Artist on the rise, Sam Walwyn, is on a mission to carve out a unique space for himself in the glittering world of pop. And, his latest bid to confirm his space? The artist has most recently dropped his sweet-sound EP, “How Would I Know”. With Sam’s bold vocal ability taking centre stage, listeners are set to be rendered enchanted by the 4-track-long project. And, his ability to skilfully tap into the pop genre becomes all the more evident thanks to the beautiful lyricism and ripples of classic acoustic instrumentation that feature throughout.
“For my first EP, I wanted to acknowledge the sound I started out with and give a hint towards how I intend to go forward. To give an example, ‘Mama Plum’ has a lot of percussive guitar elements throughout the song, which is what I loved to do when I first started writing music, and ‘First Place’ and ‘How Would I Know’ have a more cohesive alternative pop expression,” explains Sam when giving an overview of his latest project.
Upon the release of his highly-anticipated EP, the artist took some time to chat to Wonderland about how the last year has treated him as an artist and being more vulnerable in his work. Head below to enjoy our conversation with Sam Walwyn.
Hey Sam, how are you? How has 2021 been for you?
Hey! I’m doing great, thanks! Honestly, this year has been like a maze, with lots of navigating and crazy amounts of awesome new stuff.
How would you sum it up in one word?
Wild!
Loads of people were affected by the pandemic, would you say your creativity was?
I’d say creativity was my only outlet for the madness of the pandemic, so even though it was crazy, it helped my creativity immensely because it was how I stayed focused.
You grew up in the Caribbean, do you think this influenced your sound in any way?
Totally! Growing up in a part of the world that celebrates carnival season more than Christmas, you can’t help but get excited by music. It literally fills the streets over there, so even from a young age, I understood how music could affect people and give them a chance to let loose and become a part of something bigger than themselves. So yes, that had a huge impact on how I now create consciously and how I want the listener to feel with a song I write.
And now you’ve just dropped your new EP, “How Would I Know”, talk us through your mindset approaching the project?
For my first EP, I wanted to acknowledge the sound I started out with and give a hint towards how I intend to go forward. To give an example, “Mama Plum” has a lot of percussive guitar elements throughout the song, which is what I loved to do when I first started writing music, and “First Place” and “How Would I Know” have a more cohesive alternative pop expression.
This chapter in your career is more emotionally charged than your previous one. Was this intentional? What was is it like being so honest in your music?
It was a nerve-racking choice to be more honest with these songs. To be honest with yourself is half of the trouble when writing; I found that I didn’t want to admit those feelings to myself! But, now that the EP is out and from the awesome response I’ve had from it, I’ve been fully reassured that being more explicit emotionally in my music is the way forward.
What do you want people to take away from your sound?
A sense of freedom to dance or cry in the shower, or to organise a road trip with your buddies with the blare of tunes that is loud, the speakers start to distort.
Who would you say inspires you?
Maggie Rogers for her energy and spirit in her production, Leon Bridges for his vocal delivery and feel and Miko for his punk-esque aesthetic and attitude in his music.
What are you most excited about in the new year?
I’m so excited to enter a new era of releases for me, and I am also over the moon about my headline show at the Bedford on March 16th, so I am buzzing to create the best show I can. I am absolutely buzzing for what’s to come!
