Amelia Jae
Encyclopedia
Amelia Jae Nina McMurray (born 29 July 1983) is an Australian pop
singer-songwriter and musician.
In 2011, Amelia launched her critically acclaimed debut album, No Ordinary Day to a sold out capacity audience of over 500 people. In the same year, she officially introduced herself to the entertainment world through Foxtel
's Entertainment News Reporter, Georgia Hawkins. In July 2011, Amelia supported United States’ YouTube
phenomenon David Choi
in his Australia
leg of his APAC
tour.
, NSW Australia. She is the daughter of Judy McMurray and Steve McMurray and is the third of four children, having two older brothers and one younger sister. From the age of 7, Amelia started taking dance lessons. She started singing at the age of 12 when her teacher decided to put on a school musical.
Some of Amelia’s musical influences include Tina Arena
, Taylor Swift
, Kelly Clarkson
, and Rob Thomas
At 15 years of age she made the conscious effort to move to a NSW state school, Colo High School, where she auditioned for the NSW Schools Spectacular' and spent 3 years in this program before graduating from the prestigious Talent Development Project. During this time, Amelia was introduced to Opera singer and teacher extraordinaire Jonathon Welch
, who was also the founder of The Choir of Hard Knocks
and went on to study full time for a year at Australia’s prestigious NIDA
(National Institute of Dramatic Arts), graduating from the 'Singer Dancer Actor' course in 2004.
Amelia Jae graduated from Charles Sturt University
with a Bachelor of Education (Primary).
.
Amelia Jae wrote her first song at the age of 14 and has been developing her singer/songwriting skills since graduating from the Talent Development Project. She says, 'Knowing that through my music, people will be gaining a glimpse into my soul is both scary and exciting. I knew I wasn’t the only one out there to experience these feelings, these emotions and thoughts, and if in some small measurement someone could relate to my stories, then I wanted these stories to be heard'.
In February 2010, Amelia Jae was signed by Monsoon Productions. In August 2010, Amelia performed before 4000 young people at the Sydney Entertainment Centre from her debut single “'The World is Sick'” for the RICE YOUTH EVENT. Working with USA based producers Joshua Brown (Nashville, TN), Dakarai Gwitira (New York), and Australian based producer Jake Nauta, her debut album, No Ordinary Day was launched in Australia on 1 December 2010.
January 2011, Amelia Jae performed at the Glenbrook Park Australia Day
Festival.
In July 2011, Amelia Jae opened for YouTube star, David Choi
, for the Australia
leg of his APAC
tour, they performed in Australia cities, Melbourne
, Sydney
and Brisbane
. Other supporting act included fellow Australian pop duo Jayesslee.
In 2011, Total Girl magazine ran a competition for a TG reader to meet Amelia Jae. Applicants had to write in their most extraordinary thing they have done
In Oct 2011, Amelia Jae performed at the Black Stump Music and Arts Festival
at the Metro Stage and the Plunge
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer-songwriter and musician.
In 2011, Amelia launched her critically acclaimed debut album, No Ordinary Day to a sold out capacity audience of over 500 people. In the same year, she officially introduced herself to the entertainment world through Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
's Entertainment News Reporter, Georgia Hawkins. In July 2011, Amelia supported United States’ YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
phenomenon David Choi
David Choi
David Yong Choi is an American musician and YouTube video producer living in Los Angeles. He performs a mix of original songs and covers of pop hits. Choi released his debut album, Only You, in October 2008. His second album, By My Side, was released on May 19, 2010...
in his Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
leg of his APAC
APAC
APAC or Apac may refer to:* Apac, a city in the Apac District of Uganda* Apac District, in Uganda* APAC Customer Services* Asia-Pacific * Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections at the British Library...
tour.
Early life
Amelia Jae was born and raised in Kurrajong on the western, mountainous outskirts of SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, NSW Australia. She is the daughter of Judy McMurray and Steve McMurray and is the third of four children, having two older brothers and one younger sister. From the age of 7, Amelia started taking dance lessons. She started singing at the age of 12 when her teacher decided to put on a school musical.
Some of Amelia’s musical influences include Tina Arena
Tina Arena
Filippina Lydia "Tina" Arena is an Australian singer, songwriter and musical theatre actress. She has won several awards, most notably 6 ARIA Awards and in both 1996 and 2000 she received the World Music Award for the world's best selling Australian artist...
, Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
, Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
, and Rob Thomas
Education & Training
Amelia Jae studied drama at local drama schools throughout her schooling at St Paul’s Grammar School and Colo High. In 1999 she was accepted to the prestigious McDonald College of Performing Arts to continue her performing education, where she was coached by singing teacher Megan Shorey.At 15 years of age she made the conscious effort to move to a NSW state school, Colo High School, where she auditioned for the NSW Schools Spectacular' and spent 3 years in this program before graduating from the prestigious Talent Development Project. During this time, Amelia was introduced to Opera singer and teacher extraordinaire Jonathon Welch
Jonathon Welch
Jonathon Welch is a choral conductor and singer from Melbourne, Australia.Welch was the 2008 winner of the Australian Local Hero Awardin recognition of his work with The Choir of Hard Knocks, a choir made up of homeless and disadvantaged singers from Melbourne...
, who was also the founder of The Choir of Hard Knocks
The Choir of Hard Knocks
The Choir of Hard Knocks is a choir consisting of homeless and disadvantaged people formed in Melbourne, Australia. It came to prominence as the subject of a five-part Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentary television series broadcast in 2007....
and went on to study full time for a year at Australia’s prestigious NIDA
National Institute of Dramatic Art
The National Institute of Dramatic Art is an Australian national training institute for students of theatre, film, and television, based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington. It is supported by the federal Office for the Arts, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. NIDA is located adjacent...
(National Institute of Dramatic Arts), graduating from the 'Singer Dancer Actor' course in 2004.
Amelia Jae graduated from Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University is an Australian multi-campus university located in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory. It has campuses at Bathurst, Canberra, Albury-Wodonga, Dubbo, Goulburn, Orange, Wagga Wagga and Burlington, Ontario...
with a Bachelor of Education (Primary).
Music career
Amelia Jae first began singing and performing when she was cast to play the lead role as Joseph in her primary school's rendition of the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...
.
Amelia Jae wrote her first song at the age of 14 and has been developing her singer/songwriting skills since graduating from the Talent Development Project. She says, 'Knowing that through my music, people will be gaining a glimpse into my soul is both scary and exciting. I knew I wasn’t the only one out there to experience these feelings, these emotions and thoughts, and if in some small measurement someone could relate to my stories, then I wanted these stories to be heard'.
In February 2010, Amelia Jae was signed by Monsoon Productions. In August 2010, Amelia performed before 4000 young people at the Sydney Entertainment Centre from her debut single “'The World is Sick'” for the RICE YOUTH EVENT. Working with USA based producers Joshua Brown (Nashville, TN), Dakarai Gwitira (New York), and Australian based producer Jake Nauta, her debut album, No Ordinary Day was launched in Australia on 1 December 2010.
January 2011, Amelia Jae performed at the Glenbrook Park Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
Festival.
In July 2011, Amelia Jae opened for YouTube star, David Choi
David Choi
David Yong Choi is an American musician and YouTube video producer living in Los Angeles. He performs a mix of original songs and covers of pop hits. Choi released his debut album, Only You, in October 2008. His second album, By My Side, was released on May 19, 2010...
, for the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
leg of his APAC
APAC
APAC or Apac may refer to:* Apac, a city in the Apac District of Uganda* Apac District, in Uganda* APAC Customer Services* Asia-Pacific * Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections at the British Library...
tour, they performed in Australia cities, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. Other supporting act included fellow Australian pop duo Jayesslee.
In 2011, Total Girl magazine ran a competition for a TG reader to meet Amelia Jae. Applicants had to write in their most extraordinary thing they have done
In Oct 2011, Amelia Jae performed at the Black Stump Music and Arts Festival
Black Stump Music and Arts Festival
The Black Stump Music and Arts Festival is a four day Christian festival that is held in the Greater Sydney Metropolitan region over the labour day long weekend, often the first weekend in October.-Features:...
at the Metro Stage and the Plunge
Singles
- Wannabe (Rock What You Got)
- Broken Promises
- Beautiful Eyes
- No Ordinary Day
- Worth The Fight
- Collide
- Rainy Day Girl
- Now’s The Time
- Perfect Lullaby
- The World is Sick