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The gym I attend plays MTV on the large screen televisions strategically placed around the room. Very occasionally, a video manages to crowbar itself past Beyonce's fat bottom into the rotation. It was in this way that I recently encountered Amy Studt. I don't know if her talent and attitude have yet reached overseas audiences, but I am so impressed that I have to share.
Though only 17 years old, Amy has a wealth of personal experience beyond her years that she can call upon to be angry in a song. She seems happy recalling "I used to hang out with lots of anarchist punks types and they used to listen to Rancid and that sort of stuff, so I used to listen to Limp Bizkit" but then continues, "I remember when I first heard a real rock song I thought "God what is that noise?" but it takes time to listen past that and hear the music behind it." Apparently now a pervayor of quality true rock music herself, Amy has evidently suffered for her art.
Ever developing as a singer and artist, the diversity of techniques she employs is stunning in both concept and implimentation. My favourite is when she emphasizes that she agrees with what she just said by saying "Yeah!" after singing each line (example mp3). She shows the extent to which she agrees by varying the length of the "Yeeeaah!" (example mp3). Amy is so in control of both her attitude and her music that if she wants to say "Yeah!" in the middle of a line, she ingeniously substitutes a small "Yes" (example mp3).
Much more than the latest teen sensation, Amy Study is a revolution in music. I have seen three of her videos and they are nothing short of outstanding.
In 'Under the thumb', Amy attends a picnic, where she becomes angry. She throws the food and climbs on top of the table. Fortunately, her band are also there to enhance her impromptu singing. A small 
in the corner of the screen indicates that 'Under the thumb' is currently number 10 in the UK Official Top 40 sponsored by Ritalin.
In 'Just a little girl', Amy wears a pretty dress and plays the piano badly. Her relatives listen out of politeness. Angered by the patriachal nature of dinner parties, Amy then spoils it for everyone by dancing like she's having a seizure and kicking people with her big black boots, all while singing about the experience.
In case her core audience has difficulty in empathising with this formal setting, Amy also rolls around on the beach with an emo boy. What Amy doesn't realise it that emo boys are not suitable partners: he just wants to skim stones and look enigmatically into the middle distance, a situation she rectifies by pushing him over and kicking sand in his face.
In 'Misfit', Amy is in the playground at school. She becomes angry when the fashionable girls do not let her play with them, and kicks people and the swings. She then sings about how she does not like the fashionable girls, and especially not the boys.
"So you think you got it all worked out / You got your hotpants on / You got your arse right out, you / Think you're something but you ain't special / And me and my drop-dress, we won't do at all."
The trouble starts when a girl (dressed in Dayglo pink to demonstrate social status) trips up the heroine of our story. Amy, singing this from the ground, is out for blood.
"So you got your little groupies and gangs / You got your VIP / Your member-only things / Your happy-clappys and your VC crew / And if you get in their way, they got 10 on you."
However much she puts a brave face on it, Amy is still crying in the toilets. I don't think this segment works properly.
"All you girls / You look as if you hate me / Why'm I still here, well / You're superficial / I'm a misfit (misfit) / But, baby, that's ok / All you girls / When you look into the mirror / Tell me how do you appear, well / You're superficial / I'm a misfit / You're superficial / I'm a misfit (I'm a misfit) / You're superficial / I'm a misfit / (Ah) But that's ok."
In today's post-feminist Girl Power society, it appears appropriate for even flaws to be worn as a badge. Amy Studt CDs are now on sale in good record stores everywhere in shops looking to make fast money by stocking the latest passing trend.
