Sam Tompkins on "who do you pray to?"

Sam Tompkins by Rosie Matheson

It has been just under a week since Sam Tompkins’ biggest release to date. who do you pray to?, is the Brighton, UK singer’s first mini album released on March 18. It is following his recent single, “Hero,” which is the third-track off the new album. “Hero,” is a touching song dedicated to Sam’s dad. It’s about the mental struggles people go through every day and how, to other people, like their kids, it can go unnoticed. As Sam grew older, he realized that the mental struggles he started experiencing were the same as his dad’s struggles, it made Sam realize how strong his dad was, and it solidified that his dad was his hero. 

I was so excited to be a part of the press conference hosted by 1824°, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, for Sam’s upcoming album release. Sam was incredible to hear from and down for every question asked. He talked about how the theme of his music is always to be real and honest. Wanting to always tell the story of the average person, instead of the glamorized life of a celebrity. He still considers himself a regular guy from the UK, saying that he can still go to the shops like normal. As one of the interviewers said, “enjoy that while it lasts.”

Sam is making huge strides in the industry, so it could be assumed that his days of being a “normal guy” are limited. Just starting to put covers out in 2017 and gaining a lot of attention, he also released original music that same year. One of his covers went viral on TikTok in 2021, which helped create opportunities to do things for which he had never dreamed. When asked who his inspirations were, he mentioned a few like: Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, Usher, and Justin Bieber.

With the success of his covers and original music, it has brought opportunities to collaborate with people, like his inspiration Justin Bieber, later in 2021. In response to the question of his experience while working with Bieber in the studio, Tompkins said, “It was wicked, just hanging around and seeing him work. It was really special. He’s been my favorite artist since I was 14, so being able to see him work was a testament to how far I have gotten. How many people get to meet their heroes?” 

Prior to the official album release, Sam had dropped a few snippets, and you could immediately tell this was going to be a very personal addition to his discography. “Hero”, “Bloodline,” and “Whole,” are songs already released, all being very intimate songs about his experiences and relationships. He had shared a clip of his song, “My Brother,” one to pull at your heartstrings. His description of the album being real and honest, will ring true as we dive into the lyrics of each song.

who do you pray to? is available on all streaming platforms now.