New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Just weeks after Amanda Barise wrapped her life-changing journey on American Idol Season 23, the Top 14 contestant - a vocal powerhouse Superstar Judge Carrie Underwood called "Perfection" - drops her highly anticipated first post-Idol, single "Cute and Deadly."
Written by Amanda and co-produced with Grammy winning engineer Max Faigen, the track is an edgy, infectious and highly autobiographical showcase for the New Jersey native's deeply soulful, emotional vocals and a fresh, dynamic vibe she calls alternative R&B/soul. A stylistic bridge to a fresh new sound she started developing even before her time on Idol, its title is a playful acknowledgement of the way some industry professionals have referred to her.
"The truth is, after feeling like I missed out on a lot of fun in my early 20s due to depression and a lack of confidence in myself, I'm a fighter," Amanda says. "Through my experiences and successful performances on Idol, I feel like I've rediscovered myself as a grown woman who can make it in this industry. To live in Chelsea (NYC) since 2019 paying my bills making music, you have to be cute and a little deadly. The song is about the way I make what I do look easy when behind the scenes I'm actually juggling all the moving parts and dealing with a multitude of personalities and mood swings, to make the show happen.
"In the second verse, I'm singing with confidence to a wider audience all those naysayers who didn't think I would make it, some of who mocked me for standing out in the rain in front of Sony, creating TikTok videos of me singing my heart out," she adds. "They said I wouldn't make it singing the kinds of songs I sang. 'Cute and Deadly' is me saying I'm unstoppable and I will make it happen no matter what. There are so many things you can call me, half of which are cute, half are deadly, but at the end of the day I get it done!"
In June, Amanda will be releasing her first post-Idol EP, a three-track set (also called Cute and Deadly) featuring the equally autobiographical songs, the sensual slow jam/self-call to action "Girl Like Me" and the dreamy, reflective ballad "26," about the importance of embracing life in the moment.
A graduate of The New School with a BFA in Jazz & Contemporary Music and BA in Culture & Media, Amanda wowed the Idol faithful with her explosive renditions of Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody," "Defying Gravity," Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You," Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way" and Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It."
