Black Artist of The Week: Sam Ezeh

Indie newcomer, Sam Ezeh, is making his mark within 2021 with his debut EP Night at Ezeh’s. His sounds are reminiscent of the  70’s soulful rock era that birthed artists like Prince. The 20-year-old strives to create art within multiple genres, as he produces his own sound and writes his own music.

In an Alt Revue interview earlier this year, Sam shares what got his start into his musical journey. “I started taking piano lessons at six. My stepdad was a saxophonist and a music teacher so I always had a lot of music and instruments around me during my childhood, which gave me the opportunity, and curiosity, to try a lot of different things out. I started singing at age 15 and the year after I finally decided I wanted to learn producing for real,” he said.

When asked about what inspired him to launch his career, he mentioned how impactful the album, Lemonade by Beyonce was to him. “Beyoncé’s ’Lemonade’ album and seeing her live on the Lemonade world tour back in 2016 was what really made me realize I wanted to pursue music for a living. It’s such a well-produced album and I was so inspired by her performing skills and all of her hard work and the perfectionism behind her artistry,” he said. “Later on I also listened a lot to Kendrick Lamar, especially his old more jazzy stuff, as well as Childish Gambino (and Ludwig Göransson) who also has very interesting productions. I love Solange and Jimi Hendrix too.,” he continued.

The Swedish artist redefines what it means to be a contemporary neo-soul artist. The EP focuses on exploring different phases within a relationship. Different perspectives express Sam’s diverse, yet original lyricism. The project is his debut of swaying away from what’s popular within mainstream, where sometimes the music can seem formulaic.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0HeJ5vvU2LxmL5QNtCxIrl?si=xhMBakWaTgCZY2jjbE2Z3A

The album starts off with the intro track, “Sundown (Intro),” slowly enticing the listener to what’s to come. The following track, “CRISIS,” is one of the standouts of the album, a song about divorce. The pace of the harmonies matched with the magnetic strings of the guitar are exquisite in sound.  At maximum volume this a must listen to.

Another unmissable track is the interlude “Moonquake (Interlude),” a dreamy split in between “Bonsai Love” and “Suspension.” The loud bass and the layering of the melodies adds another layer of excellent mastering. Sam exhibits  leads perfectly to “Suspension.”

Sam’s voice is elastic and firm; Night at Ezeh’s is a daring EP debut, and the experimental factor of it adds to the praise. The dynamic of his project creates an all-rich listening ride through Sam’s mind. “I want everyone to know that I’m always striving to innovate my music, that what you hear right now is not going to sound the same as the next project I’m releasing. To feel content with what I make I need it to feel refreshing and novel compared to what I have already made.,” he said to Alt Revue.

Recently, Sam has made it to Spotify’s “Nordic RADAR artists” for 2021. “So excited to be one of the five @spotify Nordic RADAR artists for this year!,” he shared on his Instagram.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by @samezeh