Do you have any standout memories from your time at LHS?

Ah so many! I spent lots and lots of time in the music block – we used to go into one of the rooms with a lovely piano in it and thrash out the popular songs of the day at lunch and breaktime. Very uplifting before an afternoon of…double Maths!

I also loved my Art lessons – especially at A Level. We were all given lots of independence to do our thing and were really treated like grown-ups. I have very fond memories of those aspects of the School.

How did your time at school help you personally and with your career?

Personally, I made some friendships that are still very strong today – there’s a really valuable network of us, all helping each other out in our lives and careers. The School very much set that foundation.

Career wise, the School did a clever job of stretching us academically – I managed to somehow get an A in A Level Maths which to me now is mind boggling – and supporting creative interests too. I was passionate about Music and Art and the teaching really inspired that.

Was there a particular teacher that inspired you?

There were a few. Mrs Pirie who taught A Level English completely brought the texts we were studying to life. She opened up the literary world for me and all of a sudden it felt very exciting to imagine all the books we could read, all the plays we could see.

Miss Weaver and Mrs Cheeseman who taught Music were unique in that they didn’t force me to pursue the technical side of music – they saw that I wanted to write my own stuff and were very encouraging of it. My dad actually found an old school report in his pocket the other month when he was clearing out his clothes, which said exactly that.

Mrs Richardson who taught me for Art A Level was so trusting – I was making some large sculptures at my dad’s workshop using his welders and other kit – they were too large to bring to school and I used to work on them at weekends. Mrs Richardson trusted that I was doing the work and only came to see what I’d made at the end of term – that level of independence was really refreshing to me and engendered a strong work ethic.

What did you do after school e.g. University, gap year or apprenticeship?

I actually ended up doing something non-creative for various reasons and went to Oxford to study Law. I trained and qualified as a Lawyer at a law firm in the city which was great but loooooong hours. I worked as an in-house lawyer for the John Lewis Partnership, before setting up my own legal practice with another alum Josie Baker (LHS 2000) called Holt Baker in 2016. There are a few lawyers now working for the practice and I spend half of my time keeping my musical passion bubbling away and doing legal work for clients. It’s great to have that balance with the music world, which can be demanding in very different ways.

How did School support you with your above decision?

LHS pushed us to do well, to find the best next stepping stone that would open up the next chapter for us – I think we all adopted that ambition to a greater or lesser extent.

Can you explain your career path – how did you get to where you are today?

Back in 2016 I decided that I really, really needed to get back to my creative roots – whilst working as a lawyer I had kept writing music and playing it, but I needed full immersion! I left my job and had planned a stint dedicated to music writing and making. Me, and my now husband, went on a long road trip around California and for some reason thought taking an incredibly heavy electric piano with us would be a great idea and very straightforward – getting onto the various flights was…..interesting! Madness in retrospect! But my idea was that wherever we were staying, I would have my trusty piano and be able to write and write and write. I then met a producer in LA who I worked with to create some early stuff and it then kept evolving and growing. I released my first project back in 2017, and have since released 3 EPs, working with a few different producers. I have been working on an album for the last two years and it’s a big step up for me in every possible way – my plan is to release a single every 4-6 weeks, before the full album later in the year. I’ve had some great press and support so far, so I’m excited about the next chapter.

What are your career highlights?

Releasing the first single THE STORM from the new album. I had such incredible feedback, it’s such a motivation to keep going. Spotify link is here – https://open.spotify.com/track/0QNvQSQDWyA4f7WxeMMl6I?si=b15d22becb684374

and I made a very fun video here – https://youtu.be/pKu42iULdvE?si=q_UZAaio6749V9GO

What have you done outside of your career that you are most proud of?

I’m lucky that I have two careers – law and music. The thing I am most proud of is adapting and moulding my time so I can carry on with both. It’s very busy with many plates spinning at the same time – I also have two little kids – but I feel very privileged to have that dual life.

Do you have any life experiences that standout?

Not to sound like a cliché but……my two children coming into the world is up there.

What is something that you would want your younger student self to know?

Good question. I think to trust yourself, to reach for things you don’t think you will be able to achieve, but to also know that it will be ok, whatever ‘it’ is.

What is your top career advice?

The world is changing at such an alarming pace – much more so than when I was at school when the internet was in its infancy. The pace of AI is scary and exciting in equal measure. Jobs and workplaces are going to change drastically and quite rapidly, and the ‘safe’ careers are potentially not so safe anymore. What can you do to future proof yourself? This might be academically, or outside of traditional learning. I’d adopt the mindset of feeling comfortable with having to adapt and pivot – and seeing that as an exciting opportunity rather than a worrying proposition.

Do you have any life advice or wisdom to share?

Friendships are one of the most valuable things to cultivate. Look after them, look after your friends – and they will look after you.

Is there anything that you would have done differently?

I misbehaved a lot in the first few years of LHS and my rebellious streak really started to shine through – much to my parents and teachers dismay! Whilst I’m fairly sure my mad antics were the spark of many friendships, I probably wasted a fair amount of time and missed out on some lessons that I now regret. My history and geography knowledge is famously bad among my family and friends! Mind you, I did have a lot of fun, and who really needs to know about Wars of the Roses! Sorry current history teachers!

Finally, who inspires you?

My lovely mum is so consistently cheerful, grateful and inspiring – seeing the world through her eyes makes for a joyful day (almost) every day.

To hear Amy’s music and to read more about her follow this link https://vibe.to/holt