Sam Tompkins
On Making Music For Real People
By Lulu Moore
The 24-year-old singer-songwriter Sam Tompkins’s serene voice flooded the internet with his ‘To The Moon’ cover and subsequent remix in the late months of 2021. While Sam may be a new voice to some, the artist started seriously writing songs around the age of sixteen in his parent's home in Eastbourne, U.K., consistently growing his audience ever since. Releasing his first song on Spotify in 2017, Sam built his platform to over 11 million listeners. His sultry voice and intimate lyricism establish his stop at studio sessions in Los Angeles with some of his lifetime music icons like Justin Bieber.
The artist’s anticipated EP release, who do you pray to, drops on March 18th and features songs like “hero”, “Bloodline”, and “brother”. His sound, reminiscent of 90s R&B, incorporates contemporary pop production with an alternative indie twist. Sam’s tender lullaby sound comforts not only the many people who battle with their mental health but all people who feel underrepresented in music today. Inspired by narrative albums like “College Dropout”, he admired artists (like Kanye) who were so “raw and honest in that time,” and shared stories “about things on a social level about the world’s current point.” Sam believes that “music just needs to be real to give people the actual human experience.”
The crux of the project centers around Sam’s deep commitment to family, touching on coping mechanisms that help people get through challenging times. “When you’re not sure what you believe in a spiritual sense, what are the things that get you through hard times? A lot of people are able to lean on faith or something that they believe in.” The EP is me “admitting that I need to seek that [spirituality] but also appreciate what’s got me this far.” For Sam, a lot of that has to do with his family.
At sixteen, Sam wrote “hero” as a present to his father. The song simultaneously touches on themes of suicide while soothing the loneliness of depression. “hero” depicts the silent battle his dad fought with depression when Sam was around five years old. Unaware of the extent of his father’s struggle, Sam shares how he lost some respect for his father during his childhood and young adolescence because he was not a “perfect person” like he assumed adults were. In his later teenage years, Sam dealt with his own inner conflicts. Reflecting on his experiences and his personal need to confide in others for support, the artist adds: “My dad keeping that [struggle] from me–as sad as it was–is a testament to how much he wanted me and my siblings and me to feel safe and protected and comfortable.” Sam plays his father in the song’s bittersweet music video. And his portrayal is a testament to his dad’s newfound “superhero” status, now recognizing his father as his confidant and best friend.
“Hero” Album Artwork / Click to Listen
The core of Sam’s songwriting genius revolves around his ability to deliver widely relatable struggles inspired by moments in his life that are so personal “they’re almost niche.” He also enjoys writing music for other musicians given he’s not exhausting his own emotions, remarking how “writing from their experiences, and chatting with them is really cool.”
His genuine appreciation for music as a whole shines through his covers of major hit songs. The artist believes that “Even if you think you’re the best songwriter in the world, you should never be too proud to do that stuff.” He also touches on the marketability of posting covers, appreciating their massive influence on his career.
“When you're a new artist with a face that no one has ever seen before [and] no one has ever heard your music, it is really hard to be seen and heard for the first time. You’ve got to give people a little bit of familiarity. But put your own little spin on things.” Sam changes the cords and the melodies and forges a space for his distinctive and soulful tone to flourish, exemplified in his renditions of iconic hits like “Halo” by Beyocé, “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King, and “I’m Not The Only One” by Ed Sheeran.
The British-born singer has come a long way from busking in Brighton streets. His busking journey started when he was a shy kid. Sam, not having enough money to afford a hat, asked his friends to loan him some money. They refused and challenged him to sing and earn the money himself. This moment birthed Sam’s newfound freeness as a musician and person. “It totally made me more confident in myself,” and “confidence has a lot to do with feeling free. Busking…made me a performer. It made me realize my purpose as a human being–and there’s nothing more freeing than that.”
Given Sam did not have an instant rise to fame, he offers some wisdom to those who may currently be struggling to see an abundance of opportunities in their lives. He recognizes how “it’s really easy to tell yourself, ‘oh maybe I’m not as good as I thought I was,’ when life isn’t going so well.” But ultimately you have to “enjoy the journey as well. Enjoy the moments when not everything is working out because it makes you appreciate what the next part is going to be.” Enjoy the journey and enjoy the ride.
Further, it’s important to recognize the growing influence of Sam’s lyricism as it cracks the archetypical mold of male insensitivity. Sam is a role model who presents a modernized representation of what it means to be a real man. Our world needs more of his glass-half-full mentality and self-reflective spirit. For those who struggle with vulnerability, Sam’s songs are a framework of how to start. After all, “a problem shared is a problem halved.”
Overall, Sam’s pure heart and soulful delivery are ultimately what makes his music so captivating. Looking to the future, Sam wants to be a consistent artist, and not take any music for granted. While he’s inspired by and interested in exploring more R&B sounds, he wants people to know that “any new sort of style of music I make, it comes from really appreciating the history” of that genre. Coming at a time where aesthetics are increasingly important, Sam’s authentic appreciation for life and his gratitude for the people who define it came at the perfect time.