Hear from the star about her self-titled collection ‘Amy’ and how her trans journey shaped her music
By Kevin Ferrisi –
Earlier this month, Amethyst, a beloved contestant from RuPaul’s Drag Race and a native of the state, announced on social media the release of new music. Amethyst’s inspiration behind the collection Amy stems from her admiration for pop stars like Charli XCX and Britney Spears, whose third albums often mark a self-titled, introspective moment. She wanted to create something deeply personal, and Amy embodies that intimate self-reflection.
Having started hormone replacement therapy (HRT) over a month ago, Amethyst is in the process of transitioning. While she finds it challenging to share this journey with others, she felt compelled to do so before the album’s release, as the songs and the self-titled theme are closely tied to her experience. Out of drag, she now goes by Amy, a name given to her by her season 15 sister, Malaysia Babydoll Foxx, during the filming of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Although choosing a new name felt daunting and permanent, “Amy” resonated with her instantly, bringing a sense of rightness and clarity, which is why she chose it as the album’s title.
Amethyst’s album Amy is a blend of original compositions and creative covers. She included straight-up covers like ‘Me Against the Music’ and ‘Scratch’, and she also sampled songs to add her unique twist. For instance, she reimagined ‘Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do’, by the Swedish pop star Robyn, splicing it with her own flair, which gained popularity on TikTok. The track titled ‘Amy’ features a sample from Ciara’s ‘Goodies’ but remains an original piece crafted entirely by Amethyst, both lyrically and production-wise. The album also showcases purely original tracks of which she wrote and produced herself.
Amethyst was naturally nervous about people hearing all the songs on her collection Amy. Being her own harshest critic, she went through five or six drafts of the album, struggling with gender dysphoria and low confidence, which impacted her creativity and self-perception. Recorded over a year ago, starting as early as March 2023, the album’s tracks underwent numerous revisions as she doubted her work and compared herself to peers and other artists. Overcoming imposter syndrome was a major challenge, but hormone therapy helped her feel more balanced and connected to her creative self. Through self-encouragement and the realization that her fans would support and love her work, she finally gained the confidence to release the new music and share her news with the world.
In an emotional social media post, Amethyst came out as trans, sharing her gender journey with her followers. She announced her transition in a handwritten note last week, expressing gratitude to her fans for supporting her upcoming album, Amy, and explaining the significance of its title to her identity. “I’ve been struggling severely with my gender dysphoria more than ever in recent months. It’s something that I’ve always concealed in the back of my mind, and through the years has slowly crept its way to the front.” She continued, “Last year was when things really started to hit me hard, and this mental warfare has really just escalated since then,” adding that keeping her feelings inside was “eating away” at her and affecting her “sense of self.”
Amethyst’s new music, Amy, features collaborations with fellow Connecticut sister and season 15 competitor Loosey LaDuca as well as Aja, who previously competed on season 9 and All Stars season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race before coming out as trans herself. Other artists featured are longtime friend and the reigning Mx. Chez Est 2024, Moxie Angel as well as Ayesha Erotica and Solar Angel. The excitement surrounding Amy is amplified with Ayesha Erotica’s feature, celebrating Ayesha not only as a singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer but also as a trailblazing trans woman and icon in the queer community often showcasing many talented gay and trans artists. Additionally, the album spotlights Solar, a fellow trans woman and artist known for her amazing music. Discovered on TikTok, Solar’s inclusion aims to expand Solar’s platform and introduce her incredible talent to a broader audience.
In mid-May, Amethyst released the first track, ‘Hard 2 Get’, sending fans into a frenzy of excitement. ConnecticutDrag.com caught up with Amethyst recently to discuss her upcoming body of work, Amy, and spill the tea ahead of the album’s release.
What was your inspiration behind Amy?
“In my mind, there are a lot of pop stars I look up to where their third album is always that self-titled, inner reflection moment. You know what I mean? I feel like Charli XCX and Britney Spears did that. So, I was definitely going for something personal to me. That’s where the whole Amy thing ties in. I think of it as a little self-titled moment.
I started HRT over a month ago, and I am officially transitioning. It’s not that I’m not ready to tell people, it’s just, you know, telling people is kind of difficult. But I really want to do it before the actual release because it had a lot to do with some of the songs I wrote and the whole self-titled theme. As of right now, I am going by Amy out of drag. It’s kind of a placeholder, but kind of not.
A name change is so major. I’m so indecisive about it. It’s something so personal and permanent. But “Amy” has just felt so right. That name came from Malaysia when I filmed the season [RuPaul’s Drag Race] last year, and ever since she called me that, it was like a little tingle inside of me. It just clicked, which is where the title came from.”
Did you write and produce the album yourself?
“There are straight-up covers like ‘Me Against the Music’.
‘Scratch’ is a cover. Then there are other songs that are sampled. For example, ‘Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do’ is a Robyn song that I spliced up and added my own pizzazz to. A lot of people seemed to enjoy it when I was putting a lot of cover verses on TikTok, kind of like ‘this is what I would sound like’ on the song. I wanted to implement that into the album somehow.
The song ‘Amy’ has a sample from ‘Goodies’ by Ciara in the background, but it’s 100% an original composition by me, both lyrically and production-wise.
There are also songs that are just 100% me, like ‘Addicted’, ‘Issue’, ‘Fantasize’, ‘Forever’, and ‘Stuck On You’. Those were produced both instrumentally and vocally by yours truly.”
What can we expect from Amy that is maybe different from your music in the past, specifically your previous bodies of work, Kind of Girl and Wannabe Popstar?
“I know I always say this about my other two bodies of work, that it is very reminiscent of the sound I grew up with, but I feel like this is the first time I’m really saying it, and it’s actually true because that had a lot to do with the new music. Coming out was a reflection on my childhood in a sense, and making this type of music just made me really happy.”
Was there anything on the album that you were nervous about people hearing?
“All of them, naturally.
I’m someone who is really hard on themselves. This album has actually gone through five or six drafts. In addition to dealing with the gender dysphoria I was experiencing, my confidence was not at its highest, which really affected my work, my creativity, and how I perceived my own work. I was dealing with a bit of imposter syndrome.
A lot of these songs, I think the majority of them, were recorded over a year ago – sometime last year, with the earliest being around March. It’s been through so many trials and errors because I kept doubting myself, thinking, “This doesn’t sound good; people aren’t going to like this.” I was stuck in this mindset of comparing myself to my peers and other artists. It took me a while to talk myself out of that.
As cliché as it may sound, the hormones have made me feel a lot more balanced as a person. In a sense, I feel like my old self creatively. It was just a matter of talking myself back into it and reminding myself that this is good and that people are going to enjoy it. People will support and love what you put out, no matter what.”
What first inspired you to make music?
“I don’t even remember my first time writing a song. I’m sure it was when I was little, and it was probably some kind of gibberish. So, I guess I’ve always been songwriting, but I didn’t take it seriously until high school.
I used to use this game on PlayStation where you could sing along and plug a USB microphone into the console. When I found out you could plug that into your computer and record yourself in a program like Audacity, I was amazed. That’s when I really started, which was in high school around 2011 or 2012. There weren’t many audio programs available yet, so I was using Audacity or maybe FL Studio.
I started with covers at first. I think my first cover was Lady Gaga’s ‘Speechless’, naturally.
I feel like this new music is reminiscent of the music you listened to as a kid. It can really relate to anybody because I made sure to include sounds similar to Britney Spears, Daft Punk, Gwen Stefani, and Lady Gaga.”
How much did songwriting and music influence the start of your drag career?
“At the end of the day, Amethyst was created because I wanted an alter ego to channel when I was songwriting. I think music was a major influence on why I started doing drag.”
What is your creative process like?
“It can be crazy sometimes. Most of the time, about 90% of the time, it usually starts with the instrumental. Whether it’s a beat a friend has sent me or something I’ve created, that’s usually how it works. When I’m in the studio and just want to mess around or if I’m having an off voice day, I’ll play around with the instruments on my computer to see what I can come up with. It usually starts from there. Honestly, I can’t think of one instance where I’ve written something melodically first and then the instrumental came after.
I like to do what I call the “Sia method.” I kind of got this from her, where she mumbles the melody on the track until she fills in the words. That’s part of my songwriting process too.”
What is one message you would give to your fans about this album?
“I guess this has to do with me being in my head, but this sentiment is what pulled me out of those inner-saboteur voices. Yeah, it’s cheesy and cliché, but I had a lot of fun writing and making this. At the end of the day, yes, I want to be taken seriously as a recording artist, but it’s also not that serious. This new music is fun – it’s pure fun. I want people to have fun with me.
I don’t want to take it too seriously, but I want them to know how much joy music brings me and how much passion I have behind it. Even if it’s not their cup of tea, I just want people to know that I’m really happy doing this.”
Wrap-up
Amethyst blazed a trail as one of the first three contestants hailing from Connecticut to grace the stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Prior to her breakout on the global stage, she triumphed in the local scene by clinching victory at Chez Legends season 8, held at Hartford’s renowned Chez Est. Her journey on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 was marked by unforgettable moments of resilience and talent. Despite facing the bottom two in the initial challenges, she defied the odds by winning both lip-syncs. Amethyst’s standout performance came during the iconic Snatch Game in episode 4, where her portrayal of Patricia “Tan Mom” Krentcil captivated audiences. Though her time on the show concluded in episode 5, Amethyst left an indelible mark as a competitor whose charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent shone brightly throughout her Drag Race journey.
Following the courageous announcement of her transition, Amethyst opened up to her followers about the challenges she faces. Despite her insurance falling short on covering essential procedures like facial feminization surgery (FFS), she remains determined to achieve the care necessary for her transition journey. To alleviate the financial burden, Amethyst launched a fundraiser with a goal of $10,000, inviting supporters to contribute and stand alongside her in this transformative phase. Your donation not only aids in her medical journey but also symbolizes solidarity and support for Amethyst’s path towards authenticity and self-fulfillment. Join in supporting her journey by making a donation here.
As Amethyst prepares to unveil Amy to the world, her journey of self-discovery and artistic expression stands as a testament to resilience and authenticity. Through her music and personal narrative, she invites audiences to join her on a transformative odyssey, embracing vulnerability and celebrating identity. With each track, Amethyst not only showcases her talent but also shares a deeply personal narrative of courage and growth. As fans eagerly anticipate the full release, Amy promises to resonate as more than just an album – it’s a testament to the power of self-expression and the triumph of embracing one’s truest self.
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