Sam Hart
I couldn’t help but fall in love with Sam Hart’s new single “Friends Before”. It is the perfect ballad.
Fusing heartfelt lyrics and captivating melodies, Hart delivers warm and emotional vocals. Produced by Mike Tompa, the song is about the deceit of a close friend.
“It was a hard one to write and it took a long time for me to understand the situation before I could even think about writing it. It makes me wonder if men and women can have platonic relationships without one party always trying to make it more. After time allowed for some healing, I think it’s true,” she says.
”Friends Before” is available now.
Hi Sam, how are you? What's your story?
Hi, I’m well! I hope you’re doing well too. My name is Sam and I’m a Toronto based artist.
What did you grow up listening to?
I grew up listening to a lot of different things and my taste in music is like a disorganized closet. Around the house, my dad played Spirit of the West and The Tragedy Hip, while my mom loved to put on Van Morrison (specifically Brown Eyed Girl on repeat) and a little bit of John Devor. So I listening to alot of that during our roadtrips to visit my cousins. I’ve always been interested in musical theatre and have been in many shows, but I also went to school for classical music, so my personal playlists always includes a few handfuls of broadway hits and sometimes a choral song too. In addition to those genres, I also listen to tons of pop and indie pop music. Of course, right now, I’ve had the Eras Tour playlist on repeat for months. (I’m so excited for the Reputaion (TV) vault tracks!).
Do you remember a specific record that had a huge impact in your life?
I would say Shania Twains ‘Up’ was an album that made a huge impact on me. My mom took me to see her when I was in grade 5 and I loved it so much, I wore the concert t-shirt in my school photo that week. Still, to this day, I can’t help but sing when any song from that album comes on, how could you not?
Do you remember the first song you ever wrote? What did you learn about songwriting since then?
Yes! It was not great. I used to make up my own lyrics to songs that already existed and thinking back on it makes me laugh. I feel like I learned so much about songwriting when I started working with other people. Collaboration can be the most wonderful thing!
When did you know you could sing?
I knew I could sing when my school choir let me sing a solo in grade 1 and though I remember being nervous I also remember loving it so much that I knew I would keep doing it.
Who was the first person to ever believe in you professionally?
When I was in the 6th grade the owner of the music school I took lessons at, Rick Rose, asked me record a song written by one of his friends. This song was to be apart of a collection of songs on an album with various artists from the town I grew up in, Niagara Falls. The song is called “Masterpiece Unseen,” andI remember being so excited to be in the vocal booth. I remember my mom sat with the producer and she was beaming the entire time. It was so fun! My family still has the physical CD.
What gave you the confidence to release your original music and be an artist?
A whole lot of delusion!
"Friends Before" is your latest single - what's the inspiration behind this song?
This song is being taken advantage of by a friend. It’s about working through that betrayal and ultimately losing a friend because of it.
When did you start working on "Friends Before"? Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this song? Who helped you create it?
I wrote this song by myself a few years ago. I worked on it with a few producers, attempting to make it right. I always thought I wanted it to be big and pop-sounding, but every time we went that route, I thought it sounded off. Finally my friend Vibi (who’s an exceptional songwriter herself) suggested I pull it back. Once that happened, I knew it was right. TOMPA was the perfect producer for this song, he was so patient taking his time and worked his magic to make sure I was truly happy with it.
What did you feel when recording this song?
I was excited to record this song, it felt powerful to me in some way.
What's your favorite lyric on "Friends Before"?
My favourite lyric from Friends Before is in the second last line of the chorus; “How many times can I refuse, you left me with a bruise.”
What made you want to release "Friends Before" as a single?
I’ve been working on it for a while but I’ve also been holding on to it for a while. I almost didn’t want to relase it because of what the song’s about. But, eventually enough time passed and it felt right.
What do you want people to feel when listening to this song? What message do you want to deliver?
I want people to know that being someone’s friend doesn’t excuse poor behaviour.
How's it like to be a woman in the music industry? What are your thoughts on today' music industry?
I feel like the music industry puts a timeline on women. As I’ve grown older, I’ve found I’ve only gotten better at my crafts and more certain of myself, so why limit women to being under 30 to be able to make it as an artist in the music industry? I also feel like the music industry is changing rapidly right now, with so much opportunity online to create your own fan base without a record label backing you. I think it’s amazing to find so many unique voices and point of views online, I’ve found so many new songwriters this way!. That being said, I also think record labels are expecting their artist to go viral all the time and to basically be a content creator as well as an artist. I think that works for some but can be really hard for most!
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
Learning and wanting to solve problems with speech and communication instead of violence would make the world a better place.
What biggest life lessons have you learnt this year?
The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is that you can be scared and worried about what people think of you but, you truly can’t control any of that. Learn to love yourself and you will be so much happier! (Also get a dog to snuggle with if you’re able to).
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