We were lucky to catch up with Samantha Red recently and have shared our conversation below.

Samantha, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Growing up on the border in Brownsville, Texas, in a family full of musicians, sparked my love for music and set me on the path I’m on today. My dad, an incredible musician, played in a Tejano band with his brothers for years. Being around their performances naturally drew me toward music and made me realize how much I wanted to be part of it too. My music journey began when I was around seven years old. Hurricane Katrina had devastated New Orleans, leaving many people without their homes. I felt awful for the families affected, so I sat down, grabbed a blank page and an orange crayon, and channeled that emotion into writing a song called “Move Again.” A song offering hope for rebuilding one’s life and not giving up. From that moment, I knew that was what I wanted to keep doing for the rest of my life. Since then, writing and singing have become more than just a passion. They’ve been my escape through some of the hardest moments in my life: the passing of my grandfather, breakups, and losing my aunt during the pandemic. My songs have always been a reflection of real emotions, love, loss, anxiety, fear, jealousy, the things we all feel but don’t always talk about. The perfect example is my newest song “Bitter.” It’s about how bitterness and comparison are never the answer. Holding onto the resentment may be the easiest, but it’ll ultimately make it the hardest on yourself. Ironically, while this topic may be serious, the song itself is upbeat and fun. Something you can cathartically scream-sing in the car. I think that’s what I love most about making music. It allows you to turn complicated, sometimes ugly feelings into something people can connect with, dance to, and find a little comfort in. It’s a reminder that no one needs to go through it alone.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was constantly surrounded by music growing up, especially Latin music. Being from Brownsville, Texas there was always Mariachi, Banda, and Corridos playing at the Carne Asadas (and literally any Mexican party). My dad also played in a band with his brothers where they played Tejano music. Spanish music has a special place in my heart. When I was in high school, I sang with my dad and his band at Quinceañeras & weddings, covering artists like Selena Quintanilla and La Sonora Dinamita. The storytelling behind these all these genres are raw, sentimental, and heart-wrenching. It became inspiration for the way I wanted to story tell in my songs.

To make my way into the music industry, I moved to LA and got my first internship with a digital marketing agency that specialized in social media for music artists. As I grew into a managerial role in the company, I developed a deeper appreciation for the teams that work behind the scenes for artists. I loved learning about the way music gets promoted but more than anything it was so special getting to see the relationship between the artist and their fans, how much love they both had for each other. With this sort of knowledge, I began to apply it to my own music career, learning how to release my own songs and grow my social presence.

There’s a type of discipline that’s needed when pursuing a music career. As an Independent artist, you play several roles. You’re your own social media manager, your own booker, your own a stylist, promoter, etc. And there’s always skills to improve upon – singing, guitar playing, producing, developing a deeper connection with the audience while performing. It’s a difficult career with minimal rewards. As my fellow independent artists can attest to, it’s a lot and can be overwhelming at times. However, there are beautiful, magical moments that remind me it’s all worth it. It can be a neighbor leaving a note on my door saying “You’re incredible, keep going” or a stranger at my show sharing how my song moved them and made them feel whole. It’s a reminder of why I do this. Life is hard enough as it is but it’s less scary having to go through it with support from others.

What sets me apart from others is my songwriting. I strive to story tell in a way that makes the listener feel that they themselves are living every word. It sounds silly but I aim for the type of songwriting that transcends reality and allows you to escape even if it’s just for a few minutes. There’s something therapeutic about hearing a song that describes the exact emotions you’re feeling. I want people to know that my music and I are a safe space where everyone can come to heal.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

As an artist, or maybe even any career, you want to immediately skyrocket to the top. And then there’s the looming expectation to have all these accomplishments by a certain age. Of course, none of that is possible in such a short time span. In between where you currently are and where you want to get to, there’s countless trials to endure to prepare you for the position you want to be in.

Recently, I began taking guitar classes with an incredible teacher who studied at Berklee College of Music and toured the world with renowned artists. While I have some knowledge of the guitar, I had been wanting to gain more insight into music theory. Improving my guitar skills would eventually lead to writing better songs. He always compared music to learning a language. “You can’t learn to speak Spanish only knowing eight words” is something he’d say frequently. Unfortunately, not long ago, his health took a turn for the worse and he passed away. In only my five months with him, I learned the importance of patience and dedication. That beautiful things take time. It’s a hard pill to swallow because we don’t have any control over that, but it reminds me to appreciate the journey.

I can be someone very impatient and become frustrated when I don’t see results right away. This is a lesson I am constantly having to unlearn. It’s impossible to be everywhere at once. All you con do is give it your best. I’m grateful for the little time I knew Tony, God knows I needed to learn from his wisdom to ultimately become a better artist.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

What I love the most about being an artist is getting to share my art with the world. It’s incredibly fulfilling when a stranger approaches me after a show to tell me they loved my song and that it deeply resonated with them. The main point behind my writing is to give myself permission to be vulnerable enough in the hope that others feel seen through my lyrics. Additionally, it’s been extremely rewarding to see my growth over the past years. I’m finally beginning to feel comfortable on stage and enjoy singing rather than analyzing every note and praying I don’t play a wrong chord. Wearing my heart on my sleeve is scary and it leaves people to scrutinize my lyrics but it’s always worth it if it means someone is able to find solace in my songs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.samanthared.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthared__/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samanthaared
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SamanthaRed
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthared_

Image Credits

holysmokephotography

ashdiariesphotography