Sam Leoh Artist Feature

Gone are the days of burning songs from iTunes to blank CD’s. We are living in a generation dominated by streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music, and this could be for the better. Independent music artists no longer require labels to make their own money and due to social media, making a name for yourself is easier than ever before.

Independent Alt-Pop artist Sam Leoh from Bolton, has recognised that streaming is now more popular than hard-copies of music and is looking to take advantage of this. She believes: “I think it’s great that music is so accessible now, it gives everyone a chance to be heard. Streaming opens up doors to be discovered by new audiences too!”

Sam and her band recently gigged at Manchester’s Retro Bar in March, and she is excited for what the future holds for an independent artist like herself. Sam said: “I'm embarking on a collaborative project which I am super excited about!”

Whilst also not wanting to give too much away, she mentioned she had gone through an important time in her life, relocating to Peak Forest, she explained: “I’m writing from a different perspective now, and I’m enthusiastic for what the future holds.”

As the youngest of four siblings, Sam had various music influences growing up from within her family. “My Dad’s dad was a self-taught drummer in a rhythm and blues band, and my Mum’s Dad was a singer for pubs and clubs, so there’s probably a musical trait that I have inherited from somewhere!”

Musical influences define an artist and is one of the keys to how you articulate your music. In terms of lyric writing, Sam said: “I remember being inspired by Eminem and Pete Doherty, because I thought they were incredible storytellers, and they both made me aware of how powerful wordplay can be.”

Although Eminem and Doherty may have a very different sound to Sam, they inspired her to reach out to Blueprint Studios in Manchester, where superstars like Justin Timberlake, Rihanna and Snoop Dogg have all made music.

Sam secured a meeting with one of the founders of Blueprint, Fred Kindt, early in 2015 and it wasn’t long before she was in the studio working on her first EP titled ‘Crush’.

Working with a producer for the first time and being engulfed in a studio can be nerve-wracking for some artists – and for Sam it was exactly the same, but she was keen, and knew that this was what she wanted to do - “It felt like I had overcome a massive hurdle, it gave me the momentum to carry on pursuing music.”

Sam’s affinity for Alt-Pop became clear when she was in the studio with Fred, as she noticed all of the layers he was able to put into her songs, and the atmosphere this created.

But when working with new artists, Fred acknowledged that it can be difficult for the both of them, as it takes time to get used to each other’s style. Fred said: “I find that to be the biggest job for a producer, finding that middle ground, because if you don’t do much, you aren’t helping the artist, but you also want to let the artists express themselves and not take over completely. Obviously when we met I was a stranger and its quite an intimate experience in the studio singing for someone you don’t really know.”

As a producer who has worked with many talented artists over the years, the new wave of independent artists is appealing to Fred, as he explained he prefers working with them instead of bands.

“All these big bands from the past have this big attitude, it’s harder for me to work with them, the independent artists are a lot more modest, humble and nicer to work with.”

Fred left Blueprint in 2015 to focus on his own music after only a few sessions with Sam, and his love of orchestral music and heartfelt songs makes him wonder what Sam and himself could have done if he hadn’t left.

“She was one of the artists I felt came at the wrong time. It’s been over 4 years, I would love to work with her again. I really regret leaving Blueprint when I did.”

Sam on the other hand, benefited greatly from these sessions on the studio and has been supported by BBC Introducing since working with Fred in 2015 and believes that not being signed to a label may be the future for artists going forward. “I’ve learned a lot since starting my music career, in terms of self-promoting, booking, plugging, and branding, so I’m happy with how everything is going.”

If you needed any endorsement that being an independent artist may be the future of the music industry, early in 2016 Sam’s track ‘No Other Fish’ was broadcast on her local BBC radio show, a huge moment for any artist, and Sam still can’t believe it to this day. “It always feels heart-warming to hear my songs broadcast on the radio, it’s something I’ll never forget.”

Along with being broadcast on the radio, Sam was given a slot on the BBC Introducing stage at the Festival of Making in May 2018.

If you would like to find out more about Sam Leoh, you can find her at the following platforms:

Twitter - @SamLeoh

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/samleohmusic/

Website – https://samleoh.com/

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/4BZqT6YGi5I7nl78coI5gU

Apple Music - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/sam-leoh/994234654