Named BBC Introducing’s Essex Artist of the Year and a longtime Wild Paths regular, Sam Eagle is a multi-instrumentalist and producer with a flair for natural, minimalist soundscapes — including a current obsession with accordion-driven rhythms. Ahead of unveiling a brand new live show, we caught up with him to talk dream collaborations, songwriting alchemy, and why keeping it honest always wins. NMR // Thank you for this interview, Sam. Let’s get stuck in, how would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard your music before? // Sam: My debut album ‘are you listening?’ Is introspective, groovy, singer-songwriter with colourful arrangements and honest lyricism. My style of song writing is about balancing lyricism and the music, rhytmn and melody as best I can, and keeping things catchy and simple while maintaining plenty of musicality. NMR // You were named BBC Introducing’s Essex Artist of the Year, how did that feel, and what kind of impact has it had on your career so far? // Sam: That was amazing, I love Essex! It was when I was signed to Cooking Vinyl which was great as we’d thrown everything at the two EPs so it was some nice validation for the work we’d put in. BBC Introducing do an amazing job, they’ve supported me and so many great artists so much so I hope it’s around for a long time. It’s very lovely, but the thing that matters to me most is the music connecting with whoever’s listening, and if it does, that’s what makes the music successful to me. NMR // Your music spans indie, folk, soul and pop. Who are some of your key influences, and is there a through-line that ties your sound together? Are there any genres you’ve not touched yet but are itching to explore? // Sam: I love artists that have great songwriting and artistic integrity – artists who are true to themselves. Kings of Convenience, Nick Hakim, Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat, Feist, Richard Dawson, This Is The Kit, Tyler The Creator. NMR // Could you see yourself going full curveball sonically? Something like Tom Misch’s Supershy-style side project, ditch the instruments and just drop a four-to-the-floor banger? I always find it interesting when artists explore new ideas under a different alias. // Sam: Haha well I have a lot of music written that just wouldn’t fit my current project but I’d like to see out – so possibly if it happened naturally! I like the independence of being a solo artist though, it’s definitely who I am. NMR // Your last album Are You Listening dropped in 2023. When can we expect new material? Will you be previewing anything fresh at Wild Paths? // Sam: I’m working on new songs now, and I’m going to do a completely new show for Wild Paths where I’ll play a lot of it for the first time. You’ll hear when it’s out! NMR // Is this your first time at Wild Paths? How do you feel the festival has shaped or elevated the music scene in Norwich? // Sam: No, I’m a bit of a resident which is lovely, I’ve played every year since 2019. It’s such a brilliant festival, bringing larger names and local acts together, and it’s accessible for acts without agents or management – which in the festival space is rare and very important in my opinion.The Norwich music scene is amazing and it’s got some great people like the Wild Paths team who love the scene and what they do. Wild Paths itself is a very precious thing at a time that’s tougher than ever for grass roots music in the UK. It was fantastic to see Wild Fields win Best New Festival at the UK Festival Awards last year, so deserved! NMR // What instruments do you play, and are there any sounds, plugins, or bits of gear that you’re currently obsessed with or experimenting with in the studio? // Sam: I play guitar, drums, bass, synths, a little piano, and produce. These days I’ve moved into a more minimalist direction in production style. I’m looking for magic in the performance. My production style is very intimate and natural, I want people to feel like they’re in the room being played to. I’m working on a song at the moment that’s built around an accordion. It’s really nice how the air being sucked in and pushed out makes the song feel like it’s physically breathing. That to me is just as much of a hook as a melody. NMR // I haven’t caught you live yet, how do your tracks translate to a live setting? Do you play solo, or a full band? // Sam: It depends on what the show allows and calls for. Usually I play solo, which I love as the connection with the audience is so much closer, I really like just chatting on stage, having fun with it, and trying to deliver as honest a performance as I can each time. That said, the amount that you can do with a band musically is so exciting, and when it’s working perfectly it’s a unique kind of feeling. It’s great to have a mix. NMR // You’ve collaborated with a few different artists on past releases, how does that shift your songwriting approach? Do you tend to pick up new habits or ways of thinking when working with others? And while we’re on it: who would be your dream collaboration? // Sam: So far all the features on my tracks haven’t strictly been collaborations in that I’ve written the parts. However, I sometimes write with other artists for their projects, which I really love – I usually find it raises my bar each time and pushes me to reach for higher standards. The important thing I find is working with people who are open and similarly minded to you, otherwise it can be quite slow and not flow quite as well. That’s what you want, good flow! Dream collaboration: I’ve been very lucky to have recently worked with Eirik Glambek-Bøe from the band Kings of Convenience, who was long my dream collaborator. We’ve worked on a few songs together over the past year or so, and I can’t wait to share the results. I’d love to write a song with Alice Phoebe-Lou, I think something cool would happen there! NMR // When it comes to lyrics, where do you usually begin? Are you working through personal experiences, wider social commentary, or just reacting to the world in real time? // Sam: It’s nearly always one of those three. I don’t tend to set out to write about something specific, but universal, in that I try to write in a way that others can find their own meaning in the lyrics. I go about life observing, thinking, meditating, and wait for the words to come that fit a chord progression. Usually the meaning of a song will then appear as more and more lines find their place. Sometimes a song will have hundreds of lines that I edit down into a final version. They often evolve, improving each line and word until there are no more changes to be made. NMR // Is there a particular emotion or subject you find hardest to write about? Have you ever written something that felt too raw to share? // Sam: Sometimes you’ll write something that surprises you about yourself – bringing up emotions and thoughts that you haven’t even realised were there. This is one of the magical elements of songwriting for me, unlocking feelings and thoughts from the subconscious that you wouldn’t otherwise discover. It’s never been difficult for me to share though as I want to write about universal emotions and experiences that we all share. I try to avoid hyper-specific lyricism that only means something to the writer. This way once it’s released it’s up to the listener how they feel when they hear it, so I wouldn’t say that’s happened to me.. yet! NMR // Finally, what’s coming up next? Is there a new album in the works, or any shows or festivals on the horizon that you’re especially excited about? // Sam: I’m recording the next project this summer which features some exciting collaborations. I’m also putting a brand new live show together for Wild Paths! Look forward to seeing you there Rich, thanks so much and take care!