photo by steed media service

Amanda Diva has learned the hard way that success doesn’t come easy. Amanda Diva has learned the hard way that success doesn't come easy. Despite her career as a VJ, radio personality and journalist, she met with resistance when it came time to garner support from former colleagues.

“I’ve actually come upon a lot of times when folks don’t want to support [me] because they feel like its favoritism or they feel like, ‘You worked here before so we can’t show you any love,’ ” she explains. “The only thing I can call that is hate, because I know the quality of what I’m putting out.”

Amanda’s confidence in her music is not without merit, either. Her video “Supawoman” was added to rotation on “MTV Jams” and “VH1 Soul” and she recently shot a video for the second single, “Windows Over Harlem.” While she admits it’s been a steady grind, her faith has been paying off. “We’re starting to see the support grow. As more people hear it, their judgments are being changed,” she says.

Last year, Amanda’s biggest test came when she was added to Floetry’s tour — as the replacement for Natalie Stewart, one-half of the neo-soul duo. For Amanda, filling in the shoes of the much-loved Stewart was challenging. “I have never seen anything like that in my life. The vehemence I got from the audience was just scathing,” she recalls.

Things got so bad that Amanda actually considered quitting the tour. However, after being persuaded by a band member to stick with it, and talking things out with Floetry’s other half, Marsha Ambrosious, the two went on to give what Amanda considers their best show of the tour. “Our energy was just crazy after that … at the end of the day, I’m not a quitter,” she states. “And I’m not going to let anyone else’s wackness make me wack.” –ivory m. jones

Amanda Diva’s EP, Life Experience, is available for purchase on iTunes. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/amandadiva.

Send this Article to a Friend
facebook