Diandra Reviews It All- Interviews Sammy Rae & The Friends: Trust Nonna

When it comes to being creative, you have to have imagination. You can’t just make something….. you have to dream it. If there is a person I know who dreams, it is Sammy Rae from the bombastic band: Sammy Rae & The Friends. In their new record, “Let’s Throw A Party,” the vibe set: picturing your favorite celebration ever via sound. In our interview, Sammy Rae discusses the people, places, things, and Nonna that make her have fun and create a music party.

Diandra: What do you most seek in your friends versus what do you hope they most seek in you?

Sammy Rae: I seek people who effectively communicate and have a strong relationship with themselves. While it’s an often echoed life-tenant, a strong relationship to self is the key ingredient in meaningful relationships. The people I surround myself with respect my personal time, take time for themselves, and are continuously looking for new ways to grow and help me grow. They communicate their needs and feelings and give me permission to do the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qczTIdMor4

Diandra: If you could be friends with your childhood self, what would you give her A) as a gift B) what tv show would you tell her she MUST watch C) what advice would you give her from life, and D) what thing would you tell her about the future?

Sammy Rae:
A gift: Hmm…..I’d probably buy her a record player and a full library of iconic classic rock. I wish I had consumed more music: large-band music, particularly from the late 1960s and 1970s, earlier in life.

TV Show: In terms of advice, I would tell her she really needs to watch more ‘Hey, Arnold!’ Take the character building lessons, and Arnold’s moral compass, to heart. LISTEN TO THAT SOUNDTRACK. Be about it. I was way too young, as we all were, to appreciate the incredible jazz and urban soundtrack behind that TV show. It wows me as an adult.

Life Advice: I would encourage her to be less afraid of carving her own way, start making music for a band sooner, and spend less time concerned about the opinions of others in regards to her body, the way she dressed, and the things that interested her.

The Future: I would encourage her that she finally made it to New York, formed a band, and made friends that truly understood her and encouraged her to express herself authentically. Friends that would stick around.

Diandra: What is your dream party, and who would you invite, if you could anyone across time and space?

Sammy Rae: Oh, okay! Myself, Freddie Mercury, and Eartha Kitt pre-game at my house and give each other outfit advice/hype each other up. Then we go to Elton John’s place for this party, and a jam ensues as instigated by Sly & The Family Stone. Stevie Nicks makes a dramatic entrance and we flirt for a second before David Bowie pushes me in the pool. Donny Hathaway pulls me out and offers me a towel. Mick Jagger and Judy Garland are spun-up somewhere in the corner of the room, and their vibrancy gives me a second wind to enjoy myself and stop over-thinking the fact that I’m still a little wet and very tired. The Doobie Brothers are doing what they do best around a coffee table. People visit the Doobie Bros. table as they head out, and the night ends with me and Bruce Springsteen on a couch talking about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness while Ella Fitzgerald sings herself to sleep at Elton’s piano. At no point does Elton John make an appearance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOBX5ekbIJ4

Diandra: How do you feel Let’s Throw A Party reflects your personality?

Sammy Rae: My first EP ‘The Good Life’ was very much so me telling coming-of-age stories while they were taking place. My introduction to life in New York, my unhappiness in a relationship. ‘…Party’ is a a record of clearly more matured stories. ‘Whatever We Feel’ is my full realization in adulthood about the importance of expressing myself and being gentle with myself. ‘Jackie O…’ and ‘Living Room Floor’ are songs where I reflect on past experiences with a matured eye, and in a way I don’t think I could have accurately told them before now: 5-10 years after the fact. ‘Creo…’ is a love-story in Spanish, and my stepping into another language is something I’ve always wanted to do, but never felt comfortable enough to do until now. The title track sums it all up. Aging happens, time progresses, people grow, chaos goes on around us. We may as well throw a party. This is something that I think is true of who I am, at this point, in my life, I take every day as it comes and understand that all things pass. The bad days pass; so we may as well throw a party. Good days pass, and things are only special when they are special, so we may as well throw a party. I’m over-the-moon thrilled about the roles each of the band members played on this EP, as well. I’m so proud of us and so glad to have these life-long Friends and collaborators around me to share in this release.

Diandra: If you could turn a movie, book, or tv show into a concept album, which would it be and why?

Sammy Rae: My favorite movie of all time is ‘Peewee’s Big Adventure’, 1984. The colors, the perpetual-child characters, the hero’s journey, the weepy romance, the pursuit of dreams, the zany comedy, and bizarre coincidences in the plot. Giant dinosaurs and magical bicycles. Rube-Goldberg machines that span the entirety of a house. I’d write a concept album that somehow turned all that visual stimuli and whimsy into musical concepts. I’m on a hero’s journey and come out, in the end with the thing I’ve been chasing the whole time. Maybe my magical bicycle… maybe something else.

Diandra: If you could turn an album into a movie, which would it be and why? What would be the premise and who would you cast?

Sammy Rae: ’Nebraska’ by Bruce Sprinsgteen. It’s one of my favorite albums top to bottom, and a brilliant picture of coming-of-age in the working class United States. Dev Patel is our young Bruce/main character. He is all things.

Diandra: What has music taught you about communication, particularly how or what you communicate with people about yourself?

Sammy Rae: See my previous answer! Music crosses boundaries. It’s for everyone, and, for me, it’s the most honest way I can express myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7KAom3Np5Q

Diandra: Your fans feel like your friend, and have a personal connection to you. What do you think make an artist genuine and authenticates their bond with fans?

Sammy Rae: You need to be as connected as possible for as long as possible. A mentor told me that a few years ago, “go to the merch table and return messages online for as long as you can. Eventually, you wont be able to do that.” I spend a lot of time on Instagram live, chatting in DM’s with our followers, returning messages with gratitude, letting people into my regular life. I made a decision early in this journey to maintain that personal connection and openness, as long as possible. I think authenticity and honesty in the space of visibility is crucial. It’s better for the follower, they are falling in love with my music and stories but see a regular person who looks like them reflected: with no front and no filter. I talk about my struggles and I do my best to show gratitude often. It makes my job easier too. I cant imagine how hard it would be to spend time, money, and energy stepping in and out of a character for when I chose to be visible (online, on-stage). I’d rather just be myself and those who don’t dig her can move on.

Diandra: What is a universal truth you have seen through music about life, people, and love?

Sammy Rae: I keep coming back to it, but community and communication are key. When we meet people at shows, we have such an easy time communicating because we be already introduced ourselves through the music. When we toured Brazil, we were able to communicate with other musicians and the audience through music rather than a shared spoken language. That was such a pleasant surprise. The universal truth is that music is for everyone and has something to offer everyone. Communication, through art or language, can heal all wounds and form bonds like you’d never believe. I love communication: set boundaries, express gratitude, and share insight.

Diandra: What is your favorite memory of music with your Nonna, and what is her advice for what makes a good song?

Sammy Rae: Every Christmas she plays two Christmas albums over and over: The Nat King Cole Christmas record and Elvis’ Holiday record. Those two, for hours! I called her last night and asked her what she thinks makes a ‘good song.’ She said ‘Allegra;” as in ‘up-beat and danceable.’ She also said ‘maybe you could write a song about your Nonna?’ I shared a video about my Nonna around Christmas, and the overwhelming positive response she was met with overwhelmed the both of us. She loves it. She keeps telling me to come home so she can make another video ‘with makeup on.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwA51m5f9LQ

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