Six years ago, Amy Kuney picked up Damien Rice’s breakout record “O.” In its first spin, she fell in love with his music. From his vulnerable lyrics to his raw, infectious voice, Kuney has respected/worshipped the guy ever since.

This summer, Kuney sang a duet with Damien Rice; actually, she sang two. She took a trip to Iceland with him in July, where she opened for the indie star in two shows, all thanks to a YouTube video she posted, covering one of his songs.

“I had been a big fan of Damien Rice growing up, so I decided to cover his song ‘Blowers Daughter,’” said Kuney, a Biola alumna. “I put it up on YouTube and some of his fan sites, and I got a reply from one his fans who told me Damien really liked my version. I didn’t believe him.”

It was when Rice himself contacted Kuney that she realized the fan was telling the truth.

“Then I got an email from Damien Rice, and for an entire night we were emailing back and forth, and eventually he asked me to come open a couple shows for him in Iceland,” she said. “I was like…sure.”

Kuney and her manager booked flights that very night, and within a week they were on their way to Iceland.

“It was kind of like a spur of the moment thing,” she said.

Once in Iceland, Kuney met up with Rice and spent her time in the Icelandic countryside, getting to know him and his friends.

“He was actually on vacation while we were there, so we just got to hang out a lot,” she said. “We went fishing, we ate a lot. We spent quite a bit of time together.”

But Kuney was not there just to meet the guy; she also got the chance to open for Rice on back-to-back nights, in front of sell-out crowds.

“The fans there were great,” she said. “They love it when American performers come play for them. They were very appreciative.” Kuney admits she has built a bit of an Icelandic fan-base.

“The problem is, I can’t really read any of their emails,” she added.

But the highlight of the performances came after Kuney finished playing her sets. Both nights, Rice invited Amy to come on stage and sing a duet with him.

“He asked me to sing ‘Cold Water’ with him the first night,” said Kuney. “Then the second night he was like, let’s switch it up and sing ‘Volcano’…I actually didn’t know the words to that one.” Rice was not offended and gave her his lyrics before the show. All went just fine – even if she had to write the words on her hands.

Videos of both performances stream on YouTube and will be available at The Chimes Online (chimes.biola.edu).

Kuney has had an even busier summer than just the Rice experience. From a big tour with Kate Voegel to a song of hers featured on “One Tree Hill,” she has embraced the full time musician lifestyle, learning from those who have lived in it longer than her.

"[Damien Rice] inspired me to not get into the Hollywood thing; he inspired me to do what I’m doing alone, and do it for me, and if people notice, that’s great,” said the appreciative Kuney. “I’m done trying to force my music on people. He does his thing quietly, and people are constantly wondering what he’s doing. It’s very refreshing.”

The two are still in contact, and Kuney plans to eventually accept one of Rice’s many offers to come to Ireland and play shows. In the meantime, they keep in touch.

“We send poems back and forth…Yeah, its crazy,” she said.

The trip could not have come at a better time in Kuney’s musical career. Her first full-length record, “Birds Eye View,” was released Aug. 12, just a few weeks after the shows in Iceland.

“We couldn’t pass up the opportunity, so we sold it early over there,” she said.

Kuney is very happy with the finished product.

“I had so much fun making it, knowing that everything in it I am totally supportive of,” said Kuney. “It’s not too pop, too glossy, or too produced. I really like the way it came out.”

The record is available through Kuney’s myspace or on iTunes.

With such an eventful summer, there is no telling where the next year can take Kuney. She is well on her way to big things, but thanks to Rice, is humbly content with wherever the path leads.

“I’m very happy that I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do, and things are going really well … I am very blessed,” she said.