Caturday with Samia

At only 24 years old, Samia Finnerty is taking the music world by storm. She is the musical equivalent of a coming-of-age movie. Just recently, Samia dropped Scout, an EP brimming with vulnerability and hope. I was able to chat with Samia about her songwriting process, the meaning of Scout, and what she has planned for the near future. 

Lavinia Woods: You have experienced growing up in two big, eccentric, and active cities, LA and NYC. How have these cities influenced you and your art? Was it difficult for you to find your artistic voice amid all the bustle? 
Samia Finnerty: I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from both places. I didn’t start playing live until I moved to New York because everything is much more accessible there and the community is much more autonomous. New York has been very conducive to me figuring out my style and preferences with my music.

LW: Your songs are heavily based on coming-of-age themes, especially within young adulthood. Why do you choose to write about these experiences? 
SF: Probably because that’s where I am in my life. I like to write with a lot of honesty. A lot of my music is very autobiographical and confessional.

LW: What I love about your newest EP Scout, is the mix of relatable vulnerability and fun pop-aspects. What goes into your songwriting process?
SF: Scout was very different from what I have experienced in the past. My first EP took three years and so I was more certain with what I wanted to say and produce with Scout. I also knew I had to put more songs out and I wanted to put something positive and fun out there because, with everything going on in the world in mind, I thought it would be senseless to dramatize my life. I wanted to write with gratitude.

LW: Is it easy for you to be so vulnerable in your songs?
SF: Yeah. It’s hard to fully conceptualize what I’m doing while I’m doing it, and so that makes it easier for me to be very vulnerable.

LW: What inspired Scout? What was the process like creating the EP?
SF: I thought the pandemic would give me more time to write but it didn’t, and I think every artist kind of felt that. I only got four or five songs out of that time. I mean, with hindsight there was very much a theme of reflection and growth.

LW: As someone as young as you, being an artist growing up in the prime of the technology and social media age, how has social media affected your music and career? What has your experience being an artist on platforms like Instagram and YouTube been like? 
SF: It’s just a part of it as long as I’m concerned. Social media is a great tool, especially after this past year and the pandemic. But, it’s also a terrifying thing and there’s a need to curate a version of yourself and it can be sometimes difficult to differentiate the version of myself as an artist and the version of myself as a human being.

LW: Speaking of social media, your music really blew up last year and I even remember seeing your page pop up on my Instagram feed back in 2020. What has it been like to step into the spotlight as a young artist during Covid? What were the challenges along with the positives of such a unique experience?
SF: It’s really interesting because there’s no real gage of who is listening and it’s fun to hear how people find my music. It was hard to not be able to play shows and so I had to heavily rely on social media this past year (yay internet) but I’m about to go on tour so that’s exciting.

LW: I really love your music video for As You Are. I love the backdrop of the projections and especially watching as a young female solo artist is the only person seen in the video, taking full control of it. What thoughts went into making the video?
SF: I tour with a band so I’ve always felt like I’m a part of a band because it’s so familial. A lot of aspects of my music are very collaborative so I don’t feel super alone in the process. But when I’m alone writing songs, especially songs that are so honest and vulnerable, can feel like such a crazy thing to do.

LW: Lastly, can you give any hints for what your fans should expect from you in the near future?
SF: Tour starts soon!