After gaining local recognition by busking at his neighborhood grocery stores and various public areas, Sam Thompkins’ musical talent caught the attention of renowned icons such as Elton John and Justin Bieber. They took him under their wing and provided him with valuable musical guidance and advice.
Brighton, England-born artist Sam Tompkins’s musical journey kicked off at 15 years old, initially as a joke. Fast forward a decade, and Sam Tompkins has released his debut album, “Hi My Name Is, Insecure,” under Island Records, distributed through Universal Music Group. His debut album is a testament to his remarkable accomplishments. Interestingly, Sam’s foray into music began with a simple dare from a friend during a casual hangout. The friend refused to lend him money for a hat and instead challenged him to sing in front of strangers to earn the cash. After successfully completing the dare, Sam realized his potential to pursue a music career. After he started sharing cover songs on SoundCloud, his talent caught the attention of a growing audience. One of his covers, in particular, caught the eye of Justin Bieber, who reached out to him personally. This unexpected contact blossomed into a genuine friendship between the two musicians. His first EP, titled “COLOURED EMOTIONS,” came out in 2017, and months after the EP, Sam Tompkins was officially placed on Island Records radar for new talent. Years later, he would go on to release “From My Sleeve To the World” in 2019 and “Who Do You Pray To?” in 2022, released under Island Records.
“I always want people to feel comfort, that’s why I make music, and that’s why I listen to music.”
Sam Tompkins
Earlier this year, he revealed plans to release his debut album, “Hi My Name Is, Insecure” in the summer and later announced its release date as July 26th. The first single from the album, “Phones In Heaven” is an emotional tribute reflecting on memories of loved ones who have passed away. Sam, who recently experienced the loss of his father, is commended for channeling his musical talent and influence to raise awareness for mental health issues, using it as a form of self-therapy. “Hi, My Name Is, Insecure” debuted at #7 on the Billboard UK Albums Chart, a significant achievement for Sam, who aspired to make an impact in the music industry as a teenager. I recently had a heartfelt moment with Sam Tompkins and asked him two questions during a Universal Music Group press conference promoting his new album. Check out the interview below and stream “Hi, My Name Is, Insecure.”
Interview Questions:
Omar: Hi, My Name Is Insecure, dives into the rollercoaster of love, life, and the unavoidable encounters with loss and heartache. When did you discover that music was an outlet that allowed you to release your suppressed emotions?
Sam: I lost a friend to suicide when I was either 19 or 20, and before that, I would write about not necessarily. I remember feeling sad about it; I sat down at my computer and came up with this idea. I was worried I would go out the same way because I was suppressing so many feelings. So the next time I had a session, I knew that was something that I wanted to touch on; I got the producer to make a loop, and then asked him to leave his own studio, and sat there for two hours and carefully wrote down my every thought and feeling. I made this song and said, oh, that’s what it is. That’s why people make music, and that’s why people listen to music because it’s therapy. My music can be like a diary entry; I was crying when I was writing the song. The music was good; I realized nobody would listen to this and say it was trash unless they were just horrible human beings. Do you know what I mean? This came from the deepest parts of my being and my soul; if anyone has something to say about that, they aren’t wrong because they can have their own opinion but have not tapped in. It felt affirming, like the name of the album – nobody can take the shit away from me, you know what I mean. Sorry for swearing; I’m a curser, as you can see. Do you guys say curses or swear words?
Omar: Most people here say cuss or curse words, but I have heard swear words a lot more as of lately.
Sam: Here we say “that’s a swear word”.
Omar: You’re good, bro; I also wanted to tell you I’m sorry about that whole experience that you described. Sorry to hear about your friend. My condolences. Journalism was something that I did already but got more involved in once my best friend was murdered in 2017. Journalism was a way to express my emotions and how I felt so I understood. My second question for you, boss, is Selecting which songs make the cut can be pretty intriguing when creating an album. As a musician who records a lot of music, describe your thought process and criteria behind choosing the tracks that ultimately ended up on the album.
Sam: Amazing question, and first of all, I’m grateful for you being so vulnerable in front of all of these people, especially me. Secondly, this album was like three years in the making. The first half of those years were me writing music, and then I realized we were making an album. I wrote 250 songs, which sounds like a lot. Actually, it is a lot, it’s a fuckton. It’s hard to explain, but it’s literally just a feeling thing; I always said this to my manager, and he says it as well. We’re in a feeling space business, and some people are trying to switch up. When you make music, you’re in a feeling space business; certain people in the industry will say, “Here today, gone tomorrow,” but the music never is. When I listen to my music, I say what hurts to hear the most, if it hurts to hear, and if I’m uncomfortable about sharing that, it’s probably a good song. It’s really about feelings. This song may sound good, but I don’t connect with that one as much. Some speak to me more than others, but just because something didn’t go on the album doesn’t mean it wasn’t good enough. Perhaps it’s just for a later date. Or if I go through something in the future, I can come back to certain songs.
Omar: I appreciate you for sitting down and answering my questions!
Sam: I appreciate you, man. Have a great day; congrats on getting into journalism. You’re good at it. You had some great questions.
Omar: Thank you bro that means a lot!
