I\u2019ve 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\u2014and since then, it\u2019s become part of my day-to-day life (when I\u2019m not editing articles at Good Housekeeping<\/em>, of course).<\/p>\n 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<\/a>. (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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cAmanda! Your song is on Search Party<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n Needless to say, I ended the date early and ran<\/em> back to my apartment to watch.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t have cable at the time, so I bought the episode my friend flagged on YouTube. As it turned out, my original song, <\/strong>\u201cYou Again,\u201d<\/strong><\/a> was playing in the background of a short clip in season 2, episode 7. <\/strong>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. <\/p>\n Yes, the volume was low\u2014but, yes, it was playing. I cried happy tears and called my family immediately.<\/p>\n At the time, Search Party<\/em> was airing on TBS\u2014but 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n You better believe I re-watched \u201cmy\u201d scene multiple times in the past month, because there\u2019s no better feeling than seeing your song\u2014something that you created from thin air and emotion\u2014being utilized in a project being viewed by millions of people.<\/p>\n I\u2019m thrilled to share that Search Party<\/em> isn\u2019t the only show in which an original song of mine was placed. Earlier in 2017, my original tune \u201cHere to Stay\u201d<\/a> was used in the Cartoon Network show The Amazing World of Gumball <\/em>(in a short clip<\/a> from season 5, episode 22). Finding out about that placement was another \u201cOMG\u201d moment I\u2019ll never forget.<\/p>\n Each of these moments were total surprises, because at the time, I hadn\u2019t checked my quarterly Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)<\/a> royalties report yet. (I\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n Although I haven\u2019t become The Next Taylor Swift, I\u2019m proud of my small-but-mighty music placements. Since then, I\u2019ve released various works, including my latest albums, Disaster in Blue<\/em><\/a> and Diner Talk<\/em><\/a>, along with a few singles, including \u201c31,\u201d<\/a> \u201cContext Clues,\u201d<\/a> and \u201cDon\u2019t Tell Me That You Love Me.\u201d<\/a> These tracks haven\u2019t been used in television yet, but I\u2019m hoping for the best.<\/p>\n A young Amanda Fama playing on the guitar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n Regardless, I think younger me would be proud of how far she\u2019s come in the world of songwriting.<\/p>\n![\"Child](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/76248a3a-5812-4124-9f3c-79810a6aa9f1.jpeg?crop=0.986xw:1xh;0.007xw,0xh&resize=980:*\" "\\"Child")
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