13 Questions With Sam Olyott
13 Questions With Liverpool singer/songwriter Sam Olyott
Sam puts storytelling and stark emotions at the forefront of his songs, and “Never Be You” is no exception. His appealing soul-pop voice begins by depicting how an apparently ordinary moment signified the end of a relationship, but the mood lifts with the realisation that it’s time to move on. It’s a song which doesn’t need any overly elaborate instrumentation. Accompanied by acoustic guitar and a little piano, Sam’s voice has the strength to do all the heavy lifting it needs.
Sam says, “If I had to sum up “Never Be You”, I’d say It’s a song about knowing you have to move on from someone but also feeling like you’ll never find anyone as good as them.”
Sam’s first three songs all feel like they’re chapters in the same story: the initial realisation that the relationship is over with “Cold Toast”, the subsequent pain reaching a peak with “On You Own”, and now “Never Be You” reluctantly accepting that it’s time to try again with someone new. The single was written by Sam with Mark Vallance (Tom Walker, Lost Frequencies), who co-produced it with Teddy Gristle.
NSG: Morning Sam and how are you? What have you been doing today and how’s that going?
SO: I’m really great thanks! I’m currently planning a writing trip, I’m going out to Austria, and Vienna in January with some writers I worked with recently in London
NSG: So you recently released your new single titled “NEVER BE YOU”, what’s the song about? And what was your recording process like?
SO: “Never Be You” is about knowing you have to let go of someone but also feeling like you’ll never find anyone as good as them… The recording process was really cool actually as we started it in lockdown back in 2020. I recorded my guitar and the original vocals at home and sent them to Mark Vallance who made a demo. Around 2 years later we took it to the studio and re-recorded the vocals. It was definitely the most DIY writing process I’ve been a part of so far, lots of fun!
NSG: Do you have a specific writing process?
SO: I don’t have a specific writing process, it’s usually just moments of inspiration! I find sitting down with my guitar or at the piano and just jamming around some chords normally works the trick as well. 😆
NSG: What or who influences your style of music?
SO: My style of music has lots of influences. For example, the likes of John Mayer and Passenger are big influences when it comes to my writing. I guess I’m just constantly trying to come up with new ways to make my music unique and relatable.
NSG: Being an artist whos starting to get a lot of traction, how did the pandemic affect your momentum and how did you manage to get through the lockdowns?
SO: The pandemic was definitely tough! I think the main thing was having to re-plan releases and shows etc. It was a challenge but I love a good challenge and I think we did alright in the end 🙂
NSG: I read recently that you started your music career busking on the streets of Liverpool’s city centre at the age of just 14. Can you remember the first time you busked? Was it hard and how did you feel?
SO: I vividly remember the first time I busked. It was June 30th 2015. I remember not wanting to start as I thought everyone would just look at me and think ‘what is he doing’. As soon as I sang that first note all those feelings left and I never looked back.
NSG: I also hear that you have over 5000 song ideas saved as voice notes on your phone. That’s quite some catalogue dude! Will you be releasing any of them in the future?
SO: Yep, to be honest, it’s around 6000 now haha! I’m always creating and thinking of new ideas and there are definitely songs in my voice memos that will be released in the future!
NSG: What do you think makes a good song?
SO: That’s a great question. I think there are lots of things that make a good song like top melodies and lyrics for example but for me, one of the most important elements in making a good song is a good structure. If the structure of the song is solid then the chances of it sounding great go up massively!
(Sam Olyott)
NSG: What would be your dream venue to play? Anywhere in the world.
SO: My dream venue to play would be Wembley! I feel like once you’ve played Wembley you’ve made it! 😆
NSG: You got invited to play Liverpool football club? Wanna tell us a bit about that?
SO: It was such an honour to be invited by Liverpool Football Club to play at Anfield! The club is such a big thing for the city so playing there was a dream come true
NSG: We are a Liverpool Based music magazine. Will we see you gig in Liverpool any time soon?
SO: I’ve got plans for another headline show in Liverpool early next year! Performing live is my favourite thing to do so I’ll definitely be playing lots of shows next year 🙂
NSG: If you could sit down for dinner with any three people from history, past or present who would they be and why?
SO: Wow great question! If I could sit down with 3 people for a meal the first person would have to be the apostle Paul as I’m a Christian and his life and journey is such an inspiration to me. The second person would be Justin Bieber as I feel like he has so much wisdom to give on the industry and he’s also one of my favourite artists! The third person would be my Dad as I know for a fact he’d enjoy the conversations at that table 🙂
NSG: How is the rest of 2022 looking for you?
SO: The rest of 2022 for me is all about preparing for next year! Lots of writing, creating and growing! I also can’t wait to spend Christmas with family and friends, it’s my favourite time of year 😆
NSG: Thank you so much for your time, we wish you all the luck in the world! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
SO: Thank you! I’d say a massive thank you to all who have been supporting me along the way.
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