Emerging from New York City, Sam London champions a pretty eclectic and contemporary style, blending mellow pop-rock with hip-hop stylings, all drenched in meaningful and introspective lyricism. ‘I Hope It’s You // Blossom’ is his latest effort, a three-track EP that greatly showcases Sam’s kaleidoscopic character.
From the post-rock guitar-powered exploration of ‘I Hope It’s You’ to the groovy rap territories of ‘Blossom’, passing through ‘Overdrive’, single already released earlier this year: everything points towards London’s excellent songwriting abilities and immense charisma, qualities that we are confident will help him appeal to a wider audience.
We connected with Sam London at a critical time for his artistry and heritage; of Jewish descent, the American creative paid a heartfelt tribute to all victims of terror attacks in Israel with ‘Ani Yehudi’. Intrigued by the project, we caught up with Sam to find out more about his music and future goals… interview below!
Hey Sam, how is it going? some of our readers might not be familiar with your project, how would you describe yourself, in a few words?
I’m a person always in search of new perspectives and new experiences. On a more general level, I’m a 19-year-old college student born in London and raised in New York City.
Your current work is the result of a long journey; What first drew you to making music?
I think growing up in a city like New York brings a lot of unique experiences in childhood. I figured out I had a good ear for music really early in my life. I started writing lyrics on my phone in middle school, and it’s carried on since. The thing that drew me to music the most was realizing how powerful music is. It’s one of the few things in the world that all people enjoy no matter who you are or what your background is.
If you had the opportunity to pick any artists in the world for a collaboration, who would be your first choice? (and second choice, perhaps?)
One of my biggest inspirations is Aries. He actually reacted to a song of mine on a stream a few months ago and really liked it which was a dream come true. The main reason why I became so drawn to his music was because he really created his own sound and created one of the most diehard fanbases I’ve ever seen. Jean Dawson would have to be second. I think he’s one of the most talented artists in the world and has the ability to express so many emotions in one song that many artists can’t do.
We appreciate your music! As a member of the Jewish community, the last month or so must have been pretty challenging. ‘Ani Yehudi’ came out only a few weeks ago, what does the song mean to you?
This song was just an expression of how I was feeling a few days after the massacre in Israel. I’m glad it’s made an impact and it’s touched a lot of people’s hearts. I’m now locked in on my album again, but I’m glad I had this little chapter in my music career to express how proud I am to be Jewish.
You have just released a stunning EP, ‘I Hope It’s You // Blossom’. Will the tracks be part of the upcoming album?
These two songs are levels above anything I’ve put out before, and I’m sure I’m gonna reel in a bunch of new fans in time for my full album release.
Do you feel more confident writing music alone, or within a team?
Personally, I like writing, recording, and producing on my own a lot more. I think many other artists can agree that writing music alone lets you have so much more freedom. I’ve done studio sessions in the past and I’ve had issues getting on the same level as engineers and producers I’ve worked with.
Often art and music provide a healthy refuge from the complexity of our reality. Has music helped you cope with the tragic events in the Middle East?
Music has helped me with every tough experience I’ve been through in life. As someone who lived in Israel for 9 months during my gap year, I have certainly been listening to my favourite Israeli songs and reminiscing about one of the most beautiful places in the world.
What are the next steps for your project?
I’ve got about 20-30 songs I want to get out in the near future. My album, “The Sunflower Seed” will be out soon enough, I just need to narrow down which songs I want on it. I’ve secured some huge features as well, which will give the whole project a lot more exposure. I’ve also been designing merchandise and posters for the album, as well as some music videos.
