Amy Schmidt and Her European Home | Q&A

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photos and videos courtesy of Amy Schmidt

Lincoln singer/songwriter Amy Schmidt feels at home more than 4,000 miles from Nebraska. Over the last two years, she has boated, carpooled, driven and ridden trains across Germany, Austria, Italy, Denmark and other European countries, playing to interactive crowds and learning about herself.

Just after Schmidt returned, Hear Nebraska caught up with her to discuss her latest monthlong tour across Europe and to get an idea of where she might be headed next.

Hear Nebraska: Tell me a little about the style of your music.

Amy Schmidt: I’m just a singer/songwriter and a storyteller. I go to Europe to play in smaller clubs and living rooms because the audiences there have a longer attention span, and it’s kind of interactive. In Nebraska, we don’t have venues quite like that.

HN: What made you want to start touring in another country?

AS: Back in 2008, I was touring in the U.S., but the majority of my Myspace listeners lived in Europe, and most of them were in Germany. I was living in the U.K. for a little while in 2010, so I hopped over to Germany to play a few concerts.

I discovered that my music fit in really well over there and was lucky enough to have a representative from a booking agency in Hamburg attend a show. He liked the music and followed me to the next tour stop to see another performance before signing me to the agency. So that's how I got my foot in the door.

HN: Was it scary when you began playing music in another country for people you don’t know?

AS: I began my solo career in 2006 in New Zealand with a weekly spot at a small venue. My housemates at that time gave me a lot of feedback and were my first fans and supporters. They were Swiss, German and British, and I think that is a big reason why my music still relates to audiences in those countries and is why I feel at home when I am there.

HN: How did your recent tour in Europe go?

AS: It was successful. There were a lot of different situations that me and my bandmates were thrown into, so it was an adventure, but I was pleased with how the shows went. I met a lot of really good people.

HN: What was your favorite thing about it?

AS: One of my favorite things about touring in Europe is having so many means of transportation. On this last tour, I rode trains, hitchhiked, took a boat, found carpool rides online and rented a car and drove on the autobahn, where you can drive as fast as you want, which comes in handy if you're late for a soundcheck.

HN: Where was your favorite place to perform in Europe?

AS: A house show on the island of Lindau in southern Germany. The scenery was spectacular. It was a pretty small show, and it was just a really good discussion time for everyone there. I talked to people I normally wouldn’t interact with. The music kind of brought us together.

HN: What did you enjoy about sharing your latest release, Landscapes?

AS: I guess I was more brave in explaining what the songs are about. Audience members actually interacted, shouting out, “We’ve all been there.” I’m not trying to claim I have a unique story but more a story that we have in common in human experience.

HN: What have you learned as a singer/songwriter since your first album?

AS: I had no stage presence when I first started playing. I realized I had to tour and play more shows to get rid of that shyness. If I could go back, I would’ve made it a more gradual process. I would encourage artists to really take their time and not feel like they have to have everything sorted out before playing shows. I want it to be the right thing at the right time.

HN: What do you plan to do next in your career?

AS: I want to keep on touring — I think that’s something that’s important to me. A boring life makes boring music. I’ll just try to live life a bit and spend time with friends, and hopefully that’ll feed into the music later on.

Kelsey Haugen is a Hear Nebraska intern. She is jealous of Amy Schmidt for having to opportunity to travel to Europe to play music. Reach her at kelseyh@hearnebraska.org.