After dropping a steady barrage of singles leading into the release of her debut Summer Solstice EP on her newly launched label Stabby Records, it’s safe to say Sam Blacky is looking to make a lasting impression on the electronic dance music community as we close out 2021.
Keeping quite busy during the global pandemic delivering a bevy of live streams as part of her “A New World” series spinning sets from of her favorite spots in Mexico, she has hit the ground running with club shows and festivals getting back to capacity (at least here in the United States) finally be able to see a love crowd reaction to her most recent productions.
Already juggling a hectic modeling schedule while tying in being globetrotting DJ/producer, Sam Blacky has quickly proved to be a force to be reckoned with her artistic vision continuing to evolve as each week goes by. Riding the momentum of her debut EP and launching a label into 2022, it’s pretty hard not to get excited for what she has in store for the future.
With her Summer Solstice EP still in heavy rotation, we took the time to chat with the blossoming talent to get to know her and her story a little bit better. Check out our interview with Sam Blacky below. Enjoy!
DJ Life Mag: When were you first introduced to electronic dance music and when did you decide to pursue a career as a DJ?
Sam Blacky: It was so long ago I can’t exactly pinpoint it, but I would say when I was about 18 I was living in LA where I met some of mob best friends to this day. They introduced me to so much house and electronic music I truly fell in love, started going to raves, to DJ sets, it was a whole new world and something I never experienced growing up in San Diego. I was heavily involved in soccer (I almost played in college) and school so going out to shows just wasn’t anything I ever did. Back then there was no social media, no mass form of communication, so I was totally sheltered from it until I moved to LA/. My friends who introduced me to that scene would later go onto create “Gotta Dance Dirty” and “Desert Hearts”. Pretty epic group of people. I became obsessed with house music and watching DJs mix live even more so when I moved to Australia, and it took about 5 years out there before in decided I myself wanted to become a DJ. I would say I was around 23 when I started taking classes on production and DJing.
DJ Life Mag: Which artists influence or inspire you most?
Sam Blacky: I am inspired by such a wide array of artists, sometimes it doesn’t make sense because they’re all over the place genre and style wise. I have always loved classic tech house, tribal house, afro house, classic house, really anything house. My favorites are Chris Lake, Lee Foss, Black Coffee, Blondish, Michael Bibi, Second City, Damian Lazarus, Carl Cox, Duke Dummont, Claptone, Meduza, Gorgon City, to name a few.
DJ Life Mag: When did you know the time was right to take the leap into the world of production?
Sam Blacky: People always told me it was something I need to do eventually but the whole idea really scared me for quite some time. I would say from the moment I knew I needed to, to when I actually started dabbling was about 4 years. From there it took me about 4 years until I finally put something out. It was definitely something I put off for a longtime, and its one thing I am quite hard on myself for putting off.
DJ Life Mag: What does your studio setup look like these days?
Sam Blacky: My studio consists of… my laptop. When I’m collaborating or working with other artists or producers, I’ve been using their space or sharing files back and forth. My core collaborators on this last EP have been overseas, so it’s a lot of file sharing, zoom sessions, and WhatsApp threads. I started off using fruity loops back in the day, then moved onto Ableton which I’m still focusing on mastering every day. I’m always in the process of getting better and refining my skill.
DJ Life Mag: What’s your creative process in the studio?
Sam Blacky: I like to go through vocal demos and listen to them over and over to work out what it is exactly that I love about them so much, then figure out how to implement mold them into my own. This past year just before the pandemic I was so lucky to link with my current creative team, Jorik and Mischa over the internet to bounce back and forth ideas and really bring my visions to light.
DJ Life Mag: You’ve spent plenty of time all over globe (living and touring), has your international travels had any influence on your music?
Sam Blacky: 100% I would say my travels and time overseas is the number one thing above all that has influenced my music and my sound. I wasn’t 18 when I moved to Australia and for the last 12+ years I have either lived abroad or been on tour. I am extremely lucky to have experienced so many different cultures styles of music. Every place has a specific vibe that is synonymous with their location, even if it’s only a small little twang. The sets you hear in Bali are different from Tulum which are different from Ibiza which are different from St Tropez which are different from New York and so on and so on. I pick up a little bit of everything each time I go somewhere different & that’s the most exciting thing to me- hearing different music all over the globe. Of course there will always be an overlap with certain styles or songs that are popular all over, but for the most part I find each city has its own special sound going on.
DJ Life Mag: When you have a rough week or hit a wall creatively, how do you get yourself back on track?
Sam Blacky: I am a huge napper, and a huge self-care enthusiast. I rest like there’s no tomorrow, save and restore my energy, try to stay healthy with dieting, working out (I love Barrys bootcamp)\, going to saunas, cryotherapy, spas, getting IV drips, I mean you name it. I would say the best quality I have for this, which took a lot of practice, is to not be too hard on myself. Negative self-talk can be one of the most damaging and detrimental things a person can do to themselves. I just try to remember I am exactly where I need to be right now, and that I am doing the absolute best I can. Go easy on yourself.
DJ Life Mag: Tell us a little bit about how your new Summer Solstice EP and how it came together.
Sam Blacky: ‘Summer Solstice’ was a very long time in the making, it took me about 4 years of trial and error to get to the sound I wanted, and it really all came together when I met Jorik and Mischa, without them I could not have finished this EP. I was finally able to take all my years touring, traveling, soaking in different styles of music to culminate everything together into one project. I wanted the songs to have a mix of everything, all the genres I love, all the sounds I love, and just make people want to dance. I still have a lot to learn but I am just enjoying the process and making songs that I would listen to, play out, and sing along to.
DJ Life Mag: Your new EP was released on your freshly launched label Stabby Records, what can the world expect from your imprint going forward?
I want to find the diamonds in the rough, the underdogs, the people who don’t have a name for themselves yet, or the exposure to show the world their gifts. I am currently working on new singles and remixes for myself, but I hope that someday soon I can focus some of that energy into developing new artists!
DJ Life Mag: What does Sam Blacky have in store for the rest of 2021 and beyond?
Well, 2021 is almost at a close, and while I have kicked some things off my bucket list like starting my own label, putting out my first EP & original music, playing certain festivals, playing with certain artists I love, playing in new cities and countries, there are still a few more surprises to come. Next year I want to focus on the live show aspect and start really developing my visuals and the whole experience, while continuing to release music consistently. Let’s see what happens!
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