for me. The gift I have is for sharing because people have shared their treasures with me. I am a forever student. I had to humble myself when I got to highschool and college because I thought that everything I wanted would just happen without me putting any real effort into it. There’s so many talented artists in this world and to stand out you have to be smart. The gigs and the network I have to today happened because I realized my weaknesses and I put myself in rooms where I could be challenged. I became a better songwriter when I took my ego out of the room and tried things that I would t normally come up with. I became a better singer when I took singing lessons, worked on controlling my body, and studied different styles of music. Staying focused on those elements in music was and still is a daily challenge. I had to find different ways to cope with my stress like yoga and cooking. If those things didn’t work I would take a nap and reset my brain because Amber Denae does not give up easily. I am a working artist and musician in a pandemic. I’m so lucky!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live about 20 minutes away from downtown Chicago. I really do appreciate the food and the late night open mics and shows there. When my friends from out of state come here and ask where’s lunch, we are definitely going to timeout market first. It’s like a luxury cafeteria for adults. Otherwise, I would try to cook for them ( with a bottle of wine from cooper hawks)because I get so much joy doing it. My favorite music scenes are the bassment and the promontory. I also love going to Sofar Sounds shows because you never know what to expect with the artists or the actual venue.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First of all, God

Second, Mara Love, Shannan Nicole, Kennedy Thompson, Tyriq, Joshua Kambell, Erthe St. James, B. Lilly , and so many other artists that have inspired me to continue being a Chicago artist

Third, Nextshowcase USA, a platform for artists to showcase their talent and gain work experience and incentives from industry professionals

Fourth, my mom. Just want to keep making her proud.

Last but not least, my professors at Columbia College Chicago

Website: Hey, check out my website, ” Denae Perie” with this link: https://warfieldamber3.wixsite.com/website

Instagram: @theeamberdenae

Linkedin: Amber Denae

Facebook: Amber Denae

Image Credits
Alina Markina

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