With Amy Kuney, appearances are certainly deceiving. Sure, the singer/songwriter looks youthful, perhaps even younger than the early 20s bracket she occupies, but just wait until she sits down at a piano and starts singing. The onstage presence and authority she displays is impressive for an artist of any age, and that’s before you even notice her songwriting, which resounds with finely observed details and engaging left turns.

Perhaps this is because Kuney isn’t your typical young artist. She has nearly 20 years of musical experience, having begun piano lessons at age four. Between church performances and piano recitals, she’s been onstage for most of her life, to say nothing of 100 live dates in the past year. And her childhood spent partially in Honduras has given her life experience beyond that of most Americans.