With her parents asking “will you ever be normal?” Amelia’s profoundly heartfelt lyrics advocate for the normalisation of homosexuality:
“Are you finding it tough because I’m growing up / And I want to be touched by the woman I love?” she solemnly asks them over deep synths and an infectious pop-trap beat, before declaring “I’m still gonna love her tomorrow / I know it’s a hard pill to swallow.”
In an Interview , Amelia addresses her thoughts on the new Single:
Tell us more about the meaning behind ‘Love Is Love’.
Love Is Love is essentially my coming out song and story. It highlights the moments in which I have felt… insecure and unsure about my sexuality but also all of the strength that comes with being a gay woman and overcoming homophobia and learning to understand and accept people who dont exactly reciprocate that empathetically.
Why was it important for you to share this message?
Mainly because when I was growing up there werent many lesbian artists at all for me to look up to that I knew of. I was definitely someone who had succumbed to compulsory heteronormativity.
I have always been a lesbian but was never comfortable or ready to share that. Especially in the area I grew up in, and I was also a massive emo at secondary school who was already being bullied for not dressing like everyone else.
I want young people, or people who havent yet come out to feel as though this song could give them a platform to do that with, I want to make people who are possibly in the same situation as me to feel as though they can come out and they can be free and love who they want to love without being scared of what society and family will think of them!
Do you have a favorite lyric from ‘Love Is Love’?
“Are you finding it tough?
Because I’m growing up,
And I wanna be touched by the woman I love”
I think this lyrically is very profound because it really sums up the whole message of the song. Like yeah of course parents do find it hard when their kids are growing up because it also means theyre getting older but like, when youre a lesbian its a little more complicated. Like my parents said like “well how you gonna be a mum?” And that really upset me because, I just totally can become a mum but in gay/lesbian couples it takes a hell of a lot more planning and you can do it at the right time when you’re fully ready to put all of your heart into creating a loving family. I really do just want to be touched and loved by my girlfriend and one day be accepted by the world because we dont get the privilege of holding hands in public, instead we get nasty glares or even abuse shouted at us. So yeah like that kinda sums it up.
What advice do you have for other lesbians who are living the same experiences you speak about in the song?
Just keep yourself surrounded by good people, people who understand and people who are trying their best to. And if they dont, and they challenge your feelings and your sexuality then leave them behind because they aren’t worth your time. Its super sad really because youd think being in “2019” and being apart of Gen Z that things would be so different but thas not the case. So keep on loving despite the hate🌈
How do you feel about the representation of lesbians in pop music?
I mean, we are slowly being recognised, thats for sure.
I listen to a lot of LGBTQ+ artists such as MUNA, Kehlani, L Devine, Hayley Kiyoko, Girl in Red. Theyre all KILLING the game. L Devine recently got awarded the Emerging Artist award at the GAYTIMES honours 500 which is so fucking cool, i really love her music, its so fresh and great to listen too. Amber (The Japanese House) got the honour for Excellence in Music also. Like dude the queer community are really out here setting up their own award shows because we DONT get too much recognition from the mainstream media still.
Hayley Kiyoko is also another amazing lesbian women who last year , was awarded with the MTV Push Artist of The Year. Like she DID THAT! Im so proud of all of the lesbians in music. Yall are amazing. Thankyou.
Where do your musical inspirations come from?
Many of the artists mentioned above! Plus other artists such as Lil Peep, who gave me all the drive to get where I am today.
Lil Peep revolutionised what “genre” means and broke so many boundaries within his music and art and I strive to be an artist like that. RIP.
Carlie Hanson is amazing. Sabrina Claudio also, H.E.R, Moxie Raia, Amy Winehouse, Ariana Grande, Post Malone. I could go on and on !
I have a playlist on Spotify called Inspiration, take a listen if you really want to get to know me better haha!
Why is it important to you to be out and proud in your music?
The main reason is so that I can actually write about my own experiences and I can write truly and freely about anything. If I wasnt out in my music, I’d have to come out at some point I think, because I feel like a lot of musicians have had a hard time with coming out. For example Lil Nas X, he came out in a really smart , funny way. But I was always out so to me its really all about putting out songs I believe in and feel have a strong message and communicate my feelings in the best way possible so others can really relate to it!
What do you hope others can learn by listening to your music?
BE YOURSELF. I know its hard and this is always a hard question to answer because I guess like..youre learning stuff about me when listening to my music and I hope it somehow gives you the strength to believe in yourself and be who you wanna be 💘Thanks so much for this interview💖