I’ve been writing songs for as long as I can remember. From the moment I was able to play a few chords on the guitar when I was 12 years old, I started crafting verses, choruses, and melodies as a way of self-expression—and since then, it’s become part of my day-to-day life (when I’m not editing articles at Good Housekeeping, of course).
Naturally, as a pre-teen, I had dreams of becoming the next Taylor Swift. But as I got older, my priorities shifted, and I began to explore the world of behind-the-scenes songwriting. In my early twenties, I signed a non-exclusive music-licensing agreement with a company called Jingle Punks. (They were essentially in charge of helping me get my original songs placed in TV, film, and advertisements.) After uploading my tunes to their database, I sat back and hoped for the best.
Fast forward to 2017, and I was on a first date with a guy in Brooklyn at a cute wine bar up the street from my apartment. Mid-sip, my phone started ringing. One of my best friends was on the other line, and I could hear the excitement in her voice.
“Amanda! Your song is on Search Party!”
Needless to say, I ended the date early and ran back to my apartment to watch.
I didn’t have cable at the time, so I bought the episode my friend flagged on YouTube. As it turned out, my original song, “You Again,” was playing in the background of a short clip in season 2, episode 7. More specifically, you can hear it during the scene where Chantal Witherbottom (played by Clare McNulty) and Drew (played by John Reynolds) are chatting in an ice cream shop.
Yes, the volume was low—but, yes, it was playing. I cried happy tears and called my family immediately.
At the time, Search Party was airing on TBS—but it was eventually brought to HBO Max for seasons 3 to 5. And as of February 2026, all seasons are available to stream on Netflix.
You better believe I re-watched “my” scene multiple times in the past month, because there’s no better feeling than seeing your song—something that you created from thin air and emotion—being utilized in a project being viewed by millions of people.
I’m thrilled to share that Search Party isn’t the only show in which an original song of mine was placed. Earlier in 2017, my original tune “Here to Stay” was used in the Cartoon Network show The Amazing World of Gumball (in a short clip from season 5, episode 22). Finding out about that placement was another “OMG” moment I’ll never forget.
Each of these moments were total surprises, because at the time, I hadn’t checked my quarterly Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) royalties report yet. (I’ve gotten better about that, I promise). BMI is a performing rights organization (PRO) that helps ensure songwriters are paid for the music they produce and documents where and when your original music has been used.
Although I haven’t become The Next Taylor Swift, I’m proud of my small-but-mighty music placements. Since then, I’ve released various works, including my latest albums, Disaster in Blue and Diner Talk, along with a few singles, including “31,” “Context Clues,” and “Don’t Tell Me That You Love Me.” These tracks haven’t been used in television yet, but I’m hoping for the best.
A young Amanda Fama playing on the guitar.
Regardless, I think younger me would be proud of how far she’s come in the world of songwriting.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.goodhousekeeping.com ’
