Sam Walwyn is a London-based young musician who grew up in Jersey and is known for his indie folk and alternative-pop style.
His latest single is called ‘Overtime‘ and describes an experience of being overwhelmed in a relationship where he struggled to express his emotions.
“I didn’t feel like I had a voice”
He explained: “I didn’t feel like I had a voice within the relationship… and it was like was working overtime to keep myself and the relationship afloat and in amongst all of those fluctuating emotions.”
He explores the fear of opening up and the challenges of seeking help in times of need through the indie-pop guitar-led song.
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‘Overtime’ will be included in Sam’s upcoming EP ‘Can We Restart’, which is set to be released next summer.
The EP was recorded in London last year and features seven songs that offer a blend of acoustic romantic tracks alongside more upbeat, loud and tongue-in-cheek tunes.
Soaring on social media
Sam’s previous singles like ‘Not The Best Texter,’ ‘Date Her,’ ‘Nothing But The Worst,’ and ‘That Song’ have received positive attention.
The latter even made it onto a Spotify playlist with 25k subscribers.
He has built a loyal following on TikTok by sharing videos of his songwriting process, alongside lighthearted and humorous content.
Balancing music, stew-pidity and Jersey inspiration
One of his videos, which features a song about soup that he described as “stew-pid” gained more than two million views.
A sneak preview of ‘Overtime’, meanwhile, released earlier this month gained more than 60,000.
Video: Sam’s song, ‘First Place’.
Reflecting on his success to date, Sam, who is based in London and currently travelling in Sri Lanka, had kind words to say about Jersey.
“I think my upbringing in Jersey had a huge amount to do with where I am now”, he said.
He began his music career on the island, writing songs from the age of 15 and drawing inspiration from his guitar teacher’s encouragement at La Motte Street, which eventually led him to pursue music professionally.
The island has a special place in Sam’s heart, from the local musical talent to the stunning beaches in the summer, combined with good food and friends made for a lifetime.
The freedom of experimentation
He said: “The music scene in Jersey is so cultivating. It’s lovely to have grown up there because there is so much support for the arts, even for young kids.”
“La Motte Street, which is now St James, provided super cheap rehearsal spaces for us so we could all play and practice and it would be like, like £2 each, which is just insane for two hours.”
“You can fluctuate and experiment with different musical styles in Jersey… You have the more acoustic stuff, with a more beachy sound. And there’s quite like a big punk scene with a little bit more of a heavier vibe.
“I loved playing acoustic guitar and performing solo and acoustic guitar and doing the percussionist stuff, as well as playing with electric guitar with a full band and being super sweaty on stage and having so much fun.”
“Jersey had a lot to do with that ability to experiment with a live show to try myself out in different kinds of music scenes,” he added.
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