“Girl With Pearl Earring, But A Bird”
For Starters
Hiya, it’s Amy Evans again. (Obviously. You are on my website.) Here’s what we’re up to today:
Today I'm thrilled to share with you just a few of the many the stories behind my debut pop/funk EP, "Babybird."
Making Babybird. was the most fun I’ve ever had as an artist, as a creative, as a human being. It was a terrifying chance to take the utter chaos of ideas filling my head and piece them into something I can share. Every part of it was mine—from the album art inspired by Vermeer's "Girl With Pearl Earring" to the deeply personal lyrics, every aspect of "Babybird." reflects my journey from brokenhearted wreck into something brand new.
Babybird. has been important to me. I hope she meets you where you are, too.
Embracing Classic Art—and My Identity
“So Amy,” I can hear you asking, “why Girl With Pearl Earring?”
And though the real answer is something like, “girl, idk, I thought it was really cool,” I think there are some threads of truth in there I can pull out for you.
Vermeer's "Girl With Pearl Earring" is a classic. It’s easily recognizable, it’s mysterious in its meaning, and it has a movie about it with Scarlett Johansen in it. I saw that movie at a very impressionable age, and was captivated by the painting behind it.
In my work at Kings’ Kitchen Media, we’re always looking to get to the heart of a brand—to think about how our clients truly want to represent themselves, deep down.
In many ways, I think “Girl With Pearl Earring” told me a lot of how I wanted to brand myself: with a sense of timelessness, with emotional connection that feels ancient, with that cross between “old soul” and “hopeless romantic” that gets me into trouble a lot. That kind of trouble is what led me to write the album in the first place. I think I want to be known as a "classic" — an artist who weaves tales that resonate with generations.
Transforming the Girl into "Babybird."
I was lucky enough to work with Bekka Bjorke and Amanda Mcgahey in a 2018 shoot inspired by Rennaisance art. That shoot was one of the best I have ever done, and I knew if anyone could get the vision and bring “Babybird.” and “Girl With Pearl Earring” together, it was them.
So, I drew them the world’s worst concept drawings, and they created a series of photos that still makes me emotional when I look at it. It was perfect.
The First Song: "Babybird, she bout to fly on."
The opening track of "Babybird," is called “King of the Fishbowl,” and it summarizes the album’s central arc—well, my central arc—of getting really hurt, getting really mad, and deciding to stay soft anyway. The last lyrics of “King of the Fishbowl” are "Babybird, she bout to fly on." It’s both symbolic, in that I was ready to leave the stage in my life that gave me the Babybird nickname, but also literal. I was ready to leave a town that felt excruciatingly small after two terrible exes, a pandemic, and thirty years of my life.
I’m currently writing this from Europe, where I finally got to see the real Girl With Pearl Earring. She says hi.
Conclusion
"Babybird." is not just an EP; it is a journey of self-discovery, vulnerability, and transformation. The album art, inspired by Vermeer's "Girl With Pearl Earring," encapsulates the essence of what I was trying to do in this musical project. As you embark on this adventure with me, I hope you find a connection with her through the ordinary and the lonely—and into something better.
Stay tuned for more updates, and don't forget to check out "Babybird." available now on all major music platforms.
With love,
Ames