September 5, 2014

Article: For Amy Rola, music’s a family affair

Waterloo Region Record – September 5, 2014
By Coral Andrews

Amy Rola has an uncanny memory. She vividly recalls sitting in the St Agatha’s Parish pews at the age of two watching her mother, choir director Barbra Rola, play the piano. And it wasn’t long before little Amy began playing piano herself.

“My mom put me in Music for Young Children and they had to take me out because I just kept playing everything they taught me without reading the music — I just knew it,” says Rola.
Now an accomplished singer/songwriter at age 17, Rola is the current Wellesley Idol, has just released her first music video — the bittersweet country ballad “I Wish I Was Her” — is a member of show choir KW Glee, and still sings with her church choir every Sunday playing congas and cajon.

Skilled in piano, guitar, and drums, Rola, currently in year three of Eastwood Collegiate’s Integrated Arts Program, also studies voice technique with vocal coaches Lindsey Minaker and Stephanie Kramer. Rola likes to write looking out her window, as she crafts songs of angst and joy in young love.
With a dynamic sound that ranges from honey-sweet pop to smoky country twang, Rola is vocally adept in both music genres, inspired by Adele, Katy Perry, Carrie Underwood and especially pop ‘n’ country songstress Taylor Swift. Rola credits both sides of the family for her love of music.

Barb and husband Dave Rola direct the St Agatha’s Parish family folk choir, brother Greg Rola also performs and competes around the region, and her uncle runs a music studio in St Thomas where Rola herself has taught over the years. She notes her solid grounding in life also comes from her family’s support.

So when the time came to find a recording studio, Rola had complete faith in her mother, who simply let divine intervention take over.

“I found the studio by looking online, and they were the first ones that popped up.” says Barb Rola. “I believe things happen for a reason. And I thought, well OK … this is the one.”
Barb Rola is referring to Kitchener’s Sound Distillery, (Janice Lee, Daddy Long Legs) and studio pros Dave Houde and Will Muir, whose fun-loving attitude proved to be a perfect fit for her daughter.

Amy Rola has worked with Sound Distillery on all of her singles including “I Wish I Was Her,” “Can’t Get Over You” and Just A Waste Of Time,” which she also recently released on iTunes.
Rola’s video I Wish I Was Her, which included many friends from KW Glee, was directed by filmmaker Zach Ramelan (“Safe As Houses”) at Angie’s Kitchen in St Agatha which brings everything full circle.

“We had to find a location that would let us in to tape a music video at the last minute.” says Barb Rola. “We called a few places and we didn’t know anyone. But our hometown where everybody has known each other for years, said ‘Oh sure, come on in.’ Angie’s didn’t even charge us for the use of the room upstairs. They were so nice.”

www.coralandrews.ca

Amy Rola
The Wellesley Fall Fair
Tuesday, Sept. 9
www.wellesleyfallfair.ca
The Wellesley Apple and Cheese Festival
Saturday, Sept. 27
Cafe Pyrus, Kitchener
Thursday, Sept 25; Wednesday Oct. 16
www.wellesleyabcfestival.ca
www.amyrola.com

View on The Record website