Today we’d like to introduce you to Amaiya Holley.
Hi Amaiya, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started singing at a very young age. Pretty sure I came out of the womb singing on pitch. My earliest memory singing was when I was three. My dad would always video record me singing and dancing along with my favorite artists around the house, Deborah Cox, Whitney Houston, SWV, you name it! Noticing whatever talent my parents saw in me at the time, they quickly got me involved in the arts. They enrolled me in dance classes & vocal lessons, which was the start of my journey in the arts. I went to a performing arts middle school in Largo, Maryland, where I concentrated in vocal music. Here is where I learned to read music and was also classically trained. This set the foundation for every training that would follow. After middle school, I moved down south to New Orleans, Louisiana, where I already had familiar roots, to continue to my training in the arts. I was accepted to the best-performing arts school in the southern region (just to brag), New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. I continued my classical training here, majoring in Vocal Music for my freshman year. Sophomore year is where I found my true love, Musical Theater. For the remainder of my high school career, I studied Musical Theater.
Upon my completion of High School, I went back up north to attend college at the illustrious Bowie State University (just to brag again), majoring in Musical Theater. During my matriculation at Bowie State, I found my voice on campus and off. On campus, I constantly performed in several theater productions and on-campus events. Off-campus, I was cast in my first professional production, The Black Nativity at Theater Alliance, DC. In addition, I also trained at Tony Award-winning Signature Theater in Arlington, VA. Doing all of this while still being a college student gave me motivation for what was to come after getting my degree.
I moved to New York City after graduating from Bowie, and I was accepted into Stella Adler Acting Studio for their Black Arts Acting Program. In turn, that acting program landed me a role in the West Coast Premiere of “Marie & Rosetta” at Cygnet Theater in San Diego, CA. Completing the run of that show, I returned to NYC to continue to audition. You know, the typical circle of life for thespians. About a year later, the pandemic hit.
Fast forward to present day, I am back in the DMV! Since I’ve been back, the opportunities have been endless! Still forever auditioning, and while I love telling the Stories of others, now I’m exploring and creating my own art.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No road has a smooth pavement. Growing up, I hoped that mine would. I had supportive family and friends, a passion for music that fueled my purpose! What could possibly go wrong? I had a vision and a plan for my life, but I realized plans never go as expected, and I quickly learned that life can happen in the blink of an eye. My sophomore year of college, I got a devastating phone call that would forever change my life. My cousin, who was also attending Bowie State with me, passed away in a car accident. I felt numb for a long time, feeling stagnant in my life and in my craft. There were many moments when so many questions would fill my head. “Why him?” “Why our family?” “Will I ever heal from this trauma, and how do I even move forward?” But it’s ironic how tragic events have a way of making us stronger. With the loss of my cousin, I learned many lessons and gained a new strength that I never knew I had. My new strength gave me happiness during healing. It gave me contentment during chaos. And most of all, my new strength allowed me to break down but not stay down. 5 years later that new strength that I found would be tested, but in a different way that would also affect the entire world. Now, remember when I said, “Plans never go as expected”? Yeah, well, the Pandemic completely changed the trajectory of my plans. I was living in my dream city, auditioning by day and waiting tables at night. With me living in the city of dreams, I was sure mine were 100% destined to come true… so I thought. But what happens when your life expectations become the unexpected? The city as I knew it and adored, was completely shut down. I lost my job, gave up the cutest little apartment in Bushwick, and I packed all my stuff, and Uhaul’d back to Maryland. I remember feeling so depressed when I returned to the DMV, unsure of what would be next for me and totally convinced that New York was the only place for me to flourish.
Forced to sit still with the rest of the world, I started to write. I wrote my first single called “For My Good” in need of some positivity in a time of pother. The entire world being at a halt was so abnormal I needed myself to know that everything would be okay, and I wanted others to have that same faith as well. I’m beyond proud to say that song was streamed in over 400 countries! As time went on, I continued writing more, and as the world cautiously opened up little by little, I resumed auditioning virtually. Opportunities presented itself from the DMV to NYC, and things started to feel…normal? A new normal! Almost a better normal. Everything that was happening for me in New York was still happening for me in the DMV, and then some! The pandemic taught me a new strength as well, strength to really believe in myself and not my location. I determine my success not my not my Brooklyn zip code.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an actress, singer, songwriter based out of the DMV area. I’ve performed in theaters and on stages from the East Coast to the West Coast in an array of plays, musicals, and other performances. I’m known for my powerful and soultry vocals on stage. Whether you’re at a theater production or an Amaiya Holley production, you’re guaranteed to remember my stage presence. I like to view myself as artistically well-rounded. I can sing a classical Italian Aria, and I can also sing your favorite 90’s classic. I can perform Shakespeare to August Wilson and dance genres from tap to modern. But all the credit goes to my teachers. I like to think they’re my biggest flex. I’m blessed to have be a student of TV/Film actors, directors, Broadway actors, Tony Award winners, and the list continues to grow. They are a huge reason that I’m the artists I am today.
We’d love to hear about what you think about risk-taking.
So obviously, my move to New York can be viewed as taking a risk, but I think of it more as taking a chance. According to dictionary.com, the definition of a risk is “exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance:” One, I’ve never experienced loss pursuing my passion, only lessons. Two, my whole career is contingent on taking a chance. From auditioning to the many “nos” and few “yeses” to not knowing when, where, or what my next gig will be. I don’t have a typical 9-5 job, a Plan B OR Plan C. It has been and always will be Plan A. For me, taking a chance without a plan is the risk & not taking the chance would be most hurtful & hazardous outcome for self and the ultimate loss. Without taking a chance, you’ll never know what you’re made of.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amaiya.holley/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSpOGuK9AjtZsHl21CGa6A
- Other: https://linktr.ee/AmaiyaHolley
Image Credits
Chrys B Photography
A+ Crew
Jada Imani
M Karlie
Cadel C.
Stanley Photography
