James Downham and Amanda Kind joined us on the Front Porch to discuss their latest single, “Another Round”, give us some insight on the music industry, their friendship and … Sneaking into The Keg?!
James’ drink of choice when sitting on the Front Porch is either a nice glass of red wine or an ice cold beer, while Amanda opts for a refreshing grapefruit radler.
Regardless of what’s in your cup, you’re going to be wanting “Another Round” after hearing their latest single!
Listen Now!
“Another Round”: a Relatable Song for Summer
When it comes to making country music, both James and Amanda feel that it needs to be relatable and speak to an experience.
“Writing this song, we wanted to do kind of a different take on a universal experience,” James explained.
This song takes on a different theme than their last two collaborations. It’s a lot more rowdy, upbeat and fun!
“We had so much fun writing this song,” added Amanda. “It’s all about that undeniable connection where you try to get it right again and again because you’re chasing the high that comes with being around that person.”
RELATED: Read more about “Another Round” from when the song first came out …
Putting “Another Round” Together
Even though “Another Round” was written in one night, they spent a lot of time working on it to make sure it was perfect.
They played with the key to find the right register, paid extra attention to the harmony and made sure the musicality of the song was exactly what they wanted.
Being a vocal coach, Amanda can be hard on herself when it comes to her own music and performances. “I get mad at James in the studio because he can do 3 takes and have it be like totally lights out and I have to do 10,” Amanda laughed.
James and Amanda extend a lot of thanks to their producer, Matt Koebel, who they call a “wunderkind” and really helped make this song what it is.
Sneaking into the Keg
The cover art of “Another Round” is a black and white photograph of James and Amanda sitting at a table with some drinks. It matches the vibe of the song perfectly!
However, the photo isn’t as innocent as it looks. James and Amanda confessed that they “snuck” into The Keg on their way to the CMA Ontario Awards to grab the photo!
Amanda was sure they needed permission and were going to get kicked out, but James had the “let’s just do it and see what happens” mindset and thought ordering a drink would be enough to avoid any sort of trouble.
It’s safe to say that James’ mindset was right since the manager of the restaurant didn’t mind them taking some photos!
“The manager came over and I was pretty sure that he was coming to kick us out,” James laughed, “but he said, ‘Hey, did you know this booth was the booth from The Keg commercial?’ and walked away.”
The takeaway: the James Downham “let’s just do it and see what happens” mindset has its benefits!
From Virtual Writers Groups to Collaborating on Songs
Back in 2020, during the peak of Covid-19, James and Amanda met in a virtual songwriting/collaboration group.
Amanda was on the verge of releasing some new pop music when James convinced her to convert to country and do their first collaboration, “We’re Okay”.
“That song ended up being really popular for us and was on the radio,” Amanda recalled,
“and it sort of encouraged me to take a look at my own solo work and write some country tunes myself.”
Amanda pointed out that her and James pretty much clicked right away since they both have been in the music industry for a while and share a deep understanding of the hard work that’s involved.
“You want to do projects with people you genuinely like and who work as hard as you do,” Amanda said, “I think we’ve just become really good friends and it’s nice to collaborate with someone who’s talent you really respect and who’s just fun to hangout with!”
“Another Round” marks James and Amanda’s third collaboration, and it’s safe to say that it won’t be their last time working together!
Who’s Most Likely To …
We played a quick game of “Who’s Most Likely To”, and here’s how it went:
FP: Who’s most likely to stay up all night working on a song?
Amanda: I’m gonna say me.
James: She’s also most likely to stay up all night working on artwork, social media, you know, all that stuff!
A: I’m the nighthawk!
FP: Who’s most likely to get lost in a new city while on tour or performing shows?
A: It’s gonna be me, I am directionally challenged for sure! If I did not have my iPhone, I would always be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
FP: Who’s most likely to stay calm under pressure?
A: I would say James. I like things to follow the plan and if they don’t follow the plan, I start to think about plan ABCD&F, whereas he’s still pretty sure the original plan is gonna happen.
J: I’ve been told that I’m a pretty good person to talk to at that moment where you’re feeling frantic. I can kind of like bring the intensity level down a little bit!
Connect with James on Social Media!
INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE
Connect with Amanda on Social Media!
INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE
Lily Braendle
A seasoned concertgoer and festival enthusiast who was raised on country music. With passions for writing, storytelling, marketing and content creation.
