8 March 2019

Tired of waiting to be discovered, Kirrah Amosa is now knocking on fame's door

| Lachlan Roberts
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Kirrah Amosa will perform on Stage 88 on Monday to celebrate Canberra’s birthday. Photos: Supplied.

Everyone wants their ‘Usher moment’ when a well-known star hears of your talent and shoots you to fame and stardom.

For a seldom few, this is how their rise to fame begins while most other promising young artists are forced to work and slave away to hopefully one day ‘make it’.

24-year-old local artist Kirrah Amosa was waiting for her Usher moment, hoping one day someone in the music industry would discover her and help her achieve her dreams. That person never appeared. Until one day she decided, ‘enough waiting’. The only person she needed to help her make her way to the stage was herself.

For Kirrah, music has always been a family thing. Her father had a promising music career until her parents had her when they were 16, and her dad chose family over career. Kirrah’s earliest memory is her dad singing and from an early age knew she had a talent for music.

“I remember listening to him sing when I was growing up and when I was five, I would sing with my dad and my uncle and provide a third harmony,” she shared.

“Two years later, I started performing with my dad. I took every opportunity to perform so even if my Dad started his set at a pub at 8:30, I would go along and sing my two songs and then leave with my mum at 9.”

But besides her blossoming talent and love of performing, Kirrah battled with self-doubt.

“Music was always the career in my head but I never fully believed that I could make it full time or that I would release my own music,” she said. “I used to think there were a lot of artists like me, so what makes me special?

“I was waiting for my Justin Bieber and Usher moment, for Usher to walk through the door and say “that’s the girl” but it never happened. So I thought maybe I don’t have it.”

It wasn’t until two years ago when she landed a role in the brand new blockbuster musical The Bodyguard, based on the 1992 movie of the same name, that she realised her dream could be realised.

The Bodyguard was the launchpad of her career, where she realised she had the talent and she didn’t want to be somebody’s backing vocals. She wanted to be the star.

“When I moved to Sydney, I realised there were lots of people like me and the only way people would be able to see my special talent would be if I worked hard,” she shared.

“I can’t sit back and wait for Usher to come knocking on my door, I need to go knock on Usher’s door.”

It was during her musical theatre experience that she penned the songs in her debut EP, which was released three months ago. Aptly titled Trials, the songs on the EP were inspired by massive life changes during her time on tour, from moving away from family and breaking off her engagement.

“I am a mess of emotions, race, lifestyle and confidence,” she said with a smile. “In other words, I am human and that’s something that everyone can relate to.

“The point of me doing all this is to relate to people and to help them connect with me and to make them feel like they are not alone in whatever they are going through.

“Whether that is having a great day or a bad day, I want my songs to relate to them and to help them.”

Her career aspirations are simple and show just how deep her love of her family runs in her veins.

“I want to get to the point where I am playing in front of stadiums of people and I am going to bring out my dad and give him his moment because he deserves it and I wouldn’t have had that moment unless he gave up his.”

Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.

Don’t miss Kirrah Amosa‘s self-proclaimed “action-packed” set on Stage 88 where she will be opening for Citizen Kay as Canberra celebrates its 106th birthday on Monday (11 March).

Head to Commonwealth Park from 2 pm to 7 pm, for an afternoon jam-packed with activities and food, with a line-up of local musicians taking the stage including the CBR Big Band, H-Cee Family, The Robert Grey Duo, Kirrah Amosa and headline act Citizen Kay.

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