Tennille Amor chooses love and One Family

Tennille Amor hopes to send an open invitation to singers around the world. She’s left 16 bars free on her upcoming track One Family and she hopes to start a movement by getting as many artistes to join.

The Trinidad and Tobago, US-based singer/songwriter is known for her tracks I Am a Girl and her latest single, I Choose Love featuring Jamaican reggae artistes Royal Blu and Runkus.

I Am A Girl was adopted by the UN to commemorate International Women’s Day 2016.

She has collaborated with other singers like John Legend, P Diddy, Mr Vegas, Bunji Garlin, Shaggy, Jimmy October, Rheon Elbourne, DJ Khaled, French Montana, J Ivy, Pixie Lott, and the legendary Sly and Robbie.

But whatever project she works on, Amor’s mission is clear: to amplify and promote love and positivity wherever she goes and in whatever she does.

In an interview with Newsday, she said, “We left 16 bars free on the song and initially I was like, ‘Okay I have this person in mind to feature and this person in mind.’

“And then I woke up from a dream and in the dream I heard God say, ‘Not one feature, send it to all your friends in music and have different people feature on the song. Do their own versions of the song.'

“Whoever wants to do 16 bars on that song and speak from that perspective, let them speak from that perspective,” she said.

Trying to write a song is never at the heart of her process.

Her work emerges from her interactions with environment and people. Her therapy is picking up a guitar, strumming and singing some melodies while lyrics come.

I Choose Love was born out of that. The song was up for Grammy consideration in the Best Global Music Performance and Best Song for Social Change categories.

“This underscores the profound impact and significance of the song in today's world, as it addresses critical issues and promotes love as a powerful catalyst for change. I Choose Love is more than just a song; it's a message of unity and positivity that transcends borders and resonates with audiences worldwide,” a press release said.

Talking about how the song was developed, Amor said, “I was dealing with the intense emotions I was feeling. I am an empath. Sometimes the emotions are so intense, I have to shut it off,” she said.

Seeing the devastation caused by the covid19 pandemic and protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd pushed her to create.

“I was living in Los Angeles and we were dealing with so much uneasiness. George Floyd had just been killed. I was in the streets marching with my friends just about what was happening in the US alone regarding racial inequalities…”

At that time she felt helpless.

While she saw unity in the streets, the conversation in mainstream media did not reflect that and spoke to division.

She created I Choose Love to tell the world that despite all that was going there was still love.

The music video was shot in TT and she then thought the song was done.

But then she met Jamaican reggae artistes Royal Blu and Runkus and did a listening session with them at her studio in LA called Our Father’s Studio. They agreed to collaborate with her on the song and it was released last August.

“Putting out I Choose Love was a statement saying what I represent as an artiste, what I choose is to be a representation of love in the world,” she said.

Some of music’s biggest names like Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill and Marvin Gaye influenced her.

“I grew up listening to artistes who weren’t afraid to use their voice and their platform to speak to things that are going on in the world and things that matter.

“I look at a platform as a responsibility, however big or small that might be. If we don’t use our platforms in such a way to shine a light on the things that need our attention, then, in my opinion, it’s not worth it.”

While she sees the need for escapism and the need to create solely for entertainment, Amor’s personal path in music has been a more conscious one. For her, it is about creating a “sweet spot” that not only entertains but also informs (similar to the old concept of edutainment).

While she does this with her music, this is also represented through other projects of which she is a part.

“Her tireless dedication to promoting equality and peace has earned her recognition as a UN Youth Champion and International Peace Ambassador, marking her as a prominent advocate on the global stage,” a press release said.

As the co-founder of the NGO Everyday People Initiating Change (EPIC), Amor was able to assist in the “implementation of clean water wells, hygiene and sanitation education, performing arts and creativity, business and leadership training, nutrition education, medical aid, and the construction of schools, libraries, and other educational institutions,” the NGO’s website said.

She works with its co-founder American vlogger, author and speaker Alexi Panos and a global of team of people to get the work done.

Another platform she hopes to use to promote messages of peace and love is as the creative director of the Festival of Nations held in St Louis, Missouri. The annual festival will, this year, be held at Tower Grove Park on August 24-25.

At this year’s festival she hopes to have a strong Caribbean contingent and hopes it grows into one of the largest multicultural festivals in the world.

The festival’s website said, “Produced by the International Institute of St Louis, the Festival of Nations is the region’s biggest multicultural event of the year. Originating in 1934, the two-day event is open to the public and attended by more than 100,000 people and features the traditions, flavours, sounds, and art of more than 75 nations.”

She first performed I Choose Love at this festival last year.

Having lived in many countries over her lifetime like US, Egypt, Scotland, Singapore (her parents are Trinidadians from Carenage), taught her the value of multiculturalism.

“When you can bring in people from all over the world to share their cultures, share their traditions, music, food and again unite under that one umbrella. It shows the world what is possible.”

She believes that cultures sharing and learning from each other can positively affect change in the world.

“When you can merge those two worlds: entertainment and impact/policy/creating change through governmental processes.

“I see artistes as being that necessary bridge to be able to get the people to pay attention to what is going on in the world, especially young people. “