Sam DeRosa first caught the attention of millions during her television debut on Songland for Charlie Puth’s exclusive episode. Her performance of the original track Pill For This undeniably stole the show and captivated the hearts of judges Shane McAnally, Ester Dean, and Ryan Tedder.
The “Pill For This” singer has spent years perfecting her craft as a songwriter and singer. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, a prestigious achievement for anyone in the music industry, DeRosa took her talents to New York where she began writing songs for some of the biggest names in the industry. That journey included her co-writing the track “broken” by lovelytheband which later became a massive success.
Currently, Sam DeRosa is focused on tapping into her talents for her own releases. Most recently, she shared a brand new single 321 with listeners and is preparing to drop her upcoming EP: The Medicine. Through genuine and honest lyrics, this new music is allowing listeners to continue to get to know Sam DeRosa through her most vulnerable experiences and thoughts. As a result, she continues to capture the attention of countless listeners around the world.
It’s been a busy few years for the “321” singer. And it seems as though this is only the beginning of the popularity and success she will achieve throughout her career. In an exclusive interview with PopularTV, Sam DeRosa chats about her brand new single, upcoming EP, and more.
1. Tell us about your new single, ‘321’, and how this song came to be.
“321” was written on a whim but I’d been trying to write something like it for a while! I wrote it about being a little drunk, home alone, with my thoughts, after hearing that my ex was going to be at the bar down the street from where I was. I think we’ve all been there and wondered “what if we never said goodbye?” The thought process tends to spiral after that! It was a fun song that I’ve wanted to write for a long time. I feel like this works for anyone going through that same feeling, especially during this crazy quarantine!
2. At 15, you not only won a talent show with an original song but also received a perfect score. Is this a song that your audience is currently familiar with? If not, is there a place we can listen?
Funny you ask! I have randomly had people come on my live streams, asking for me to play that song. Maybe I’ll reimagine it someday, but for now, it’s not available anywhere but stay tuned…
3. What did you learn during your “talent show phase”?
I learned how to perform in front of an audience and connect with people from those years of my life. It was so fun. I also learned that I do MUCH better singing my own songs than anyone else’s haha :)
4. Knowing you originally wanted to go into music, what made you decide to pursue higher education vs diving in headfirst?
Oddly enough, I DIDN’T go right to music school! I was too broke to apply to Berklee and way too scared. So I went to another school on a scholarship to be a Spanish teacher. After a year, I left because I wasn’t fulfilled in that space. I would skip classes just to keep writing and singing in my little dorm room, and then I tried for Berklee. I went to music school because I felt that I had a LOT more to learn and I wasn’t good enough yet. I’m glad I did it, but it’s not necessary for everybody. It really helped me though!
5. What are the differences in composing music for yourself vs another artist?
I get this question often and I’ve sat with it for a while. I’ve realized that there’s not much of a difference as far as putting everything I’ve got into the song, it’s more the lyrics that will change. The stories get MUCH more personal when the songs are mine, and I love that I know this is the determining factor because the stories feel so real to me.
6. Are there any artists that you are looking forward to collaborating with or composing for?
I have QUITE a list! As far as collabs, it would be a dream to have a song with Kygo and to keep my voice on it! For writing for other artists, I’m such a fan of Beyoncé, The Jonas Brothers, and Maroon 5. It would be a dream to pitch a song and have them release it.
7. What is the story behind your upcoming EP, The Medicine?
The theme of ‘The Medicine’ is a closure or lack there-of. It’s meant to almost feel like love therapy. Each song takes you through what I call my “phases of healing a broken heart.” There’s the crazy phase when you want to drive to their house because you feel unsettled. Then the slightly tipsy/in your feelings mood. Then there’s truly just wanting to wake up and be over them. One song is internal, and really about the struggles I had with accepting my bad days, accepting all the parts of me (even the ones that somebody else may have rejected) and my anxiety. But the final song is my self-made closure. It’s really a journey but I knew that the “Pill For This” story needed a beginning and an end. I’m proud of it!
8. Is your music directly influenced by the artists that inspire you? I’ve found that I don’t listen to a lot of current music when getting inspired. Sometimes I’ll jam to playlists and pop artists that I love. But when I’m in a creative zone and need inspiration, I enjoy listening to oldies. I love the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Motown, and early 90’s /2000’s radio hits. Such a wide variety but inspiration really comes from everywhere for me!