In this micro-interview feature, we get to know the most radicalist up & coming stars on the planet.  

This time it’s Sam Lewis, better known as rising star and purveyor of deliciously lush future-RnB, SG Lewis. Originally a resident DJ at the Chibuku nightclub in Liverpool, now a fully-fledged artist in his own right, SG has gained a reputation for creating intensely sensuous music bred at the unlikely nexus of Bon Iver and Disclosure.

Recent singles ‘Holding Back’ (featuring the rich vocal textures of Gallant), ‘All Night’ (featuring the UK’s answer to Miguel, South London’s Dornik), and the spine-tingling ‘Shivers’ (featuring soulful crooner, JP Cooper), all showcase SG’s unique blend of mellifluous songwriting and slick-as-hell production.

Inspired as these featured spots are, it must be noted that some of SG’s best work to date comes solo, as on his forthcoming EP’s smokey titular single, ‘Yours’, and the unexpected breakout hit ‘Warm’, both characterised by their intimate, androgynous, enchanting voices.

To be sure, SG has deservedly garnered a remarkably long list of accolades for his 21-years-of-age including widespread critical praise and millions of online streams, not to mention being affectionately dubbed “a white boy with soul” by a little-known artist named Pharrell Williams, but we expect much more from this London-via-Reading native in the years to come.

We caught up with SG ahead of his forthcoming Yours EP to learn a little more about both his meteoric rise, and his electronic music from the heart.

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TMR: How has the transition been between being a self-professed “weird kid who played guitar instead of going out” to an internationally touring and increasingly well-known musician?

SG Lewis: It's been amazing so far, and every day I'm pushed further out of my comfort zone, which I believe is a positive thing. I think most producers are introverted by nature and spend a lot of time making music by themselves, so starting to play live and beginning to tour a lot has really forced me to grow in confidence, largely thanks to the people at the shows showing love for the music.

TMR: Your travels in recent times have sent you to new and exciting places. Where was your best memory and why?

SG: Recently I played a show at NOS Alive Festival in Portugal. There was a huge crowd of people at the stage, and a technical issue meant that my keyboard and Ableton went completely dead during the last song, Warm. I was so close to completely freaking out, but we spent 10 minutes or so trying to fix the issue. Instead of leaving the stage to go see another act, the crowd stayed and chanted football songs, and were generally awesome. By the time we got back up and running, they were going crazy, and were jumping around to the last drop - which you don't see often with 100bpm slow jams haha.

TMR: You come from a background of DJing and club culture yet your newest output (being introspective and melancholic pieces of original music) does not necessarily make this obvious. To what extent do your club culture beginnings affect your music these days?

SG: I think the influence of club culture and the music that accompanies it will always be present in my music in one way or another - just sometimes in less direct ways. I think the energy in club music, and the control of tension and release is something that still finds it's way into even the most introspective of my releases - 'Yours' still operates very much on those principles, despite being far from a club focused track.

TMR: What song/album never fails to inspire you?

SG: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago. Just an absolute masterclass in raw emotive music. The fact that it’s so far removed from electronic music means that it's influence isn't direct, but instead allows me to draw on different aspects of the album for my own music. Also a massive lesson in focusing more on the songwriting and transfer of emotion rather than perfect production - the whole thing was recorded in a wooden hut with a very basic microphone and pro tools set up.

TMR: What is your greatest non-musical inspiration?

SG: Probably food. I wish it was deeper than that, but I just really love food. We got something special you know.



TMR: You’re frequently identified as a UK artist. Is this how you see yourself? Is the UK important to your music?

SG: I've never really given thought to London or the UK during the creative process, but there's no doubt that London has a massive impact on the way I make music, and the sonic aesthetic. Whenever I've been to LA to do some writing, the music I make always sounds different. Having said that, I always thought my music had more of a French influence than British, but it's hard for me to see it from an outside perspective.

TMR: What would be the ideal environment in which to experience your music?

SG: Sat at the top of the Austrian Alps watching the sunset before you're about to snowboard down. I used to create mixes of music for snowboarding to with a similar goal in mind, and a lot of the music I make still has that idea in mind.

TMR: We’re a blog specializing in new music. You seem to be a huge champion of new talent (in fact, your featured artists read as a who’s-who of exciting rising stars), are there any up-and-coming artists you’re really enjoying lately?

SG: Tom Misch is consistently killing it - I saw him play live recently and it made me want to give up ever trying to play guitar again, in the best way possible. Also Liv Dawson is a really exciting talent - she's only released one song (Tapestry), but it's such a beautiful song, and her voice is unbelievable. Only 17-years-old too, which is making me feel old.

TMR: What does 2016 hold for SG Lewis?

SG: Finishing my debut album! It took me a while to work out exactly how I wanted the album to sound, and what I wanted to achieve musically - but I now feel as though I can envisage the album so clearly, and it's coming together really nicely. I'm super excited to share it with the world.

TMR: Word on the street is that you’re a cook and a big fan of pizza (who isn’t?), but what would the SG Lewis pizza look like?

SG: Word on the street is correct - I sometimes host a 'Cooking With SG' segment on my Snapchat, which usually involves me attempting to cook really ambitious dishes, and usually fucking them up to some degree. And I have real deep feelings for pizza - an SG Lewis pizza would involve some well-seasoned chicken, sweet peppers, mushrooms, ground beef and some chilli oil - and of course plenty of cheese.



SG Lewis’ forthcoming Yours EP is out soon via PMR Records.

-Karl Jawara