Amanda Brown Sets a "Dirty Liar" on Fire

I dare you -I double dare you- to find a more powerful, beautiful, and refined vocal performer today than Amanda Brown. She isn't just gifted and hard-working, I believe she belongs among the very elite female vocalists of our time, such as Alicia Keys and Amy Winehouse. This isn't just some hand-waving remark either, as Amanda has had the opportunity to work both in the recording studio as well as on stage as a backup singer for a number of well-established artists, including industry legends such as Stevie Wonder, Michael Bolton, Adele and Alicia Keys herself, proving that her vocal qualities and overall potential are just on that high a level.

Amanda's first shot at worldwide acclaim and recognition would come in 2013, during the 3rd season of the hit TV reality competition show "The Voice", where her biggest moment would be an absolutely stunning rendition of Aerosmith's "Dream On", a version that would quickly make it to Billboard digital charts and praise from critics and fans all over.

After her stint on "The Voice" Amanda would release her debut album "Dirty Water" and then go on tour with Adele as one of her backup singers. In 2019 fans got to hear her voice come up in a couple of tracks from IGOR, the critically-acclaimed fifth studio album by Tyler, The Creator. A little later in October of 2020, Amanda would chase her debut album with the highly-anticipated single " From Here" and today, almost two years after that, we finally have the follow-up: "Dirty Liar".

"Dirty Liar" is the titular song of her forthcoming EP of the same name, which we now await with what little bated breath we have left after this breath-taking release, in which both her lyrical and vocal prowess are shown in full. It kicks off in the most intimate and vulnerable space possible, with a guitar and Amanda's voice channeling in all of the anger and sadness that takes to inspire such a stunning piece of music. "Dirty Liar" arrives from a place of deep hurt and it's plain to see why, as Amanda does a whole Take-down of this mental figure of a romantic partner who went deep into her soul, only to reveal themselves to have been lying this whole time, causing the pedestal of love she had built for them to crumble in what we know feels like both a huge betrayal and a terrible waste of time and energy. The song is described as, daring the listener to consider the consequence of deceit and the inevitable fallout that takes place when the truth comes out.

What surprised me of the song is that very much in spite of its heart-rending topic and energy it manages to be incredibly catchy. I've found myself either humming or singing the Chorus to myself over and over again days after listening to it for the first time. That is not to say that it is an easy song to listen to though, the raw emotional energy of this ballad means that this is not at all a lighthearted song, especially in the first three-quarters of its runtime where it's only the dramatic interplay between the guitar and Amanda's powerhouse vocals, as once some palms come clapping like a military gospel march, things take a turn from the sad and angry to the determined and defiant.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Samuel Aponte is Venezuelan-born raised and based. 

I joined Rival Magazine after a few years of doing PR work for independent musicians of all stripes; understanding their struggles to be heard in a sea of constant  ADHD noise and paywalled access to platforms, I now bring a willingness to always appreciate and encourage the effort and creativity that artists put into their work . Can also find some of my writings on LADYGUNN and We Found New Music.