Samm Henshaw, best known for hit songs “Chicken Wings” and “Church,” stopped by Blavity News this month to discuss his debut album, the importance of showcasing vulnerability in his music and the impact that traveling has had on his outlook on life.
On His Debut Album
While Henshaw has released bodies of work such as The Sound Experiment and The Sound Experiment 2 throughout his career, his latest project, Untidy Soul, is his debut album. Previously, the UK native has described the upcoming album as a way for listeners to get more of an insight into his life. Henshaw describes the creation of his album, from the writing to the arranging of the music, as being inspired by his life experiences.
“When it came to the writing and piecing together the music, it was always inspired by some type of reality in my life,” Henshaw told Blavity News. “It’s great because a lot of people connect to it, which is what I ended up finding, and I thought it was really important once I saw that people need something to be able to connect with.”
On Being Vulnerable In His Music
Showcasing this side of vulnerability is something that Henshaw hasn’t always been comfortable with.
“I used to be really afraid of it actually,” Henshaw said. “I’ve always been a bit afraid of being vulnerable in showing people who I am and letting people in my life.”
Henshaw goes on to state that there is power in vulnerability, as he’s found strength in controlling how he lets his listeners into his life through his music.
“I’ve also found that there was power in vulnerability, and I found that there’s strength in it,” Henshaw said. “I figured the best way for me to communicate who I am is through my music. I don’t necessarily need to always be on social media showing you parts of my life. I think it was a more controlled way, as well, for people to have a bit of insight in my life.”
His First Headlining Tour
The “Church” singer recently wrapped up his Sorry I’m So Late I Was Busy Doing Nothing Tour in the U.S. in which he visited New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Though Henshaw has performed in America before, headlining a tour for the first time has excited him about returning to do bigger shows in the future.
“I’ve been going to America for maybe like six or seven years, and I’ve done shows out there. The fact that that was my first ever headlining a tour was just insane to me,” Henshaw said. “It was just like the best experience, it could’ve possibly been. I can’t imagine it going any better, I’m super excited to come back and do bigger shows.”
The Impact Of Traveling On His Music
Henshaw, who recently starred in the More Than a Jacket campaign for The North Face, said that his experiences traveling around the world have educationally informed his music.
“It’s educated me,” Henshaw told Blavity News. “I just started making a point of picking up my camera and just walking outside and just going for a walk and just seeing where I was and just taking stuff in. It’s helped usually because you learn so much about the culture.”
Henshaw's debut album, Untidy Soul, is slated to be released on Jan. 28.
