Some artists make music. Others create experiences that stay with you long after the last note fades. Fiona Amaka belongs to the second group. Based in London, she is a singer-songwriter and guitarist whose music blends soulful indie-rock and folk-rock into something deeply personal and universally relatable. Whether she is playing an intimate acoustic set or fronting the Fiona Amaka Band, Fiona has a way of making listeners feel seen and understood.
Her latest single, Honesty (Psalm 139), has quickly become a standout in her growing catalog. The song began years ago as a forgotten idea, scribbled in an old diary and left behind. This year, it returned to her unexpectedly with a new melody and fresh life. She first shared it within her church community, where the response made it clear that this song carried something special. What started as a moment of worship soon grew into a track that resonates with listeners far beyond those walls, reaching people across genres and beliefs with its message of intimacy and faith.
Fiona’s music has always been about more than sound. Her songs explore betrayal, neurodiversity, social exclusion, resilience, and love, each written with a raw honesty that invites listeners to step into her world. Influenced by artists as varied as Stevie Nicks, Smashing Pumpkins, and King Sunny Ade, Fiona’s style is eclectic yet unmistakably her own. It is the kind of music that feels both fresh and timeless, rooted in lived experience and emotional truth.
This year has been a turning point for Fiona. She has lit up stages with her band at events like the Camden Weekender Festival and is preparing to take her music to Italy for the Primo Passo per Sognare festival. As her career grows, so does her reputation as an artist unafraid to be vulnerable, to push boundaries, and to connect deeply with her audience.
In this interview, Fiona shares the story behind Honesty (Psalm 139), the joy of performing with her band, and the defining moments that continue to shape her journey. What shines through most is her authenticity. Fiona Amaka is not just writing songs; she is building bridges through music, one honest lyric at a time.
Congratulations on the release of Honesty (Psalm 139), Fiona. It’s already resonating with so many listeners. Before we dive into the song, can you introduce yourself to our audience in your own words?
I’m Fiona Amaka, a singer-songwriter and guitarist who performs solo acoustically and with the Fiona Amaka Band when I need to rock things up! My music is mainly soulful indie rock and folk rock. My love of guitar music probably goes back to childhood influences of legends of West African hi-life music like Oriental Brothers and King Sunny Ade, but my influences are pretty wide. Tracy Chapman, Stevie Nicks, Smashing Pumpkins, and The War on Drugs are big influences on my sound, to name just a few.
Your new single, Honesty (Psalm 139), is such a beautiful reflection on scripture while still appealing to wider audiences. Can you share the story of how this song first came about and then re-emerged with a new melody this year?
Thank you! I wrote Honesty (Psalm 139) many years ago as a blues style song. But then I completely forgot about it. I sometimes forget songs I’ve written, then rediscover lyrics scribbled out in old diaries. But this one came back into my head randomly in Spring this year while I was getting songs ready for Sunday’s service at my church. It came back with a completely new tune to the same words. I put it in amongst the songs for that Sunday. People really got a hold of what the song was saying. We’d been singing Honesty at my church for a little while before it occurred to me that it didn’t need to be restricted to my church. So I reached out to Andy Zanini, who came up with the signature slide guitar.
You mentioned the song began as something you shared with your church community before bringing it to the wider world. What was it like making that transition from worship in a small setting to playlists on Spotify?
Daunting!! There’s so much amazing CCM, gospel, Christian R&B, and Christian folk-rock music out there, which I love, but I’ve never really seen myself as a player in the Christian music space. I’ve always kept the worship songs that I write for sole use in the church I’m serving at, so Honesty (Psalm 139) feels like the one that got away!
This is your first release in the Christian songwriting space. How does it feel to bring your faith into your music in such an open way, especially alongside your existing indie rock and folk catalog?
A lot of my music is about delving into experience and emotions, looking at what lived experience is teaching us, and drawing positive outcomes from that openness and acceptance. So it feels completely natural to discuss my faith or reflect on learnings from a Bible passage in my music.
Your discography spans many topics including betrayal in No Daylight, neurodiversity in Different, social exclusion in In-Club, and love in Wingman. How do you decide where a song belongs stylistically, whether in the indie rock and folk space or in a faith inspired context like this one?
The emotion or story behind the song tends to drive the melody and things go from there. I don’t really think about what music genre a song is going to fall into. There are some songs where we have a few different versions, which can be a bit chaotic when deciding with the band what version we’re going to play for a gig. ‘Tell Her Why’ was very much a rock song for our live performances until one night -after a gig – one of our listeners suggested I record an acoustic version. The acoustic version is more folk in style and has really resonated with listeners on Spotify, and it has gotten quite a bit of radio play too, which is great!
You have had a busy year with the Fiona Amaka Band performing across London, most recently at the Camden Weekender Festival. How does performing with a band compare to solo sets for you?
It’s just a lot more fun for me stepping out with the band! We had a blast playing at the Camden Weekender – the audience was lovely and it was great watching other bands on the night. But playing solo acoustic sets frees me to connect with audiences in a special way too.
You are heading to Italy soon for the Primo Passo per Sognare festival. What are you most excited about with that performance?
Showcasing my music with new audiences is always exciting, so I’m looking forward to that alone. But festival winners get the opportunity to be introduced to the well-known San Remo festival, which is a huge opportunity!
Looking back at your journey so far, what has been the most defining moment in your career that has shaped the artist you are today?
There’ve been so many fun moments as well as hair-raising moments along the way, and opportunities offered that I didn’t take up and should have – all these have shaped the artist I am right now. And I’m still evolving. So I’m really appreciative of the opportunities I have been given most recently to promote and develop my brand, as well as the amazing people in my life who collaborate with me on music and production, and who write about and share my music. And of course the fans who’ve been with me on the journey!
When listeners look at your growing body of work years from now, what do you hope they will understand about you as both a person and an artist?
I hope that the emotional rawness of my songs will continue to resonate with people on streaming platforms and in person. I like to get into emotional themes in a move-forward kind of way. Not a lot is off-limits.
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