project boy band
“AMPHI is sunglasses in the winter and heavy boots in the summertime. AMPHI is a crew. AMPHI walks narrow streets in Paris wearing boots and trenchcoats. AMPHI has fans who ship them and write fanfiction. AMPHI keeps a secret from the audience.”
– from the Artistic Vision document
introduction
AMPHI was a boyband consisting of women.
in march 2019, i decided to start a boyband as a gesamtkunstwerk.
i partnered up with producer and guitarist, Mads Christiansen, and started castings. we found four young women – three singers and a rapper.
for a year, we met up every wednesday in my studio, mades spicy christmas tea and worked. we wrote and practiced original songs and raps, produced and recorded with professional producers, and created personas with distinct looks, traits and Instagram-profiles.
the project concluded in august 2020. at this point, we had written 13 songs, performed three concerts, and finalized the production of our song “Blood Moon.”
AMPHI performing original apocalyptic disco song, Blood Moon, at Bellahøj Kirke – february 2020
why boyband?
we wanted to explore the classic boyband format, characterized by the unique characters created for fans to fall in love with.
that’s why we identified as a boyband. the personas were genderless and developed to draw attention.
the boyband is a kitsch format that no one is scared to approach. it’s silly, it’s too much and it’s highly addictive. people enter with a curiosity that enables you to address deeper themes.
our theme
i knew we couldn’t make it look like a typical boyband. we didn’t have the funding, the resources or the experience.
we had to embrace our shoestring-homemade-style. it gave us an opportunity to talk about imperfection; something you don’t get to say as an established, perfectly produced boyband.
our main theme for the project was being flawed. we intentionally made mistakes on stage and talked about it, we embraced flat notes and when Ellis spilled water everywhere during our first show.
gender performativity and expression was a secondary theme; a feature, more than the matter at hand. it was a way of introducing diversity without needing it to be the main topic.
AMPHI performing frustrated love song, Call to War, at Bellahøj Kirke – february 2020
from Jaxton’s Instagram
from Milo’s Instagram
the characters
Milo
the match
charming, dancing, reflected
Jaxton
the umbrella
witty, energetic, happy
Leone
the tuning fork
stylish, cool, laid-back
Ellis
the weight
confident, honest, silly
Marie-Louise Mastellone Ottesen
picked the match because Milo is the spark and enthusiasm of the group
Freja Mo
picked the umbrella because Jaxton shields the group and keeps everything nice and dry
Laura-Marie Harpelunde Roed
picked the tuning fork because Leone keeps the standards high
Mira Berglund
picked the weight because Ellis wants justice in all matters
the song
listen below to our apocalyptic disco song, Blood Moon. it was produced by Green Tape Records in 2020.
you’re walking with your girlfriend through the streets of a european city in the summer night, and everyone is dancing and drinking at bars and having a grand time. but only the two of you know that very soon, a terrible storm will hit the city, and the only way to survive is to catch the train leaving from the station in just a few moments.
but the girl hears a song she loves from a bar, and she wants to stop to dance, just for this one song. you’re desperately trying to drag her along, but you might have to leave her, so you’re not both going to die tonight.
Blood Moon
excerpt from “Blood Moon”
Take my hand
Dance with me
I hate this place
Tonight we leave
Hear the train
‘Round the bend
Look around you
This is the end
‘Cause it’s a blood moon.