Canadian singer-songwriter Sam Drysdale recently spoke to ai love music via email about how he got into music, winning a music competition, and about his new single “Dream About a Girl”. Born in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, and raised in Guelph, Ontario, Sam was influenced by his musical family from a young age who exposed him to all kinds of artists from Bruce Springsteen to Pink Floyd.
Find out below about how Sam Drysdale writes about a tale of a damaged relationship through the lyrics. Also, check out what was his favorite part of the song. Make sure to check out Sam Drysdale’s “Dream About a Girl” down below and let me know what you think!
Please introduce yourself to those who don’t know you!
My name is Sam Drysdale. I’m a singer-songwriter, artist, and resident problem child of Toronto, ON, Canada.
What musical genres and artists influence you?
My biggest sources of inspiration typically come from blues and pop music. I let most of my darkness out through my music so I’ve always really taken to blues. Some of my biggest inspirations have been Pink Floyd, Neil Young, John Mayer, The Weeknd, Lana Del Rey, and Johnny Cash.
How did you get into music?
Both of my parents are musicians but funnily enough, I actually initially really rejected music. I found it on my own when I was about 15 or 16 and I realized how much respect I had for the artists I was listening to at the time. I became really moved by the great lyrics and craftsmanship. Music has helped me through a lot of tough moments growing up and it’s also been responsible for most of the best ones.
You won first place in Slaight Music’s annual It’s Your Shot competition. How did that feel and how did it help you as an artist?
It was an amazing accomplishment. In the arts, you never really know if what you’re doing is “right.” There is always so much speculation about whether or not you’re making any real progress. Winning that contest was really validating for me and the people closest to me.
Let’s talk about your new single “Dream About a Girl”. What is it about?
It’s essentially about coming to terms with the failing nature of a relationship. It’s a story about how the relationship in question has become so compromised and damaged that the subject’s subconscious starts to intervene and let them know that something is really wrong.
What inspired you to write it?
I had a very vivid dream, which is quite rare for me, about a version of my future and a feeling that was being associated with someone that I had never met before. Someone my brain had invented. I felt incredibly happy in this dream and then I woke up in a cold sweat and realized none of it was real. This left me with a feeling of unease about my current relationship and inspired the title.
How was producing the song? What is your favorite part of the song?
Producing it was really interesting because of the restrictions from quarantine. We worked on this song midway through 2020 and it was the first time I’d ever worked on a song very heavily over calls/ZOOM. Luckily I was working with some very talented people (Andrew Martino/Joey Verskotzi) and they were really patient with me and we managed to get it done. My favourite part of the song is undoubtedly the bridge. I love how big and baron the soundscape gets and I think it does a great job of capturing how I felt when I woke up from that dream.
What do you want listeners to listen for in “Dream About a Girl”?
I’d like them to listen to the lyrics. They do tell a bit of a story and I always love hearing people’s interpretations of my lyrics.
You are planning on releasing an EP later this year. Could you tell me a little more about this?
Yeah, we have the sophomore record on the way. It’s a truly stark contrast to the first EP we put out (VICELOVE) and I believe it’s just simply better in every way. Our aim is to bring people into an entirely new world and introduce a completely different side of Sam Drysdale. We’ve taken a lot more time with the visual aspects of this project and we’re incredibly excited to begin rolling it out.
What is your dream concert venue? Or where would you like to perform?
The day I can play a show at The Budweiser Stage in Toronto, I will pat myself firmly on the back. That’s my hometown and I’ve seen so much amazing music there. To plant my feet on that stage would be a dream