London’s Samuel Caney has released his alluring debut single ‘22’, which takes him off the streets of the capital, and onto the world stage.
'22' captures the butterflies at the start of a relationship and the intrigue at what it could become, but without wanting to be the first to admit feelings. The track is uplifting, inspiring, and a real triumph for the British newcomer.
Commenting on the song, he said:
“It was a great experience; Paul has a real ear for the right sounds to suit the song. I took him my, very rough, demo track and couldn’t have been happier with the outcome. My favourite part has to be the Kalimba which appears during the 2nd chorus!”
To coincide with the release, the artist has dropped a parody track called ‘I Got A New Song’ and you can check out the tongue in cheek visual below:
Having been forced off the streets by the lockdown measures, the artist has thrown himself into writing and more singles are expected throughout the year.
So, your debut single has dropped and it’s a belter. What was your first emotion when it was released?
"Ah, well I'm glad you like it! My first emotion was excitement to be releasing new music. I feel good about this song and it's getting a good response so far. There's always a level of uncertainty about how a track will be received and there's some anxiety around that. I try to drown out those nerves and remember that I like the music I'm putting out, and that's the most important thing."
You recorded the track with renowned producer Paul Stanborough. How did this partnership emerge? "I was studying music at university and he was there lecturing on music production. He also ended up producing for an artist I was guitarist for at the time. I popped into his studio a few times to lay down guitar parts etc. I always kept him in the back of my mind for when the time was right to record my own songs. He's good fun to work with, we'd often end up going off on tangents about instagram celebrities or yoga breathing methods!"
Was it always your intention to work on the track with a producer? Or were you toying with the idea of doing everything yourself? "I always knew I'd need a producer. I don't yet have all the know how, or a 'producers ear' to really polish a song and make it radio ready. It's also great to have another new pair of ears on your song. Paul added so many elements and really took the song up a notch from my home demo. For example, there's a kalimba that enters halfway into the second chorus (02:02). I think it's my favourite part of the whole song! I'd love to able to do everything myself eventually, production wise, but right now I'm focusing on writing more than anything else."
You’ve said before that nothing compares to street performing. Why is that? "I get excited by the chance to play music to new faces everyday, and it's very rewarding making an immediate connection with listeners and passers by. I also enjoy the uncertainty involved, there's no guarantee that anybody will listen, or tip me (and I've been there trust me.. we all have bad days!) It pushes me to always play the best I can, and it means I don't take it for granted when people do listen. People are almost surprised to see talent on the street which only increases their interest in what’s going on. Once a few people have stopped to watch it can turn into a crowd very quickly."
We read that you’ve even caught the eye of a few celebrities while performing… "Haha yes! Well, it means a lot when anybody appreciates what I do, however, if you're giving me permission to name drop ... Lennon Stella filmed me on her instagram story not long ago (I actually posted about it on my instagram @iamsamuelcaney) That was amazing because I'm actually a fan of her music. I also met James Arthur (again, I'm a fan) on the South Bank and he was very encouraging. Woody and Kleiny (instagram funny guys) storied and shouted me out a while back and tagged me for their 5mil followers which was super generous, they didn't need to do that at all. I also met Arlene Philips (Strictly Come Dancing) at Paddington station and she was lovely and supportive. Sometimes people tag me in a story, or say hello and I know immediately who they are. Other times I've no idea why my instagram followers are going up in 100's until somebody shows me!"
Your parody track ‘I Got A New Song’ has us in stitches. When did this idea come to you? "I was in my bathroom, three days before 22 was released, stressed out from all the necessary admin that comes with releasing music. I looked in the mirror and started rapping to myself "I got a new song, it's out today". I just started laughing and had the lyrics finished within half an hour, still in the bathroom btw! I think it was my creative brain saying "enough is enough, time to have some fun now". I then got lost down the rabbit hole of making a music video for the song." So, will you be rapping in future songs? Because the talent is there. "Haha well thank you! I listen to a lot of rap and really admire the wordplay. My lyrics are getting faster with each (non comedy) song I write so watch this space!"
Lastly, describe yourself to our readers in the form of a hashtag.
"#musicobsessedlikeablestrangeperson"
Listen to '22' HERE
Instagram: @iamsamuelcaney
INTERVIEW & WORDS BY ALISTER ROSS
Twitter: @ross_alister