Today we’d like to introduce you to Elise Amara.
Hi Elise, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Dallas (OakCliff) and started music with a private piano teacher at six. At 11, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and used music as a coping mechanism and a creative outlet. I went on to learn bass guitar and acoustic guitar (self-taught) and started wiring my own songs and finally got the confidence to perform and sing in front of others when I was 17 years old. My passion was torn between music and living up to the standards of my parents so I went to college.
Even still, I would play my acoustic guitar and sing the dorm halls there. I found myself pregnant at 22 and stopped doing music so I could focus on providing for my son and finishing school. My daughter was born with a rare heart condition, so I had to do music in spare moments. To take care of her and at that time, her toddler brother. Through battling diabetes and raising two children as a single mother, I managed to release an EP in 2017 called “Soul Haven” and now in the process of releasing another EP sometime this year called “Soul Sanctuary.” When I graduated college, I went into the teaching field and currently teach in Arlington, where sometimes they will play my music during school, which I really appreciate. I use my platform to mentor women who have been victims of domestic abuse and people who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Just having diabetes and not having the resources or support. That is one. Add the expectations of my family where music career wasn’t an option. The trauma from the abuse I suffered from my children’s father and just the overall experience of being a black woman and a musician where people try to control your image and put you into a box. In 2016 I was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy. I have lost vision in both eyes but still function normally. It has been a challenge to do pretty much anything when you have vision loss that cannot be corrected.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a songwriter, musician, producer, and performer. Over the years, I have had to learn how to wear so many hats when it comes to this industry. I am most proud of my projects and still being able to be a mother to my children. I feel what sets me apart from other artists is that I am a Jane of all trades, so to speak. If I don’t know it, I will go learn it and I am not afraid to reach out to people who I believe can help me make myself better for my craft.
Any big plans?
The stage is what I am planning for. Getting back onto that stage is my first love and where I got that “artist itch” to want to do this. I am finishing up another EP so hopefully it will be here by the end of the summer.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.eliseamara.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/Iameliseamara
Image Credits:
Malcolm Dunbar of Gestalt Media
