Amy Jo at Chester Live Rooms - Review and Interview - 10/12/2025
- total magazine
- Oct 24, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 26, 2025
Photos and article by Molly Edwards
REVIEW
Beneath the soft cover of fairy lights and hushed anticipation, Amy Jo transformed Chester Live Rooms into something between a candlelit confession and a dream. With her country folk melodies drenched in storytelling and sincerity, she crafted a night that felt timeless. Before Amy Jo, the stage was graced by two emerging voices in the music industry, each leaving their own incantation on the crowd.
First to play was Grace Elizabeth Harley, who opened the evening with a delicate set that felt like a whispered secret between friends. Her voice bore the intimacy of Adrianne Lenker and Joni Mitchell, laced with the earthy wisdom of Laura Marling. There was a stillness in the room as she played, the kind that asks for your full attention without ever demanding it.
Then came Bella Wright, whose set shifted the energy in the most hypnotic way. Her sound, Phoebe Bridgers meets Alanis Morisette, brought smoke and shadow onto the stage. Wright’s performance had a cinematic quality, her voice cutting through the air with an elegant sense of defiance. Each song felt like it belonged on the soundtrack to a 90s witchy film, a slow burn, moonlit assertion of heartbreak and hope.
By the time Amy Jo stepped on stage, the crowd was ready, and she didn’t disappoint. Radiating warmth and charm, she greeted the room like old friends with her infectious, bubbly persona and unguarded kindness, making every pause between songs feel alive.
Much of her set came from her innominate upcoming album, a project she describes as influenced by the 2000s rom-com genre and her “love for British icons; namely Amy Winehouse and Elton John.” The songs leaned deeply into the textures of country folk, acoustically driven and lyrically poignant. The songs echoed Taylor Swift’s narrative details, meeting the soulful ache of artists such as Duffy, and the soft harmonies of The Carpenters.
One of the evening’s most touching moments came with a song written for her Grandad, a man Amy Jo called “her greatest inspiration”. Halfway through, emotion caught her off guard, a crack in her voice and mist in her eyes, and for a moment the whole room breathed with her. It wasn’t just a song, but a moment of collective tenderness.
Between songs, Amy chatted about her love for the musical drama program Nashville, even performing a cover of ‘A Life Is Good’ from the soundtrack. An homage to the storytelling traditions she so clearly reveres. The night also featured a special duet with Callum Mangold Jackson, where the pair performed ‘exile’ from Taylor Swift’s folklore album. Their voices intertwined beautifully, the performance carrying a kind of quiet ache that felt cinematic with the two voices circling each other in melancholic harmony as they perfectly captured that song’s sense of longing and loss.
Amy Jo concluded the night on a high, leaving the audience moved and uplifted from an evening of sincerity, storytelling, and connection (all the hallmarks of an artist with both heart and vision).
A luminous, emotionally rich performance from an artist whose songwriting glows with authenticity. With her upcoming album poised to showcase even more of her lyrical depth, Amy Jo stands as a voice built from a sound of her own - romantic, resonant, and unmistakably real.
INTERVIEW
When you think back to the music you grew up with, which artists or sounds echo in what you’re creating now and in what unexpected ways have they shaped your style?
I like to think my music taste is rather eclectic (although I'm sure we all think that about ourselves!). I grew up with 00s R&B, soul, and a little bit of country music. The country influence actually came a bit later in my journey, which is ironic considering I'm deep in the genre now. Up until the age of about 12, I was singing songs by the big divas, Beyonce, Whitney Houston, and Alicia Keys. As much as I love the R&B sound, it never felt quite right for me. I felt like I was straining my voice and almost forcing myself into the genre. I still hold huge admiration for R&B, though. It's a huge part of who I am. But after discovering Taylor Swift at 15, I began to admire songwriters as much as the vocalists. Suddenly, I was very interested in lyrics and the storytelling aspect of music. I'm a narrative-driven person, more generally. After much back and forth between country and R&B, and Soul, I reverted back to my country influence in my early twenties, largely due to the coronavirus pandemic. I was writing songs just for me, with the intention that no one would ever hear them. When all pressure was off, my songs were stories. My vocal lent itself there. It felt natural. I think I've found my sound, although I'm sure it will always be evolving. I like to think my music now is a mix of all my influences...country music meets 00s pop and soul.
Outside of music, which books, films, or other art forms fed into your creative process on your latest releases? Is there any hidden references people haven’t caught onto yet
This is a fantastic question, and I'm so glad you asked it. I am a big lover of media. Films and books are EVERYTHING! I love going to the cinema, I love rewatching my childhood shows, and I crave climbing onto the sofa with a good book. I just love watching people express themselves in any way! I admire so many different types of artists and genres, but for my upcoming album, I leaned heavily into my upbringing. I grew up watching Coyote Ugly, Aquamarine, Burlesque, Ice Princess, and A Cinderella Story - basically, anything made by the Disney Channel or a film centered around a girl with a dream. Biopics are also a huge influence. The Robbie Williams' one, the Elton John one, the Amy Winehouse one, the Serena and Venus Williams' one...the list goes on. I love an inspiring story, and I never fail to cry when watching films. Needless to say, the 00s rom-com genre has been a big influence for the album. The biopics inspired my music because they taught me to be proud of who I am and my story. We all have a story, and I want mine to be an interesting one. I think people will pick up on the early 00's references in my music, but they might also pick up on the British references, like my love for British icons, namely Amy Winehouse and Elton John.
For young women stepping into the music scene now, what’s the one piece of advice you wish you had been given at the start, and what have you only learnt the hard way?
I wish I'd been told to slow down and trust the process earlier. I always thought I was 'ready'. I thought I was ready to be a star at age 13. Looking back, I now realise how naive I was. I needed to know myself on a deep level to know exactly what I wanted to say. That is quite hard to do at such a young age. Some people know all of that at 18, and that's amazing, but for me, I discovered myself in my early twenties, and I will continue to learn more about myself for decades to come. I just wish I'd allowed myself to explore that little bit more, take the pressure off, and stop feeling like time was frittering away. I'm just getting started, and I want every woman to know that you're never too old to start something. We're only here for a short time on this floating rock, and if I could give one piece of advice, it would be to just go for it! You literally have nothing to lose. Life is only found beyond your comfort zone. Get out of that safety net and go and do it. Someone out there needs your voice. They need your talent. You are worthy of everything you desire in your heart.
With your background in history and politics, do you find these themes sneaking into your songwriting? If you could make any historical moment into a song, which one would you choose and why?
Thank you for asking me this. I rarely get to speak about this side of my life, and I love doing so. I think learning about history has made me realise that there is rarely anything new under the sun. There has always been conflict, and though it sounds dire, there probably always will be. But maybe that's okay. Maybe it's the yin and yang of life. I am such an optimist inherently, sometimes to a fault. By the same token, I'm very sensitive. Sensitive to people. Sensitive to art forms. Sensitive to feelings. I'm always absorbing the inner worlds of others. Learning about history and politics enabled me to explore other parts of myself. The more opinionated sides. The more ambitious side. It allowed me to understand my own thoughts and opinions, independent of others. I needed to learn those lessons. I think it's crucial for your own identity to be able to process the world around you. I encourage everyone to dig a little bit into history and politics. Dip your toe in, it's not as scary as it looks. Hm, historical moments...I'm inspired by the civil rights movements of the 60s, and generally, when any oppressed group finds their unique power. This takes many forms, but I'm inspired by any individual or group that stands up for what they believe in. I want all people to be themselves, and to be themselves with pride. I like to think this sentiment makes its way into my music. I have a lot of empowering songs on the upcoming album.
Tour life comes with its quirks, what’s one thing you always pack with you that people wouldn’t expect?
I'm not going to lie, tour life is hard. I love whole foods, and when you're on the road, there isn't much of that! I also love my bed. Ha! But despite the drawbacks, I love meeting people. I love connecting with other humans and sharing our thoughts about the world. I actually don't think there's a better feeling than that. To be honest, I think people would fully expect this of me, but I always carry a neck pillow. This is a fairly recent discovery, but it hasn't left my side since. As I said, sleeping is one of my favorite activities, and sleeping in the car is never fun. Now, I travel with blankets and a neck pillow. Absolute game changer!
