October London is a widely known Grammy Profitable R&B artist with collaborations with legendary musicians comparable to Snoop Dogg, Ice Dice, and Anderson. Paak.
Now, he’s introducing us to his nation alter ego, Sam Nash.
Not solely is nation music new territory for October, but additionally for his document label, Dying Row Data. With Snoop Dogg on the helm, Dying Row – primarily often known as a hip-hop label – is breaking boundaries by fusing collectively a number of genres as they signal Sam Nash as their first nation artist.
Along with his new single, “Nation Man”, releasing June twentieth, we sat down with October London to study extra about what this nation music revolution means.
SWAGGER: You’ve lengthy been celebrated as October London, a Grammy-winning R&B artist with a sound that feels each timeless and contemporary. What impressed you to introduce the world to Sam Nash?
October London: The inspiration behind Sam Nash got here from a want to inform new tales in a brand new voice. As October London, I’ve all the time drawn from soul and R&B to talk to like, vulnerability, and timeless emotion. However Sam Nash permits me to stretch those self same sensibilities into a unique cultural house—nation music. I grew up round a wide range of sounds, and nation was all the time a quiet affect. This alter ego provides that affect room to breathe and shine. It’s much less about leaving October behind and extra about increasing the universe of what I can specific as an artist.
S: The creation of Sam Nash feels extra like an embodiment than a rebrand. What does this alter ego let you specific that October London couldn’t?
O: Sam Nash provides me the liberty to discover the uncooked, rugged, and generally rural narratives that don’t fairly reside inside October’s world. There’s a unique type of honesty in nation—one which’s stripped down and rooted in on a regular basis grit. As Sam Nash, I can channel a unique type of masculinity, ache, and perseverance. It’s not only a new sound; it’s a brand new lens by means of which to view the world. Sam says issues October may whisper. He wears the mud, the denim, and the heartbreak somewhat otherwise.
S: Dying Row Data has such a wealthy—and rebellious—historical past. What does it imply to you to be signed as a rustic artist below a label identified for outlining West Coast hip-hop?
O: It’s poetic, truthfully. Dying Row was constructed on difficult norms and reshaping tradition. So when Snoop and I talked about bringing nation into the fold, it felt like a pure continuation of that legacy. Being the primary nation artist on such an iconic hip-hop label isn’t simply symbolic—it’s an announcement. It says nation music doesn’t have to return from one place or look a method. We’re rewriting expectations, the identical means Dying Row all the time has.
S: Let’s discuss “Nation Man.” There’s grit and soul in each observe. What’s the story behind it, and why did this really feel like the correct tune to introduce Sam Nash?
O: “Nation Man” is the muse of Sam Nash. It’s about proudly owning who you might be—flaws, religion, and all. There’s wrestle within the verses, however there’s additionally satisfaction. I wrote it as a love letter to the boys I grew up round—hard-working, difficult, soulful, and generally missed. Musically, it blends nation grit with soul heat in a means that introduces Sam not as a gimmick, however as somebody who really lives this music. It’s not a crossover—it’s a calling.
S: Nation music has deep roots in storytelling, and so does soul. Do you see these genres as extra related than they’re usually credited for? How do you navigate these overlaps sonically and lyrically?
O: Completely. At their core, nation and soul are each about storytelling—simply instructed by means of completely different accents. They converse to the human situation in methods which are unfiltered and heartfelt. Once I write as Sam Nash, I let the story lead, not the style. The instrumentation might lean nation, the vocal might really feel soulful, however the message all the time comes first. I feel we’re lastly at some extent the place audiences recognize that authenticity greater than categorization.
S: There’s a rising wave of genre-blending in music as we speak. From Beyoncé to Publish Malone to Jelly Roll—why do you assume now could be the second for nation to open its gates extra extensively?
O: Music is lastly catching as much as the truth that followers have identified for years—we’re not restricted to at least one sound, one tradition, or one story. Streaming modified all the things. It gave listeners the ability to construct their very own worlds, the place George Strait can sit subsequent to Marvin Gaye and nonetheless make sense. Artists like Beyoncé and Publish aren’t breaking guidelines—they’re acknowledging that the principles by no means actually utilized within the first place. Nation’s all the time had room. Now it’s simply turning into extra seen.
S: What has it been like working with Listen in on this challenge—each as a artistic collaborator and because the figurehead of Dying Row’s new chapter?
O: Snoop is a visionary. He sees what’s potential lengthy earlier than others do. Working with him on Sam Nash has been a masterclass in fearlessness and religion. He’s supported each danger, challenged me to dig deeper, and made positive that the music stayed trustworthy. However past that, he’s given me house to develop. He’s not simply reviving Dying Row—he’s evolving it. And to be a part of that evolution is each humbling and energizing.
S: Lastly, what can we count on from Sam Nash subsequent?
O: You may count on reality. Extra tales, extra soul, and extra sound that doesn’t care about boundaries. There’s a full challenge on the horizon that’s going to take listeners deeper into Sam’s world—his struggles, his victories, and all the things in between. I’m additionally excited to hit the stage and convey this music to life in methods folks haven’t seen earlier than. Sam Nash is simply getting began.
You may take heed to Sam Nash’s new single on all platforms June twentieth.
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