[INTERVIEW] Sam Blacky Discusses Her New Single "Colombiana", Launching Her Music Career In Australia, + More

iEDM: How did living in Australia influence your passion for music and help you grow as an artist? What was your favorite part about living in Australia?

Sam Blacky: I moved to Australia when I was 18, so as you can imagine I was exposed to the nightlife scene much more so than I was in America. Right away, I was going out and hearing more and more DJs and house music than I had ever heard before. Australia at the time had some of the best DJs and festivals in the world; I actually went to this massive festival called Stereosonic the first week I was there and walked straight into Bookashade’s set. I was obsessed. I had never experienced electronic music like that before. 

After the move, I got my degree in marketing which actually led me to some really cool opportunities including hosting and taking part in wild activations at Steroesonic a few years later. Behind the scenes, I was interviewing the DJs and doing activations within the festival On stage, I was running the after parties and artist relations; it was a dream. From there I actually ended up becoming an assistant booking agent at one of the big agencies in Australia, Konkrete. After I saw behind the curtain how everything ran, I decided to give it a crack myself and ended up playing quite a few huge shows. My first show ever in my life was opening for Eric Prydz in Melbourne, so that's pretty wild. 

iEDM: Your recent remix of “GASLIGHT” by INJI is a certified club banger. What aspects of the track drew you to want to make your own rendition of it? How did you balance keeping your favorite elements of the original song while adding your own unique twist?

Sam Blacky: So that song is absolutely incredible and Inci (INJI) is truly a genius singer-songwriter. I obviously heard it on TikTok and then shortly after that my managers at Range actually reached out. They said that Inci was a fan and was looking for a fun club remix, wanting me to do it. For the production, I wanted a driving, bubbly, and feel-good vibe to compliment the original. I actually got to meet Inci a few weeks after it came out. I took her around NYC and performed the song out live with her which was a really special moment. She is a force to be reckoned with and I am just thankful we got to work together. The drop is definitely my favorite part! 

iEDM: “Colombiana” is your first original release since putting out your “Summer Solstice” EP in August of last year. Why did you choose to release the projects a year apart from each other or was it simply a coincidence? What led to this year-long separation between the songs?

Sam Blacky: It was a culmination of a few things that lead to my break in production. I have been going through some insane personal life things for the last year, and it was really hard for me to overcome. I was also touring like crazy during and after the release of the EP.

iEDM: In a past interview, you said how much you love Lee Foss’s music. What does it mean to you to release “Colombiana” on his Repopulate Mars record label?

Sam Blacky: It means the world to me. Like I said I have been going through some tough times personally and hitting that milestone of signing a single, on top of that with Lee and Repopulate Mars, literally brought me to tears. I just absolutely love him, the label, their vibes, their music, their events, everything about it I have always wanted to be a part of. It's really, really, special to me. It was also very important for me to go with them because I want a more prevalent existence in that world as opposed to the more commercial side of things. My sound, my production, and my sets are all much different than they were say one year ago, and it's crucial for me to make that move while being taken seriously within that move. Repopulate is the perfect stepping stone and I am so thankful. 

iEDM: “Colombiana” was released on the Repopulate Stars Summer Jams EP, along with “Your Love” by Leftwing : Kody and “Sun Comes Up” by Kaysin. What similarities do you see between each track to emulate the overall vibe of the EP?

Sam Blacky: They're all incredible tracks, I absolutely love them and play them all out. I think the similarities are more so within “Sun Comes Up” and “Your Love” as sort of classic Repopulate tech house, while “Colombiana” has much more of a Latin flare to it. 

iEDM: The guitar in “Colombiana” is the perfect complement for the bassline and lyrics. What was the process behind creating the guitar progressions and layering them strategically throughout the track to give off its sensual aura?

Sam Blacky: At the time, I was obsessed with Wade & Cloonee’s “Mi Amor” and their trumpet sound driving the song. I wanted to do something similar but different at the same time, so the Spanish guitar seemed like the perfect thing to transform the song. It actually wasn't added until like version three of the song. I am glad it all came together in the end!

iEDM: What is the meaning behind the name of your record label, Stabby Records? What motivated you to create it and what goals do you have for the label?

Sam Blacky: My mixtape series which I started probably 5 years ago was called “Stabby Mix” and it kind of just always stuck around. It was a phrase my friends and I would use when we were feeling sassy. I wanted the first round of music I put out to be on my own to see how far I could push it myself without the help of major labels. I want it to be a space where predominantly unknown female artists can come to get their first break. It has been such a long, hard, tedious journey for me and I feel if I had a sort of “older sister” if you will, giving me a chance then things would have been really helpful. I want to be that for other women.

iEDM: What skills or realizations about yourself have you learned during your modeling career that are useful when it comes to DJing and producing? What was the toughest challenge you faced when shifting focus from modeling to the music industry?

Sam Blacky: I think to be a successful model you need to have immense confidence and not care what other people think or say about you. I faced so much negativity about my body and my weight in modeling that I really had to toughen up and prove a lot of people wrong. For example, from day one I was told I needed to get a breast enhancement or that I would never make it as a swim model. I fought and fought and ended up dominating the swim world. People's views can always change, sometimes you just have to help them see things differently. It translates 100% into DJing and my style of music. For example, a commercial or Hip-Hop club wouldn't necessarily want to book me because I play house music, but that's changed too. People are more and more adventurous with music and open-minded now. There is enough love and space for everything. 

The biggest challenge by far, which I still go through on a daily basis, is getting the respect of the music industry, and having people (bookers, artists, venues, whatever it may be) take me seriously as a legit musician. I recently made an Instagram and TikTok video that went viral posting about “things people have said to me as a female DJ” and it really rings true. I think it's much harder for women in general, and maybe even more so for those coming from a modeling background. It is a slow uphill battle that I have been “transitioning” out of for several years. 

iEDM: You always wear an amazing outfit to each one of your performances. How do you decide what to wear and what types of fashion or aesthetics have been the most appealing to you recently?

Sam Blacky: First of all, thank you! Secondly, this is a very difficult question for me to answer because I am so torn between how to look and dress. As I mentioned above, the stereotype or assumption that I am not equal as a DJ or producer because I used to be a model (still am), makes me very weary and insecure about what I wear. I used to not care at all and not even pay it any thought, but I have learned that it really does make an impact, unfortunately, on how people view you. I love being sexy and wearing whatever I want, that's just who I am and who I have always been. However, I don't think that has helped my image or my career, and I find myself choosing “cooler” looks as opposed to “sexy” nowadays.

iEDM: Which festival has been your favorite to perform at and why?

Sam Blacky: I haven't performed at many festivals yet, but I would have to say the few that stick out in my mind are: closing out Elements festival with FISHER and Disclosure along with closing out Soyser Festival with Claptone and BLOND:ISH. I also loved playing BreakAway with John Summit and Chanel Tres. The lineup to me is key; I want to be playing with other artists that I love, and who have similar vibes to me. 

iEDM: How do you structure each Stabby Mix so that it flows smoothly and highlights your identity as a DJ/producer? What techniques and creative ideas enable you to make each mix stand out from the previous ones or bring a new element to the listener?

Sam Blacky: They usually are a culmination of what I am playing out at that moment, mixed in with some more mellow hits that I personally love, but don't necessarily fit into my live shows. I'll check back in rekordbox previous sets, look at what other songs I have been listening to or downloaded that I am not playing out, and mix the two together.

iEDM: What goals do you have for the rest of 2022? Can you hint at any current or future projects that you are working on for your fanbase to look forward to?

Sam Blacky: My goals are endless lol. I can tell you for sure that I want to be releasing new music every month if possible. I also really want to get this little EP, that Jackson Englund and I are working on, finished up and released. I want to play overseas much more. I want to have a residency in Ibiza, and really want to be playing the elrow parties. I want to continue to move closer and closer to the more underground, borderline techno, minimal, afro-house scenes. I do in fact have a new remix coming out very soon that is a sort of melodic techno version of a classic 80’s song, I have another new single dropping on a very special label, and I am currently working on a dream collaborate with one of my absolute favorite producers on Earth! There are lots to look forward to.

Photos Courtesy of Sam Blacky

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