Exclusive interview:
 Amber Lawrence
By fully committing herself to her music, Country music artist Amber Lawrence is chasing her heart’s dream, but she admits that it’s really just like running a small business.
We chat with the award-winning singer/songwriter from the city whose heart and music are pure Country.
They say that the music business is one of the toughest nuts to crack. It’s particularly so when you’re pushing for a space in a niche within that industry. In Amber Lawrence’s case, that niche was Country music.
Country music has long been a passion, so much so that even when she was defining her career success as a senior manager at Qantas, she was carving out time to sing as a side-line hobby.
One thing led to another and her talent became apparent to all. Even her managers at Qantas started suggesting that she make a decision.
That was six years ago. Looking back, Amber still acknowledges that it wasn’t an easy call to make.
“It was a tough decision to choose my heart over my head,” she reflects.
“I’m proud of the fact that I turned my back on a good career with good money. I’m still a bit surprised that I did though. It’s like starting a new business. Before, with a good income, I was always able to do what I want. Now I have to save ever cent and invest it back into the business.”
 Singing three nights a week, Amber honed her stage skills and confidence. Choosing to see risks as opportunities, Amber kept on pushing until doors started opening.
The pay-off has come on many fronts – not least both critical and audience acclaim.
Late last year the first single of her new album, ‘Don’t Do Lonely Well’, reached Number 1 on the Country Music Channel Charts. Her first album, ‘The Mile’, propelled four consecutive singles into the Top 5 country radio charts.
In 2009, she was nominated for an APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Award for 'Country Work of the Year' for 'Good Girls' and won the Australian Independent Country Single of the Year for 'The Mile' at the Southern Star Awards.
For this year’s Golden Guitar awards, she has been nominated for three – including Female Artist of the Year, Video Clip of the Year and the coveted APRA Song of the Year.
It hasn’t all been easy though. In February last year her father fell seriously ill, which took its toll on both Amber’s personal and creative life.
“He came to the Golden Guitar Awards and saw me sing on the Awards show, but when he came home he went straight to hospital for treatment,” Amber laments.
“We all thought he could survive it, and every day, for five months, I’d go to the hospital and sit and write. It was good because I’d play him the songs I’d written and get his feedback.”
Amber’s father passed away six months before her second album was produced.
“He definitely had an input into the song selection,” says Amber, “so this is a really special album for me – a healing album in a way. And it gave me depth and an ability to explore different emotions in myself.”
Healthy perspective has become a solid rock under Amber’s feet.
“My advice to others, when I do inspirational talks,” Amber says, “is simple: follow your passion. Because if you do then you won’t feel like you’re working because you will love what you do.”
When not in the studio, Amber sticks to a busy touring schedule. She has performed at various major festivals across Australia, including Tamworth, the Gympie Muster and the Deni Ute Muster.
She also managed to fit in a visit to East Timor with The McClymonts to play for the Australian soldiers there.
“It was an absolute honour to be asked to sing for our troops,” Amber notes proudly.
“And I loved seeing East Timor and meeting people there. It certainly made me aware of how tough their job is, and how lucky we are to live in Australia.”
Success hasn’t gone to her head though. She still sees her music career like a serious project – with budgets, expenditures and all the trapping that come with it.
And she still maintains perspective on what really matters in life. When asked about her heroes, rather than dropping names from the top echelons of the Country music scene, Amber spoke of Kurt Fearnley, a wheelchair-bound Paralympian who recently crawled the Kokoda Track on his hands. They met at the nationwide International Day of Disability.
“The days that I whinge about something small going wrong in my life, I remind yourself of people like Kurt.”
Amber Lawrence will be performing at the 2010 Australian Regional Women Leaders Convention in Melbourne. More
Enter the February 2010 survey competition to win a copy of Amber's second album, 'When It All Comes Down' here
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