What is your name?
Sam Wickens

What is your genre of music?
Folktronic which is Folk Electronic and Indie Folk

Give us a little bio about you.
Sam is a mesmerising performer, gifted with the talent to arouse the soul with haunting melodies laced with poignant lyrics sung with his trademark transparency of spirit. He humbly plies his craft with a focused sincerity, and has created a style of his own: consistently delivering on his reputation as a bewitching live performer.

What made you go into music?
I had been removed from high school due to mental health problems and behaviour, I didn’t have another lane to go down so I started to write songs about how I interpreted life and how I felt within my life, It just kept snowballing after that!

Are you signed?
I am signed with a Label and Manager from Northern Ireland called “Doot Doot Records” and Managed by John Dynes from Doot Doot!

You have released your new single ‘Strange.24’, tell us more about the single.
It is the next step forward for my music. It has the acoustic roots but the layers that have been implemented make it alot bigger, I love contorting sounds to fit my songs and sound to really build the soundstage to try and get across the emotion that comes from the song!

What is the meaning behind the single?
I received a new form of treatment for PTSD late in 2019 and for the first time in years the symptoms of PTSD were not in my life anymore, It felt like I had took a breath for the first time, When people were asking how i was keeping and how my mental health was I kept telling them “It all just went away” it became almost a mantra that helped solidify a new beginning for my mental health and life.

Describe the track in two words.
Emotive & Captivating

What was the writing process like?
With most of my music once something sparks my creativity towards writing a song I almost go into a fugue state to where the song just writes itself and I am just allowing the words to go onto the page. It was extremely helpful in cementing the fact that I really was in a better place!

Who did you work with on the single?
I worked with Michael Mormecha to Co-produce, Amy Montgomery how put in additional backing vocals, Danny Mills who was the Videographer/Director and my Manager John Dynes who is great at overlooking the projects and putting the moving pieces together!

We also see a music video for the track, tell us about the creative process?
The music video was an amazing process! I met with the Videographer/Director Danny Mills and we just spoke about what the song was about, my life and experiences. From there he gave a storyboard and told me about his plans, We worked back and forth to really get a great foundation to what the Video was going to be!

An Ep in 2021, tell what we can expect.
“Watson” is an amazing blend of songs, It’s Folk Electronic with touches of experimentalism. I believe that listeners will thoroughly enjoy listening through the tracks one after another and experience the chronological journey of the songs

Describe each track in two words.
Sunday Smile – Nostalgic & Calm
Watson – Closed & Dark
Murky Waters – Angry & Driven
This War of Mine – Open & Warm
Strange.24 – Emotive & Captivating

What is the meaning behind the EP.
“Watson” is the rawest and closest group of songs I will have released so far, I was never open that much about how bad my mental health was, I wrote and produced most of the songs through a year that was the hardest year of my life, It was only supposed to be a therapeutic exercise to try and work through my problems. Once I got in a better place I got this urge to let people hear these songs and witness my experiences.

Do you have any online shows coming up?
At the minute I don’t have any planned, I do have a show planned for the 1st of April in The Workmans Club, Dublin!

What else can we expect in 2020?
More cryptic video teasers and unsettling music videos for sure

Do you have any collaborations coming up with any upcoming artists?
I just recently recorded a feature on a Pale Lanterns song, I really can’t wait to hear it upon release!

Would you be up for collaborations if other musicians wanted one with you? and who would they have to contact?
Of course! I love collaboration with music as long as it fits! I wouldn’t be the kind of musician that can easily hop on to a project that doesn’t excite me! The best place is through social media, just send me a message and some of your material so I can get a feel for your music and style so i can see if i can offer anything to accompany it!

Do you play any instruments?
Yes, I play guitar, Piano, Bass, I create and play synths and samples, I create string arrangements and a touch of throat singing!

Who are your influences?
Definitely Justin Vernon, Front man of Bon Iver. The National, Sufjan Stevens.

How do you get inspiration to write songs?
I just allow life to be the inspiration, I never try to push to write a song, I like to wait until the song comes to me and then I just let it flow out.

Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
I see myself touring a lot more around the world, Sharing more music and being creative in every aspect of my life!

When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
I train in MMA, Exercise, cook and play video games!

What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
I don’t think it was a singular song, The more I listened to music the more i felt compelled to want to tell my own story and experiences through song!

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Be yourself! The world doesn’t need a sequel of someone else, it needs the first you!

What quote or saying do you always stick by?
If you are walking on ice, You may as well dance

Where in your hometown is a must go to visit?
Crawfordsburn Country Park, I spent a lot of my childhood there with my Granda!

Your coming off tour;
1/ Where do you go first? Home
2/ Who do you see first? My Parents
3/What do you eat first? A homemade burger

When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
My Guitar, Manners, My nerves are good, Peppermint Teabags, Too have fun!

Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
I have facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube! They are all Sam Wickens. It’s an unusual name so it’s easy to find!