Life

Singer Amy Montgomery on soup, hot water bottles and making music

Gail Bell asks experts and people in the public eye what keeps them going. This week: Co Antrim musician and singer Amy Montgomery

Lisburn musician and singer Amy Montgomery
Lisburn musician and singer Amy Montgomery Lisburn musician and singer Amy Montgomery
1

Up and at it – what is your new morning routine? How has it changed?

At the beginning of lockdown, my morning routine consisted of a disciplined meditation practice and going for morning walks. Now that some elements of my life have returned to normal, I find having a 'routine' in place is somewhat difficult. Right now, I do what my body asks. Maybe one morning I'll practice yoga or go for a walk, and the next morning I will lounge in my PJs until the afternoon. I think an important thing to remind myself of is that it's OK to fall in and out of healthy routines. Adaptation is key.

2

What might you eat in a typical working day for...Breakfast?

Banana on toast, some yoghurt with grapes and a coffee. Or, for a bigger breakfast, I'll have veggie sausages, beans and egg.

Lunch?

I'm a soup fanatic – my favourite is lentil.

Evening meal?

I love noodle dishes – ginger, chilli and garlic-based noodles with various veggies are my go-to kind of food.

3

Have you been able to work from home – if so, how have you found it?

Not exactly... My job as a musician/performer would usually see me playing live performances around the UK, Europe and further afield. So, with the restrictions that have been in place since March, I haven't been able to do what makes up a huge portion of my work. That said, there is still lots to do as an artist without the live gigs. I have been busy releasing music, shooting music videos and building my online platforms during the past number of months. All in all, I have actually enjoyed this year. I feel like some time and space was needed for me.

4

Best/easiest lockdown meal?

Every kind of soup.

5

Weekend treat?

Thai takeaway.

6

How have you kept physically and mentally fit during lockdown?

During lockdown, I actually had a pretty disciplined yoga and meditation practice. Every morning at 7am would be a one-hour meditation with an amazing teacher Kev Young (In Mynd) over Zoom. I also worked with my yoga teacher on a one-to-one basis over Zoom too (Susan McEwen from Yoga Quarter). I would say that was the deepest and most connected I've ever been to my practice, because there was nothing else on my agenda really, except self-care.

7

What has been your daily outdoor exercise?

Walking in the forest. I feel so recharged after spending some time among trees.

8

How do you relax?

Hot water bottle, lots of blankets, a feel-good movie/book and a mug of tea.

9

Teetotal or tipple?

Oh, tipple. Faustino VII is my favourite red wine and I love a pint of Guinness.

10

What book are you currently reading?

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A Singer. And I'm totally looking forward to re-reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho next.

11

Best Netflix?

When I had Netflix, I loved the series Orphan Black as it was a complete escape and so inventive. I don't have Netflix any more but I've been enjoying A Suitable Boy on BBC iPlayer. Anything shot in India or related to India I will probably love.

12

Most surprising thing you've learned about yourself?

There've been a lot of surprising discoveries such as liking solitude a lot more than I thought and also realising that it's not the performing that I miss, it's more the connection that happens between me and the audience that I yearn for. Another discovery is that I'm not a bad chef, either.

13

On a scale of one to 10, where have you been in relation to cabin fever and where are you now?

I very much enjoyed battening down the hatches at the start of lockdown, which I'm sure a lot of other people did too. But as time progresses, I can feel my frustration more. What was zero on the cabin-fever scale is now about an eight.

14

What are the three things you missed most during the beginning of lockdown?

Travelling, playing live music and socialising.

15

Where will you go and what will you do when restrictions are fully lifted?

Work-wise, if the music industry rises again and I'm able to be out touring, then I'll go wherever my music brings me, really. I would love to get back to Australia to perform again, hopefully for longer this time.

16

Biggest gripe?

So, I thought it was only fair to ask others what my biggest gripe is. The majority vote from the Montgomery family is... being cold. As my brother-in-law has just pointed out to me, I once had three hot water bottles on the go at once. I even brought one in my motorbike boot, already filled with hot water (in the middle of summer) just in case I got a chill.

17

Have your priorities in life or perspectives changed?

Yes, very much so. Before lockdown happened, I was engulfed in the desire to live in the cheapest way possible, which did suit my lifestyle of being away so much. But with changes, we have to adapt and one priority that has shifted for me is wanting to live a comfortable life, rather than a frantic one.

18

Any new skills or hobbies?

Not that it was a newfound hobby, but I did rekindle my love for painting. With nothing on the agenda, painting was so relaxing and rewarding over lockdown.

19

What would you like to see change for good when this is all over?

Visible respect and support for the arts.

20

Has coronavirus changed your attitude towards your own mortality?

Yes – life is precious. My attitude towards my mortality has changed in the sense of wanting to feel the best I possibly can -– physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually – in order to enjoy the short time that I have here on Earth.

Amy's debut EP Intangible is out this week.