Amanda Stewart's Rootsy Twist on "A Long December"
HONORING THE 27th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORIGINAL RELEASE
FIVE-TRACK HOLIDAY EP SINCE IT’S CHRISTMAS DUE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8
NASHVILLE, TN (December 1, 2023) — Today, Montana-based Americana artist Amanda Stewart shares the sophomore offering off her forthcoming five-track holiday EP, Since It’s Christmas. The release coincides with the 27 year anniversary of the original recording by Counting Crows (December 2, 1996). Amanda puts a rootsy take on the song, highlighting the sweet buttery twang on her vocals that are guaranteed to scratch an itch you didn’t know you had.
STREAM “A LONG CHRISTMAS” HERE.
PRE-SAVE SINCE IT’S CHRISTMAS HERE.
Comprised of three originals and two covers, the EP’s lead single and title track “Since It’s Christmas” (released November 15), was unveiled exclusively with Americana UK, highlighting her signature mellifluous vocals and deeply relatable lyricism. With a soulful drawl that feels like a warm hug, Amanda will make many different types of people feel seen through the project as she explores how the magical aura of the holiday season coexists with loneliness and a longing for those we may have lost along the way.
“Since It’s Christmas” succeeds the release of her 12-track album, VENOM, which arrived on a wave of praise this past July. “We’re hooked from the first moment of this artist's high level recordings,” shared Music Connection, among other nods from the likes of The Boot, Americana Highways, Americana UK, and more.
TRACKLISTING FOR SINCE IT’S CHRISTMAS:
“Since It's Christmas”
“One Hell Of A Year”
“A Long December”
“Merry Christmas to Us”
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
Growing up in the mountains of Montana, Amanda spent much of her time on her grandparent’s ranch, being exposed to the acoustic instrumentation and simple yet honest songwriting of Americana, folk and country music styles. The musical notes of her childhood braided with the openness and sequestered life in the mountains allowed her the space and quiet that was integral in her journey of self-discovery as a person and as an artist. “Montana is a hidden gem full of all sorts of genres of music,” Amanda says. “That paired with the slower pace of life compared to other cities I’ve lived in like Seattle, gave me the figurative and literal space for self-reflection.”
It’s hard to believe Amanda wasn’t always honed in on her craft with an album like Venom that’s so honest and raw, but the songwriter took a while to find her own voice and sound. Music has always been a part of her life. “I can remember sitting at the old, slightly out of tune, piano at my grandparents ranch in Montana just plugging away at the keys and singing nonsense,” she reflects, “I was always singing or humming as a kid.” But it wasn’t until she started truly dedicating herself to the art — writing her own songs and playing gigs most nights of the week — that she really started to understand what her voice could do and how singing of things she cared about made her better.
“I just want people to feel ok with whatever they're feeling,” Amanda says when talking of the message she hopes to portray through her music. “There are songs about a lot of serious and difficult things, and also songs about fleeting moments in my life, and I know others have had similar experiences.” Life doesn’t look the exact same for every person, but through shared emotions we are reminded of how connected we truly are, and Venom perfectly encapsulates these synchronicities. “I want people to get these songs stuck in their head, so that they can be reminded that someone else has been where they may be at now or have been before in life.”