Somewhere
between the charisma of Frank Sinatra, the empathetic tone of Bob Marley and
the smooth and sultry vocal runs of Lauryn Hill, lives the warm and kind voice
of Sammy Johnson. The Australian native, New Zealand-bred soulful reggae star
has just announced the release of his new EP Moonlight Lovers, set to drop on
December 14th, 2018 off Mensch House Records! Sammy has also just released the
first single “A Dozen Roses” off his upcoming EP on SoulBounce!
A
celebration of island reggae music, all of the songs on Moonlight Lovers were
played and produced by Polynesian artists and musicians. Sammy says,“This is by
far my favourite body of work because from concept to finish I was able to
create exactly what I had dreamed of doing. During the process, I reconnected
with people and my heritage and created new memories.”
Growing up
with an Australian mother and a Polynesian father, Sammy always felt a
disconnect with his Polynesian side, he says, “I looked more polynesian but
that was the extent of my knowledge, until one day a friend of mine gave me an
album that basically opened me up to a whole world of music and culture I never
knew. The album was Gratitude by Fiji.” Inspired by his Polynesian heritage,
Sammy used old Polynesian folklore from Sina and the Eel (Samoa), Pana of the
reef (Maori), Hinemoa & Tutanekai (Maori) and many others to tell the
stories through song. Sammy says, “For me the writing process is all about
being in the right space and being open to whatever is speaking to my soul at
that time.”
Standout
tracks on Moonlight Lovers include the lovely first song “Fools,” Sammy’s
smooth voice serenades over a calming island strum in the background. The title
track of the album, “Moonlight Lovers” is an alluring duet with Etana about
falling deeply in love. Sammy croons “You and I, until the sun goes down
again.” “Getting Over You” will get listeners hips’ swinging to the dubby and
catchy song about a trying to get over a long lost love, featuring Etana and
NomaD.
Sammy has
remained busy releasing a constant influx of music since his breakthrough
self-titled 2014 EP, which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Reggae Charts. He has
since seen an organic growth as a result of his hard work and dedication to his
craft, working as a music therapist social worker to a touring soul artist
thanks in part to his first viral video “Don’t Say Goodbye.” Since his debut,
Sammy Johnson has since enjoyed multiple sold-out performances and large
festival appearances, and released his critically acclaimed EP ‘Sleepwalker’ earlier
this year.
With the
recent release of his single newest single “A Dozen Roses” off his upcoming EP
Moonlight Lovers, Sammy Johnson is finding his way onto the radars of many, and
is touring along the west coast for his winter tour. Supporting acts include
vibrant artists NomaD, Etana,and Swells. Sammy’s goal for this tour is to make
each stop a unique and interactive experience, reacting to the given energies
rather than forcing uninspiring by-the-script performances so many touring
bands fall victim to. Speaking on this sentiment, Sammy stated “When fans come
to my show, I want them to really feel like they’re a part of it.”
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