Southsea singer offers to create personalised video messages for people missing special occasions

Many people are spending birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions apart due to lockdown, and Amy Baker has come up with a unique gift to let someone know you are thinking of them.

The 29-year-old professional singer has been creating video messages with favourite songs and heartfelt words to keep herself busy now all of her gigs have been cancelled.

Mostly singing in the style of 1940s and ’50s music, Amy was due to perform at VE Day 75th anniversary celebrations this year, which have all been cancelled.

Amy, who has been receiving optional PayPal donations for her personalised videos, said: ‘I started it because on Mother’s Day I thought I’m not going to see my mum and I’d send a nice message singing for her.

‘Singing is my full time job and all my gigs have completely stopped. It was a way to earn a bit of money and spread a bit of joy.’

Amy has been creating messages with a variety of music including Vera Lynne’s We’ll Meet Again and Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and The Waves.

After creating the request, Amy can either send it back to the person making a request, or straight to the recipient.

The versatile idea has been used for a variety of reasons, including friend Harriet Stokes who requested a video to be sent to her mum, nurse Joanne Buglass who has just been redeployed to a coronavirus ward, and another who asked for their wedding song to be sung for a lockdown date night.

Dubbing herself the Self Isolation Swing Singer, jazz performer Amy has been taking to Facebook Live six nights a week from 6pm to 7pm to perform a ‘busking’ gig, with people able to make requests and give tips through PayPal.

She said: ‘It’s nice to sing lots of different songs, it’s nice for me because now my work is completely stopped, it gives me a purpose every day.

‘It’s nice to cheer up people and put a smile on their face.’

For more information, or to request a video, visit facebook.com/amybakersinger.

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