'when all is said and done': Amie Blu's poetic exploration of aching
- blondevibrations
- 15 hours ago
- 5 min read
Amie Blu has released her debut album, 'when all is said and done' perfectly in tune with the season as it captures the sound of autumn. Written from a place of deep sadness, she wears her heart on her sleeve, holding a mirror up to the many faces of grief and melancholy that can creep out at varying points within the healing process. Drawing from all her experiences, she delivers a full reflection of how heavy sadness can feel when you are just trying to get by, and the path it can lead you down.
‘swimming in pity’ finds comfort in its own sorrow. Amie allows herself to sit in that sadness, writing as the thoughts arise, pen to paper in real time. With lyrics like ‘you make me feel weak’, she speaks directly to the cause of her pain, inviting listeners to join her in that safe space where you can see yourself in the song, soothing your own woes as you swim in them together. There is a serene quality in her delivery, sincerity in her voice, gentle production that gradually builds with the introduction of a more present beat and electric guitar, honing in on the emotion and heightening it through the track's duration. It is a beautiful opening, serving as a window into Amie’s world, exploring excuses and how she’s been made to feel.
Something to be admired is how Amie puts up no front, her walls are down from the very first track. ‘worse’ continues this openness, her lyrics raw and heartfelt. It deepens the melancholy she introduces earlier and you can feel its weight. Upon the album’s release, Amie shared that she has 'always seen happiness as a fleeting emotion. No matter what I do, what I eat or who I know, I still feel sad,' inspiring the title and subject matter of the record. This sentiment resonates through lyrics like 'I’m in your arms / I’m choking up and I’m blue' and 'you see right through and don’t let me run / patient enough to stay with me.' They show how sadness can make you pull away from the people around you almost instinctively, wanting closeness while avoiding attachment. It can make you retreat even from the people who love you. Yet, it also shows the beauty of those who stay when you can lean on them and they fight for you, unconditionally.
In the third track, Amie moves away from the more ballad-like, soulful tracks seen so far into an exploration of genre and dynamic production. 'missing everything' is comparatively upbeat, yet the lyrics touch on disassociation and feeling entirely detached from your own life, when days pass and you suddenly come to the realisation that you have just been watching from the sidelines rather than truly living. She asks, 'what am I left with? what don’t I see?', another sobering moment of self-awareness. The alt-pop production gives the song a lift, creating a delicate balance that shifts some of the heaviness but maintains all of the depth in its meaning.
‘take me as i am’ shifts back into a slower pace as Amie confesses, 'it’s been so long since I felt whole' and 'for so long I’ve felt alone / nobody’s waiting for me.' There is a recognition of love around her, even while feeling isolated. She tells the subject, 'you showed the difference and things I do differently,' as if writing an ode to the quiet, consistent care that in turn helps heal those wounds. Amie captures the nuance of sadness perfectly, showing awareness of how it affects not just you, but how it ripples out towards the people who choose to stay beside you.
‘legs’ translates beautifully to a live performance, especially her COLORS session, where her emotion radiates even further. It is a song about reaching the end of tolerance, feeling like there is simply no lifeline left, just the urge to disappear when this sadness reaches a head. The repetition of 'I don’t have the legs anymore' hits harder with every iteration, a complete self-surrender. Amie channels emotion the way only the greats can, think Frank Ocean, Phoebe Bridgers, and Billie Eilish-level feeling.
‘multicolour’ addresses manipulation and the heavy feelings after experiencing abuse, how the impacts linger long after the final words are said. You can see this person in other situations, and it changes how you react, how you trust, how you love. This sentiment is seen with lyrics like 'I see you in every shadow and every raised voice / pulling back all my punches / hiding my thoughts.' It is heartbreakingly honest, showing how trauma reshapes you entirely The outro, where piano and guitar blur together, feels like the world melting, a sonic release, the sound of closure taking form even if you cannot be fully removed from the effects of this.
Production wise, the record is stunning. On ‘bite’, another collaboration with Humble the Great, Amie questions herself with raw vulnerability, 'why do I bite?' It is an introspective track that explores self-awareness and accountability, allowing herself to confront her flaws head-on. Questioning yourself and your patterns shows Amie at a place where she is truly unafraid to get to know herself with an audience across this record, and that honesty shines through. ‘falling to pieces’ captures grief of a pet with a similar devastating simplicity and even her voice itself feels healing. It captures a feeling of loss that feels bigger than life itself. The repetition of 'when all is said and done / I’m falling to pieces' is simple but piercing. There is nothing more intimate than that notion and Amie allows it to sit, and simmer without hiding that pain for even a second, it is authentically real.
Across the entire record, Amie maintains an impressive level of intimacy. Within moments of fuller production or gentle guitar instrumentals, she never drifts from introspection. This is an album about self-understanding, emotional honesty, and the process of learning yourself in real time.
What is cathartic is that she does not end the record pretending to have cracked the code to happiness. Instead, she looks toward the future in a way that feels new. ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’ closes the chapter gorgeously, searching for change while recognising how heavy that process can be. The final line, 'I’m hoping that I have what it takes' , lands with a glimmer of optimism. Despite all the pain, she is ready to try.
It is a tender, grounded ending to an entirely human album where she lays down the truth until the final moment.
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