British born country artist Fiona Culley draws inspiration from the beautiful countryside and wandering landscapes of her home. However, it was her move to Nashville that really sparked her music career. All it took was posting a cover of Ed Sheeran’s smash hit Thinking Out Loud on YouTube and within one day, it had garnered over two million views and was named as one of VH1’s ‘Top 5 Cover Videos to Watch’.

Ms Culley was still very much focused on creating originals, although she is impartial to the cover song here and there. She has teamed up with legendary producer, Paul Worley (of Lady Antebellum fame) and one such track that showcases what she is all about is her debut single, the female anthem Act Like A Lady; taken from her forthcoming debut album.

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FIONA CULLEY

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Fiona Culley recently had a chat with AMNplify about all things music and more – check it out below!

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music?

My dad introduced me to music at a young age. He would play and sing; I was hooked.

Can you describe your sound in one succinct sentence?

Bold and unapologetic, yet raw and emotional.

Who are your main musical influences?

So many artists influence me and continue to daily. Growing up, I would listen to anything from Alison Krauss to Britney Spears.

What is the inspiration behind Act Like A Lady?

Act Like A Lady is about being a strong woman and not taking any nonsense from anyone.

What inspires your song writing more broadly?

I write about what I feel or an experience I’ve had. In a co-writing situation, it can be the thoughts and feelings the other person brings into the room. It’s a bit of a therapy session.

FIONA CULLEY

What has been your favourite cover song to date and why?

The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson. We changed the tempo up. I love getting the audience to sing along.

What makes you different to similar sounding artists?

I’m me. No one can sound like someone else. So that makes me different.

What has been your most memorable career highlight to date?

Going on a radio tour and visiting 40 different cities last year.

FIONA CULLEY

What is something you would like to achieve career-wise that you haven’t done yet?

To open up for a major artist on an arena tour.

If you could perform at any venue in the world, where would it be and why?

The Grand Ole Opry, because I would get to stand and perform where so many incredible artists have stood.

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AMNplify – BD