Sam Setton
Born and raised in New York City, singer/songwriter Sam Setton has just released his new single entitled “Gum”.
Following his song “Pink Nikes”, the new single captures the feelings of falling in love. Fusing elements of r&b and electronic, “Gum” was produced by Alexander Glantz and written by Setton.
Signed to Paradigm Talent Agency, Setton has gained support from major outlets such as Billboard, EARMILK, LADYGUNN and Ones To Watch.
“Gum” is now available on major streaming platforms.
Introduce yourself - where are you from?
Hey! I’m Sam Setton. I’m an NYC born and raised singer/songwriter that makes pop music.
What's your story?
I’ve been writing and recording music since I was 14. I explored with different sounds from high school throughout my Junior year of college, up until I found a sound I was confident in sharing with the world. I travel a lot and I tend to incorporate that into my music too.
Could you tell us a little bit about your childhood? What did you grow up listening to?
My childhood was pretty awesome I went through so many music listening phases. I think it started when my parents were playing The Beatles Greatest Hits CDs in the car when I was really young. Then I started to discover music on my own and started listening to Backstreet Boys and N’SYNC. Eventually it became System of A Down and Metallica.. then Senses Fail and Taking Back Sunday.. and eventually I gravitated towards artists like Arctic Monkeys, the Kooks and John Mayer.
When did you realize music had a big impact in your life? Any specific memory?
I’m not sure that there was a specific time or memory. I think after so many years of having music as a big part of my life I sort of looked back and put the pieces together - realizing music impacts my life more than the average person.
At what point did you know you had to become an artist and release your original music?
Pretty early on. Probably at 12 or 13 when I was taking guitar lessons and realized I didn’t want to learn anyone else’s music but only wanted to learn the necessary chords to be able to create my own.
Do you remember the first show you've ever played? What lessons did you learn since then?
For sure! I’ve learned so many lessons but the most important was probably that it is super important to value the concertgoers time and to put on the best performance possible for them.
You released your first single in 2016. How did your sound and artistry evolve since then?
It’s evolved tremendously. I’ve definitely come into my own as a songwriter and I’ve gotten more creative and confident with both writing and production. In 2016 I didn’t have a specific sound. Now I do.
You're about to release your new single "Gum". What's the story behind this song? Who did you work with?
It’s a love song in which I’m attempting to capture that feeling of when you first realize you’re falling for the person. I worked on “Gum” with an incredible producer name Alexander Glantz, the same person behind the last few singles!
Could you tell us about the songwriting/production process for this song? When did you start working on it?
I started working on it in the beginning of 2018. I had most of the song written when I went into the production phase. I had an idea of the sound and vibe I wanted for the production and it took a while to get there. I really wanted to highlight the guitar and preserve the vibe of “Gum” as it was when I performed it acoustic and live.
Who's helping you shape your artistry?
It’s a healthy combination of myself, my team, and my influences.
Why do you make music? What keeps you going?
I make music for many reasons. Mainly because it's cathartic for me.. but now that I have seen my music reach so many people, I’m trying to tell honest stories that people can relate to. Seeing peoples responses to the music + the prospect of achieving my dreams is what keeps me going.
What inspires you the most?
Watching other independent artists work hard and achieve their goals.. traveling the world.. and walking around NYC.
What's the hardest thing about being an artist? And what's the best thing?
The hardest thing is probably learning how to be patient about getting music out and the best thing is that I’m able to do something I love every single day.
As an artist and as a human being, what do you want to accomplish?
I have a handful of goals and things I’d like to get done in the near future. As long as I’m always working towards accomplishing those things, and staying true to my craft I’ll be happy :).
What are the things you are the most proud of?
I’m most proud of what my team and I have accomplished thus far. I’m super proud of the music I’ve written and recorded in 2018 that I’ll be releasing in 2019!
What are your goals for 2019?
There are too many goals to list but here are a few - 1. TOUR 2. Release a lot of music 3. Keep growing my amazing fanbase.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
If the majority of people were more empathetic and understanding of other people’s situations :)
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