Glencairn singer and songwriter Amy Tjasink, 26, might have reached the end of the road with The Voice SA, but it has paved the way forward for her to take her career to new heights.
On Sunday June 23, Amy’s experience came to an unexpected end when she received the fewest votes.
“I was trying to be brave and said to myself, ‘don’t cry, don’t cry,’ but I couldn’t fight back the tears,” she said.
However, she said, they were not tears of sadness but rather tears of accomplishment.
“I made it to the top seven in South Africa, and at times I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming,” she said.
Looking back, she said, the highlight of her time at The Voice SA was her first live performance of Avicii’s Wake Me Up.
“I put my hands up in the air, and I felt like a rock-star,” she said.
After releasing Simplify me, a full-length album in May 2018, Amy and her fiancé, Andrew Hay, relocated to London.
Her career was at a low and she needed time to refocus.
She explained that she had poured her heart and soul into her career, which included working as a music co-ordinator on a cruise ship to raise money for the release of her first EP, Average Jane, in 2016, but nothing was “paying off.”
“I struggled to put my music out there. I felt demotivated and sad about the state of my career,” she said.
However, that all changed when she received a call from the content producer of The Voice SA and was selected for a blind audition.
She made her way back to South Africa for the audition and the rest is history.
Amy describes the experience as a blessing, saying judges, Riana Nel and Ricky Rick motivated her.
“Everyone believed in me, and if they could believe in me, I can believe in me,” she said.
Since saying goodbye to her The Voice SA family, Amy feels motivated and positive about the future. Except for planning a wedding in 2020, she plans to visit the Eastern Cape soon where
she wants to inspire young women in underprivileged communities who are interested in the music industry. She will be touring schools, starting in East London to Port Elizabeth.
She will give talks and perform a few songs to see who is interested in her workshops.
“As a young woman out there it was very difficult for me to start my career. The Voice SA gave me the kick to refuel myself and I want to help others to do that,” she said.
She also plans to travel to Nashville to attend songwriting workshops and says the release of a new album is definitely on the cards.
Her fiancé, Andrew, said he could not be more proud of her.
“It was hard work. She worked seven days a week, all day, with rehearsals, choreography, and vocal coaching. She was amazing,” he said.
Amy said she was grateful for all the messages of support and the votes from the far south.
*She will be performing at Cafe Roux in Noordhoek on Thursday July 11. Tickets are available at Webtickets. For more information or to make a booking, email info@amytjasink.com or find her on Facebook or Instagram.
