On Music: Alisa Amador talks about bringing heart-felt songs to Portland

While looking for a column to begin the month of November, I was scrolling through the lineup of acts coming into one of my favorite listening rooms, One Longfellow Square, and stopped on one for the 14th of that month: Alisa Amador, which will also be a standing-room-only show (with limited seats available for those who wish to sit).

I listened and watched the NPR video presented on their website which featured Amador on guitar and I immediately fell in love with her angelic voice and humble demeanor. In 2022, her performance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series was the first-ever Spanish language song to win that show’s top honor; and now, two years later, she’s released her stunning debut album Multitudes to which I was given a link. After listening to it multiple times, I knew I had to have a conversation with her … what follows is a part of that 21-minute chat.

Alisa Amador Sasha Pedro

Q: Where am I calling?
A: I am in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it’s my hometown and I still live here when I’m not on the road.

Q: Do you spend much time on the road?
A: I do, yeah. I tour full-time. A third of my time is playing shows and then I would say about half of the time I’m away from home, maybe more.

Q: Well, at least you’re doing something you love so that must help a lot.
A: Yes, it helps but I’m definitely still learning how to be a human and be a full-time artist.

Q: For full transparency, I have not heard of you before but when I saw you were coming to one of my favorite listening rooms I decided to check you out for a possible conversation.
A: Well, thank you for investigating further (laugh). That’s the dream for artists, I believe, for people to give us a chance.

Q: What really clinched the deal for me was getting a link to your new album Multitudes and to say that I was moved would be a vast understatement …
A: Oh, Lucky!

Q: … and the thing of it is, I don’t know Spanish so I’m not sure what you were singing about on five of the 12 songs on the album. When did this album come out — was it a fairly recent release?
A: The album came out in June so we toured it heavily at festivals in the summer, and then toured in listening rooms when the weather got cooler. It’s been such a joy to go from these outdoor festivals where the audiences have been wonderful, too, but there’s something so special to then go into listening rooms and get to play these songs for people who are buying tickets just to see this show.

Q: Have you ever played at One Longfellow Square before?
A: You know, I haven’t. I’ve been in the audience many times but I’ve never played there. I love the space, I think it’s so fun and strange and wonderful to have this asymmetrical seating and then this upper balcony that’s so fun, so, yeah, I love it there.

Q: Do you tour with backing musicians?
A: Yes, I have an amazing band touring with me. One of my band-mates is a local artist in Portland, Cilla Bonnie, she’s very busy in Portland, she’s an amazing bassist, a gorgeous singer-songwriter, and she’s also my friend. And then I have Katie Martucci on the guitar, she also sings and she’s an incredible songwriter; and I have this amazing drummer, Dylan McKinstry. This is the first time I’m doing a tour under my name with a band, so since everyone in the band is also a songwriter, we have each of them sing lead on one of their own original songs and I become a supporting band-mate for that song.

Q: I imagine that it’s fun for the audience, as well, a bonus, if you will.
A: I just felt like what a gift to have this much time on the stage and touring with people who are so remarkable, and playing for an hour-and-a-half, with all eyes on me, is almost like too much (laughter). In the past few years, I’ve been opening and that’s been like 20 to 40 minutes, then you make way for the headlining band, so honestly it felt like too much attention on me. I was the one in the center so I thank my band-mates for providing their talents and taking the middle of the stage for a little while because it’s good for my nervous system, it’s good for my ego — keeping it in check. They’re just amazing, and I know how hard it is for people to discover new artists and follow them, you know? So I’m hoping that people who come to see and support me will become fans of these band-mates of mine and support them, as well.

Q: Looking through your bio I came across this line: “before attending college in Maine.” So I’ve got to ask — what college was it?
A: I went to Bates, I lived in Lewiston for four years and I wouldn’t be the songwriter or the person I am without my education there, and I also minored in dance. I wouldn’t say that I’d make a good addition to a dance company but I’m good at parties (chuckle), and I’m trying to have more dance moves on-stage, especially now that I have band mates; I can put down the guitar and try to really move it on-stage.

Q: In the long run, I think the best thing you can do is be yourself, actually.
A: Over the last couple of years I’ve realized that perhaps the biggest secret to a happy life is just being yourself. On stage I am allowing myself to be kind of silly and awkward, and sing in English and in Spanish, and have no idea what genre my music is, but be okay with that. To just play and trust that in being myself will actually help others who are left alone to feel less crazy for being themselves.

Q: What can folks expect from your show at One Longfellow Square?
A: I would say that they can expect to feel lots of feelings, I like to call it “a feel your feelings party” because you’ll probably laugh, you’ll probably cry, you’ll probably dance a little bit or a lot, or any combination of the three. And whether or not you can speak Spanish or English, I think this music will move you, and it’s so much fun.

Lucky Clark, a 2018 “Keeping the Blues Alive” Award winner, has spent more than 50 years writing about good music and the people who make it. He can be reached at luckyc@myfairpoint.net if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.

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