Name: Franziska Ameli Schuster aka Ameli in the Woods
Occupation: Singer, songwriter
Nationality: German
Current release: Ameli in the Woods's Throw My Fears Into The River is out now. After gaining international recognition with her duo Ameli Paul, the album marks her solo debut, with each song relating deeply personal stories and feelings. Accompanying her is an electroacoustic band composed of Marvin Holley, Sebastian Schuster, and Daniel Mudrack, taking her compositions into a trippy, jazz-infused haze.

If you enjoyed this Ameli in the Woods interview and would like to find out more about her music, visit her official homepage. She is also on Instagram, and Facebook.  



Do you think that some of your earliest musical experiences planted a seed for your interest in your voice and singing? How and when did you start singing?

Oh, absolutely. Growing up in a household where both my parents were music teachers, I was surrounded by instruments and melodies from a very young age.

I started singing around 9 or 10, and there are still these tape recordings of me trying my hand at the piano and singing my first improvised songs.

If you also play other instruments, how does the expressive potential of these compare to your own voice?

Each instrument brings its own unique expressiveness. But to me, there's something deeply personal about the voice. It's like stripping naked.

Having played the violin, piano, and drums, I discovered that my voice allows me to be genuine, expressing emotions without hiding or downplaying them. They are there, and they're always part of every note I am singing.

In moments of sadness, my voice takes on a deeper resonance, and sometimes it is really difficult to hold a tone. While in times of excitement, the voice is brighter, and I consciously ground myself, directing that energy inward.

What were some of the main challenges in your development as a singer/vocalist? Which practices, exercises, or experiences were most helpful in reaching your goals – were there also “harmful” ones?

In the past, I often faced judgment, whether in competitions or from those telling me what I could or couldn't do. It made me insecure and took away the joy of music. I used to feel great nervousness before performances, always striving for perfection. It took me a while to find comfort on stage, focusing on myself and rediscovering the fun in music.

Also being a full-time musician during the pandemic was challenging. Not being able to play live took away a significant part of my identity. It took a lot of time and energy to return to the stage, and those first concerts felt like a fresh start, filled with excitement.

The evolution of my voice is a continuous journey. It's about self-belief, vulnerability, and accepting all aspects of myself. When I infuse my music with imperfections, self-doubts, and personal experiences, it becomes a true expression of my own sound.

The support of those who believed in me and my music has been crucial throughout.

What are the things you hear in a voice when listening to a vocalist? What moves you in the voices of other singers?

Singing from the heart is what truly resonates with me. It doesn't matter to me how technically well-trained the voice is or which genre it belongs to. I genuinely appreciate listening to a voice that immerses me in its emotional world.

When I am conveyed a feeling with every tone without having to think, I am simply with this voice, feeling close and connected to its story - as if I know it well.

What kind of musical settings and situations do you think are ideal for your own voice?

If I knew, haha. No, seriously, I am not sure. Sometimes, I feel like I couldn’t sing before a concert starts, and then it turns out to be one of the most beautiful experiences. There are so many different factors at play, and it always makes me nervous because there are many things you can’t control.

But good vibes, good technique, people who are there for me, are ideal. Whether in an intimate jam session or on stage, the energy and connection between the musicians on stage and with the audience play a significant role in bringing out the best in my singing.

We have a speaking voice and a singing voice. Do these feel like they are natural extensions of each other, ends on a spectrum, or different in kind?

The speaking and singing voices are intertwined for me. If I don't take good care of one, the other suffers as well.

For example, when I'm hoarse and can't sing, I should especially avoid speaking or whispering. I used to have problems with this in the past, and it definitely helped me a lot to pay more attention to my speaking voice as well.

From whispers to screams, from different colors to dynamics, what are the potentials and limits of your voice? How much of your vocal performance can and do you want to control?

I believe it's a mix of having control, letting go, and being playful. Over time, I've become more capable of controlling my voice, which I genuinely enjoy. However, I also value and couldn't live without the raw, uncontrolled moments that bring spontaneity.

Of course, there can be mistakes, but this imperfection makes every concert special and unique.

Strain is a particularly serious issue for many vocalists. How do you take care of your voice? Are there recipes or techniques to get a damaged voice back in shape?

Vocal care involves patience and a gentle mindset. It is important to understand that everyone has a different voice and singing always has to feel good. It is something you do for yourself.

I think it is important to not step over boundaries or to be obsessed of sounding like someone you’re admire. Be gentle to yourself and accept the way you are. Techniques like light humming and imagining walking through a flower meadow with a spring scent help.

If the voice is strained, allowing it time to recover and specific exercises for both singing and speaking can be beneficial.

How has technology, such as autotune or effect processing, impacted singing? Has it been a concrete influence on your own approach?

Yes, I love it! I appreciate my pedalboard with all these analoge effects. Using them allows for experimentation, not to mask imperfections but to explore creative possibilities. It's about finding a balance that complements the natural voice. I enjoy playing around with them and sometimes treating the voice more as an instrument or building soundscapes.

On the album, I extensively used these effects, and there's even a song featuring auto-tune (“Let it Go”).




For recording engineers, the human voice remains a tricky element to capture. What, from your perspective, makes voices sound great on record and in a live setting?

To me creating a comfortable atmosphere is key in both recording and live settings. Positive energy exchange with the audience enhances the live experience. And of course you need the right technique, like a good microphone and monitoring, for yourself. I think its also important to have a sound engineer who you trust and feel comfortable with, someone you can open your heart to.

For the Ameli in the Woods album, I opted to record everything on my own in my little room. It felt so personal to me, and I wanted to have that intimate connection with the music.

Motherese may have been the origin of music, and singing is possibly the earliest form of musical expression, and culture in general. How connected is the human voice to your own sense of wellbeing, your creativity, and society as a whole?

Singing is deeply connected to my sense of wellbeing and creativity. It serves as a therapeutic outlet, allowing me to express emotions and connect with myself.

Singing creates connections, not only with oneself but also with others. In my view, singing transcends the notion of merely possessing a beautiful voice. The resonance of our entire body and the environment around us becomes intertwined when we sing.

Witnessing how each person possesses a completely unique voice is both healing and endlessly fascinating to me. It's sad that many individuals have undergone negative experiences, leading them to lose confidence in singing due to a belief that they're not proficient. I believe it's crucial to cease evaluating everything and, instead, gift ourselves something positive through singing. In doing so, we establish connections with our emotions, our bodies, and to some extent, the world.

Singing serves as a means for me to cope with my depression, allowing me to feel more attuned to myself and my body.