I had to learn to be strong, for me and for my family. “A mother always supports her child, and when she passed away, it was almost like I had nothing. She described it as the hardest time in her life. On September 10, 2007, Amanda’s mother passed away. In early 2007, prior to the album’s release, the lead single, “Candy Kisses,” began blowing up nationwide. That music would appear on her 2007 album, The Hand of Fate. In the next few years, she was able to work on her music sporadically in her home studio, on days when her mother was feeling better. At the height of her career, Perez decided to step away from the spotlight to care for her ailing mother. In 2004, Amanda’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. After nearly a year of constant touring, tragedy struck the Perez family. Soon after, she parlayed that into a deal with Universal Records, and released her debut album, Where You At? In 2003, Amanda’s star rose further with the release of her self-titled album under Virgin Records, featuring the hit singles “Angel” and “I Pray.” Her videos were being featured on MTV’s “Total Request Live,” her album sales were impressive, and-most importantly to the singer-she was being given the opportunity to connect with her fans. God answered her prayers in March 2001, when her hard work was rewarded with her first recording contract under Powerhowse Records.
Please, give me a chance to do it.’” And with that, she never looked back. I begged God, I said, ‘God, I don’t want this life. I looked at my hands, and I just realized that my hands weren’t made to sell drugs. “I came home real late one night, after having been in the streets all day.
For a couple of years, Perez lived the life of a dealer to support her own habit-music. Amanda’s blind ambition to succeed in the music industry caused her to turn to the streets for the money to make it happen, and she began selling drugs. When I saw the crowd’s reaction, I thought, ‘It’s only gonna get better from here.’” The audience was taking pictures and coming down the aisles to get to the stage. “I was the only Latin performer in the whole thing. “It was an honor just to be invited,” Perez recalls. In 1999, Amanda got her first true taste of success when she won the “Junior Vocalist of the Year” in the Female Division at the Black Expo in Indianapolis. She taught herself to operate her uncle’s recording equipment at his studio, and recorded a five-song demo. Her passion for performing and dedication to her craft led her to join her junior high and high school choirs. Those cherished memories helped shape the little sister into the soulful singer she is today.Īt eleven, Amanda and her young siblings and cousins formed The Sombra Chicana Chiquitos, and earned themselves a loyal following. I used to just look at her and think, ‘Wow! She’s amazing!’” Angie and Amanda spent a lot of time listening to the dance music of the day-Chaka Khan and Michael Jackson. “I used to just watch her, singing songs. Her early discovery would be the first step on a remarkable musical journey.Įarly on, Amanda was inspired by the musical tastes and talents of her older sister Angie, also a singer. Family members remember Amanda playing with her father’s accordion at the age of two, and by age four, she was singing and playing the keyboards by ear. She grew up in a musically rich family her relatives made up the popular musical group The Sombra Chicana USA. Wayne, Indiana, Amanda developed a passion for music very early in life. With a hearty helping of smooth R&B, flavored with hints of hip-hop, the songbird pours her soul into writing, producing and delivering timeless American music, time and time again. Seldom does an artist come along with the true artistic spirit and vision that Perez possesses.