Songwriting can be a rewarding experience, but there’s more to it than just writing down song lyrics as they pop into your head. So before you set your pen to paper to write the words to your song, it’s good to have a concept that points the way to your final destination — a finished piece. After a recent interview with singer-songwriter Samaslife, we honed in on his thoughts about compelling songwriting. He adds,
“My advice to first-time songwriters would be you know the person you are writing the songs about,” he says. “First, know that. Then write a letter to them, what you would say if you could. That’s why I listen to music. It says how I feel better than I could. And it says what I wished I had said when that moment was there. So I would say be as direct as you possibly can. If you need to dial it back later, I guess, do that, but for me, the more details, the better.”
Samaslife shares his songs in his inner circle long before he records them. Those people can be trusted to tell him if they don’t like a song, which is just as crucial to him as hearing that someone does like the song. Even if a song makes the cut, Samas said he’s open about which songs actually make the final records. He states further,
“It has to be personal when I’m writing them, but it can’t be personal when I’m picking them. It can’t be like, ‘But no, that one is special to me,'” he says, pretending to whine in protest. “To a certain extent, it is ‘May the best song win.’ I don’t get my feelings hurt when it comes to picking which song makes the record and which one doesn’t.”
This year Samaslife is committed to colour out of the lines musically. Fusing modern rock with nostalgic 80’s synth vibes has always been a dream of his. With the industry’s way, it’s undeniable that we’ll see more of his work in the public space.
