Sam Anderson grew up listening to family members playing music in all different settings.
Music was heard in the car or on a speaker during family gatherings, and with a collective of gifted musicians, the family would also break out into singing songs together and playing instruments.
“I was just always immersed [in music],” Anderson said.
Anderson embraced a musical passion from an early age and did not stray away. The father taught Anderson how to play the guitar. Anderson also began to take vocal lessons in second grade and began to learn how to play the flute as well.
“I was crazy about the flute because it’s so much fun,” Anderson said.
The Valencia High School class of 2021 graduate, now a Berklee College of Music student studying vocal performance and a year away from graduation, is working towards what’s next.
Anderson has become a member of multiple bands and is also currently working on a debut solo album titled “Preyhound,” scheduled to release in late September. Like many aspiring musical artists, Anderson also recently gained experience by touring and connecting with music lovers through musical performances.
On Sept. 6, Anderson will perform with Jesse Detor at Brighton Music Hall in Boston, Massachusetts, where Anderson currently lives full-time, for the newest two-day music festival, “Tough Luck Fest.”
The weekend-long independent festival, “brings two notable headliners and 10 of Boston’s fastest growing alternative bands to the big stage,” stated a news release. The music festival aims to bring more attention to the alternative scene by highlighting a variety of bands, ranging from college students to professional touring musicians.
“The emo, pop punk, and hardcore scene has been a staple in New England’s culture for decades; Tough Luck Fest is making sure it sticks around,” stated the news release. “Jesse Detor, a resurrection of 90s girl rock from Boston, has seen widespread success on social media. Her return to live shows in Boston is highly anticipated.”
As a bassist for the band, Anderson is excited to perform with talented artists and give the audience a taste of their “PJ Harvey-like 90s girl rock stuff.”
“It’s so, so fun. It’s like gritty, and we lean into some indie,” Anderson added.
A highlight for Anderson is having the opportunity to get together with the band and go through the creative process of writing lyrics, perfecting the sound and showcasing it in front of an audience.
“We all write together, we all work together to work out every song and it’s a great time,” Anderson said. “I’m really glad that I’m doing this with Jess and the whole band, because we just got off of a tour in early July … we’ve been playing the songs for a really long time and we’re all excited to be on stage again especially in our local spot.”
Throughout Anderson’s journey, the multitalented artist has learned how to play the guitar and bass, recently dabbled in learning how to play the omnichord, and has a goal to learn how to play the mandolin and the banjo.
As a young adult figuring life out and what it will look like after graduating college, Anderson wants to continue living life on the road, touring and making music with friends.
“The prospect of graduating so soon is a little daunting [and] moving onto the next stage in life,” Anderson said. “But honestly, I feel when I’m playing music with my friends in all these bands that I’m in, as long as I keep doing that, everything’s gonna be awesome.”
Before attending Berklee, Anderson was seeking schools to become a classical flute player, but when it was time to decide, Anderson realized they wanted to pursue a different route.
“That [realization] was really scary,” Anderson said. “I wanted to do the multi-instrumental thing, and the songwriting, and being in a bunch of bands.”
Anderson, who has slowly made those dreams a reality, is excited for what’s to come and the new music currently in the works. The music for Anderson’s debut album is described as earthy, atmospheric, and “folky” and takes inspiration from Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel and Alex G.
Some advice the young talent would like to give to individuals desiring to take a leap of faith and follow their dreams: “Don’t be afraid to pivot … people pivot and change paths so many times throughout life that I feel like it’s just natural and although scary, as long as you create a good community around yourself … it’s going to be okay.”
For more information about Tough Luck Fest visit: https://www.toughluckfest.com/
