With her feisty debut single ‘Walk Away’, Sam Lavery is taking the world by storm. The sensational tune is full of confidence and it certainly empowers its listeners!
She may only be 17 but it’s refreshing to see that Sam truly knows who she is an artist. Since coming off The X Factor, the Durham-born-singer has been working hard in the studio to perfect her sound and we’re happy to confirm that she’s done just that.
We caught up with Sam Lavery on the phone last week. In our exclusive interview, she spoke about: recording and releasing her very first single, her time on The X Factor tour, which singer she’d love to collaborate with in the future and much more.
You can read highlights and hear our full interview with Sam Lavery below!
You’ve just released your debut single ‘Walk Away’. After performing so many covers on The X Factor, how does it feel to finally be releasing your own original material?
“I’ve been so excited for this for a long time and I’ve had this song for quite a while now. It’s finally released and it feels like I’ve waited forever. It’s a different style to what I sang on The X Factor as well. I was always a bit like ‘ooh, how’s it going to go down?’ but I’m just so excited that it’s finally out there.”
For people who haven’t yet heard ‘Walk Away’, how would you describe the song?
“I think it’s quite urbany pop. I just wanted the song to be something with a powerful meaning and something strong that people could listen to and enjoy listening to it. It’s not like a love song, it’s not a serious song, it’s just something fun.”
Is ‘Walk Away’ a good taste of what we can expect from you in the future?
“Definitely, I’ve been working so hard in the studio just to get that right vibe. I wanted to get away from what people thought; that I was a rock singer because that’s not the case. This is the style and it gives people a taste of what’s going to be coming next.”
You wrote the track with Charlie Drew and Dave Tidmarsh – how did you find working with them in the studio?
“It just clicked. It worked so well. Writing a song for me doesn’t come naturally and it’s not easy for anybody but with the three of us, it just happened. We all agreed on everything and it just seemed to come together so nicely. We all love it and it’s just so exciting to listen to it at the end of the session and be like ‘we just made that’.”
Were there any other songs that you nearly released as your debut single or was ‘Walk Away’ always the one you had in mind?
“We worked on quite a few tracks but this one was the one that, for me, stuck out and for the whole team. We were all like ‘yeah, this is the one that is sticking out’. I’ve played it to close friends and family and they all agreed that it was the right song to release. It’s the style I want, it’s the vibe I’m going for so I’m 100% happy that this is the first song.”
You’ve certainly been busy working hard in the studio since coming off The X Factor – do you think it’s important to get music out so quickly after the show?
“I think it’s got to be 100% right. I really wanted to work hard on it so that it was the right style and I didn’t want to rush it but I also wanted to get a song out there so that people can hear what I am working on and the style I’m going for. So I think a bit of both really. I didn’t want to rush it because I wanted it to be perfect but I didn’t want to leave it too long so that people were thinking ‘what is she doing now and what style has she gone for?’”
Earlier this year, you performed at arenas across the country for The X Factor tour – how did you find those shows?
“It was incredible. Every night we were performing in different arenas, going to different cities and the crowds were amazing. When I sang ‘Impossible’ on the tour and everyone got their lights out, it was just such an incredible feeling looking back and everyone in the crowd was singing along with you. The tour was amazing.”
Who would you say some of your musical influences are? Who do you reckon helped shape the sound of ‘Walk Away’?
“I was really loving listening to Sia at the time when I did ‘Walk Away’. I feel like it isn’t based on her style but it has had her influence in there. So I’d definitely say her.”
You share the same management as Jake Quickenden and the pair of you seem to be close friends – is a duet something you’ve ever considered or spoke about?
“I don’t know to be honest. Jake is very focused on his presenting. I know he’s been working on some music as well. We get on like brother and sister and obviously support each other. I’ve never really thought about it but who knows what could happen.”
You’ll be taking part in this year’s Great North Run to help raise money for Metro Radio’s Cash For Kids – how have you been preparing and what made you get involved?
“It’s a charity that I really love because it’s for local children as well and I’ve helped raise money for them before. I train, I love running and I’m always at the gym all the time anyway so I just thought I’d love to get involved. I’m old enough to do it this year so I’m getting involved for an amazing charity. I’ve been training so hard. I’ve started my training already. I know I’ve got a long time to go but I am excited for it because I think it’ll be an amazing experience for such an amazing cause as well.”
What does the rest of 2017 have in store?
“A lot more music is going to be released. I’m going to be doing some of my own headline shows at the end of the year and I’ve got some unannounced gigs that I’m going to be doing over summer which I’m so excited about. I’m just so impatient but I can’t wait to share it with everybody.”
If you could leave a message for your fans, what would you say?
“Just thank you for the continued support. It’s crazy but just watch this space because there’s a lot more coming.”
‘Walk Away’ is currently available here on iTunes. To no surprise, fans all over the world are loving the catchy tune. It’s an incredibly strong debut for Sam Lavery and we seriously can’t wait to hear what other magic she’s been making in the studio.
As mentioned in the interview, Sam will be participating in this year’s Great North Run to raise money for Metro Radio’s Cash For Kids. You can sponsor her here online. All donations, no matter how little or large, will help the charity to make a difference.
You can keep Sam on your radar by following @SamLavery_ on Twitter. All official announcements and personal updates will be posted on there. The talented pop star clearly has a bright future ahead of her. With a phenomenally powerful voice and a fresh new sound, she’s already making waves in the music industry!
What do you think of ‘Walk Away’ by Sam Lavery? Are you excited to hear more of the stunning singer’s original material? Let us know over on Twitter @CelebMix!