New Jersey Stage Issue 46 | Page 18

“I think I’m lucky in that none of it was boring or tedious for me,” said Riley. “I was very motivated because it’s a lot of money to invest for somebody that’s on a budget. So, I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t just throwing my money into a void. I wanted to do everything right.” This means being proactive. Riley has done everything from open mics to livestream acous- tic concerts on the web. She has performed abroad and busked in public, performing for strangers with just her guitar. Locally, she has performed as part of NJ Tran- sit’s “Music In Motion” program, which auditions musicians to be able to play in major train sta- tions and terminals. She has per- formed in a few different stations in North Jersey and New York City, but generally returns to the Secaucus Junction station where she has received the best re- sponse (both tips and applause). Her first experience busking was rather nerve-wracking, but she fought through it. “It was Listen to “A Song That’s Not In G” by Amanda Rose Riley NJ STAGE - ISSUE 46 INDEX NEXT ARTICLE 18