Amanda Perez: a Recording Gem
You could say that Virgin Records smelled talent in Amanda Perez. Her soul talents and musical artistry are evident and are mirrored in her new album and single, “I Pray”. Amanda Perez is a twenty-four year old singer and is a gifted singer who can belt out hip hop, R&B and pop.
Music coming straight from the soul is how Amanda would describe her singing, She grew up in a family who loved music so it was only natural that it influenced her significantly. Amanda said her older sister sang a lot and she promised herself that she would be like her one day.
It was when she was two years old that she tinkered with her father’s accordion just to listen to the sounds of music. Her inspiration came from Sombra Chicana USA, whom she often heard in her native town of Fort Wayne, Indiana – they were, of course, her own relatives. At age 4, Amanda Perez was already singing without the help of music sheets.
When Amanda turned 11, she teamed up with her cousin Mike to form a band called the Sombra Chicana Chiquitos. The group instantly won fans because of their association with Sombra Chicana performing during its intermissions. Amanda confessed it was a good feeling to be performing on stage.
Driven by her music, Amanda signed up with the junior high school choirs and it was at this time that she became attracted to pop and rhythm and blues – the same songs her sister Angie constantly played in the house. Her uncle, who owned a recording studio, also served as an inspiration. Amanda pushed herself further and started performing in talent shows and in local outlets, impressing audiences with her boundless energy on stage. In 1999, she was an award, the "Junior Vocalist of the Year Female" in the Black Expo in Indianapolis. She said she was the only Latin performer in the line-up so when she won the award, the whole family was moved by her victory. When the crowds cheered her, Amanda realized that life was no doubt going to get better.
Actually, it didn’t. To fund her musical ambitions, Amanda resorted to selling drugs and years later, she admitted that it certainly was not worth it. She shares her experience with her fans by saying not to give up on their goals and to not do anything that would only translate into problems eventually. In her album, “I Pray” Amanda takes her listeners to a world of intense emotion and passion.