Amy Shark facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amy Shark
Shark performing in 2023
Born	(1986-05-14) 14 May 1986 (age 39) Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Other names	Amy Cushway Little Sleeper
Occupation	Singer songwriter musician
Years active	2007–present
Spouse(s)	Shane Billings ​ (m. 2013)​
Musical career
Genres	Indie pop
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	Amy Shark (independent) Wonderlick Sony RCA

Amy Louise Billings (born May 14, 1986), known professionally as Amy Shark, is a popular Australian singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She's from the Gold Coast, Queensland. Before becoming Amy Shark, she released music under the name Amy Cushway from 2008 to 2012.

Her song "Adore" became a huge hit in 2016, reaching number 3 on the Australian music charts. It was also voted number 2 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2016 list. Her album Love Monster (released in July 2018) went straight to number 1 in Australia. Amy Shark has won 8 ARIA Music Awards, which are big music awards in Australia. She has won "Best Pop Release" three times for her music.

Early Life

Amy Shark was born on the Gold Coast, Queensland in Australia on May 14, 1986. Her mother, Robyn, and stepfather, David Cushway, raised her there. She has a mix of Hungarian and English family background.

Amy went to Southport State High School. While there, she enjoyed theatre, studied film, and played guitar in an all-girl punk band. Her first job was selling T-shirts at a souvenir shop. In 2007, she entered a singing competition. She performed under different names like Amy Cushway and Little Sleeper before becoming Amy Shark.

Music Career

Early Music (Amy Cushway)

From 2008 to 2012, Amy Shark performed and recorded music as Amy Cushway. Her first solo show was at a rugby club, where she sang cover songs. She often performed with just her acoustic guitar.

In 2008, she released her first collection of songs, called an EP, titled I Thought of You Out Loud. She said this EP helped her feel better when she was emotionally drained. She also made it to the finals of the 2008 Q Song Awards with her song "Take Time Take Me". Amy wanted to write honest songs that everyone could relate to.

Her second EP, Love's Not Anorexic, came out in 2009. She went on a tour around Australia to support it. She also formed a band called Fly Boy Fly in late 2010 with Ryan Nash and Tom Moore. The band's name was inspired by Peter Pan and war movies.

Amy's third EP, Broadway Gossip, was released in October 2010. Her first full album, It's a Happy City, came out in March 2012. By 2016, she stopped using the name Amy Cushway.

New Name and Breakthrough

In 2013, the artist started using the stage name Amy Shark. She chose this name because the movie Jaws is her favorite. In 2014, she released an EP called Nelson. One of its songs, "Weight of the World", was a finalist at the 2013 Queensland Music Awards.

She released the song "Golden Fleece" in October 2015. This song won "Pop Song of the Year" at the Queensland Music Awards in 2016. Amy then toured Australia, supporting the band Tigertown. She also received a grant to work with more popular music producers.

In July 2016, Amy released her hit single "Adore". This song was played a lot on the radio station Triple J. Many big record labels wanted to sign her, and she eventually signed with Wonderlick/Sony in November 2016. "Adore" was voted the second most popular song in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2016.

In March 2017, she released "Weekends" and then her EP Night Thinker in April. This EP reached number 2 on the Australian charts. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2017, Amy Shark won "Best Pop Release" and "Breakthrough Artist" for Night Thinker. She also performed "Adore" at the awards show. She even performed "Adore" on popular TV shows in the United States, like The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Love Monster Success

In March 2018, Amy Shark's song "Sink In" was included in the movie soundtrack for Love, Simon. The next month, she performed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony on the Gold Coast. She sang with Archie Roach and a youth choir.

On April 11, 2018, Amy released her single "I Said Hi". This song became very popular and reached number 6 on the Australian charts. Her album, Love Monster, was released on July 13, 2018. It went straight to number 1 on the Australian charts. The album included other singles like "Mess Her Up".

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2018, Amy Shark won four awards. These included "Album of the Year", "Best Pop Release", and "Best Female Artist" for Love Monster. She was the artist with the most nominations and wins that year.

Recent Music and TV

Amy Shark toured Australia in 2019 to promote Love Monster. In December 2019, she was featured on the song "The Reaper" by the Chainsmokers.

For her album Cry Forever, Amy worked with famous artists like Ed Sheeran, Diplo, and Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins. On February 16, 2020, she performed at the Fire Fight Australia concert in Sydney. This concert raised money for bushfire relief.

On October 23, 2020, Amy Shark released the song "C'mon" featuring blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. She also performed at the 2020 NRL Grand Final in Sydney. At the 2020 ARIA Music Awards, she won "Best Pop Release" for her song "Everybody Rise". She also won "Best Australian Live Act" for her 2019 tour.

On December 4, 2020, Amy announced her second studio album, Cry Forever, which was released on April 30, 2021. She also announced a national tour. The song "Love Songs Ain't for Us", featuring Australian country musician Keith Urban, was released in February 2021. This song was co-written with Ed Sheeran.

In 2022, Amy Shark appeared on the TV show The Celebrity Apprentice Australia. She also released a cover song called "Sway My Way" with R3HAB. In October 2022, she released her solo song "Only Wanna Be with You". Amy Shark was a judge on the 2023 and 2024 seasons of Australian Idol. She also supported Coldplay's concerts in Perth in November 2023.

Amy Shark's third studio album, Sunday Sadness, was released on August 9, 2024.

Personal Life

Amy Shark's birth father separated from her mother when Amy was very young. Her stepfather, David Cushway, raised her. She chose to call him "Dad" when she was young, which was a special moment for them. Her early recordings were under the name Amy Cushway.

In 2007, Amy met Shane Billings, who was a financial manager. They got married on May 11, 2013. Amy's real name, Amy Louise Billings, is used for her written music. Both Amy and Shane used to work for the Gold Coast Titans football club. Shane was also Amy's talent manager for a while. The couple moved to Sydney by 2021.

In September 2021, Shane started his own record label and management company called Rage More Records. Amy had to cancel a tour in September 2023 due to an illness that required surgery. However, she was able to perform again by late September.

Discography

Studio albums

• It's a Happy City (2012, as Amy Cushway)
• Love Monster (2018)
• Cry Forever (2021)
• Sunday Sadness (2024)

Concert Tours

Shark performing at the Regional Australia Tour in Wodonga, Victoria, 2019

Headlining

• Love Monster Tour (2018)
• Australian Tour (2019)
• Regional Australia Tour (2019)
• Cry Forever Tour (2021–2022)
• See U Somewhere Tour (2022)

Supporting

• Nostalgic for the Present Tour (Sia, 2017)
• Music of the Spheres World Tour (Coldplay, 2023)

Awards and Nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are annual ceremonies in Australia that celebrate great music. Amy Shark has won 8 awards from 32 nominations. In 2018, she received 9 nominations and won 4, making her the top winner that year.

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are given in Australia to recognize great songwriting and how well songs sell or are played.

Australian Women in Music Awards

The Australian Women in Music Awards celebrate amazing women in the Australian music industry.

Country Music Awards of Australia

The Country Music Awards of Australia celebrate excellence in Australian country music.

J Awards

The J Awards are Australian music awards from the radio station Triple J.

Logie Awards

The Logie Awards celebrate Australian television.

MTV Europe Music Awards

The MTV Europe Music Awards honor artists and music in pop culture.

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) recognize Australia's live music scene.

Queensland Music Awards

The Queensland Music Awards celebrate new and famous artists from Queensland, Australia.

Rolling Stone Australia Awards

The Rolling Stone Australia Awards are given out by Rolling Stone Australia magazine for great contributions to popular culture.

Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition

The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition celebrates great songwriting and helps raise money for music therapy.

Images for kids

• 

  Shark with her backing band at Moroccan Lounge, Los Angeles, June 2023

See Also

In Spanish: Amy Shark para niños