Meet Sammy Kay

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sammy Kay. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sammy, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
It started when I was around 11 years old. The second song I ever wrote was for the family of a young girl named Nevaeh. Her mother was a family friend, but I never got the chance to meet her daughter because they lived in a different state. Nevaeh was fighting a battle against HLH, a rare condition in which certain blood cells build up in and damage organs. It began at 2 weeks old and ended at 8 1/2 years old. She spent most of her life in the hospital with her mom by her side. The song that I wrote for her family was called “Runnin’ Free” and was played at her funeral. It told the story of Nevaeh and how strong and brave she was. The song was a celebration of her life and how she was no longer in pain. I wished that I had had the chance to meet Nevaeh before her passing, but writing this song made me feel connected to her and I was glad to give their family a way to remember her life.

Writing this specific song made me realize how passionate I am about writing. This passion lead to writing songs for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, etc. I graduated from Belmont University’s songwriting program in 2021 and discovered a company called Songfinch shortly after. I now write custom songs for people regularly and know that this is my purpose. There’s no greater feeling than helping someone tell their story through music.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a Nashville-based singer-songwriter. I graduated from Belmont University’s songwriting program in 2021. I now work part-time in the music business while pursuing my music career. I would define my genre as folk-pop. My music inspirations include Ingrid Michaelson, Vance Joy, and Taylor Swift. I released my most recent EP titled ’12th Avenue’ last year. It features four songs that I wrote during my time in college. I perform at numerous writer’s rounds around Nashville, as well as perform at venues with my band!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three qualities that have been the most impactful on my journey so far have been persistence, independence, and the ability to make connections. Persistence is the most important one to me because I would not still be pursuing my music career without it. It would be easy to give up and find another path, but my passion has kept me moving forward throughout the hardships I face. Independence is also key because you can’t rely on anyone else to make you successful. It starts with you. Yes, along the way you do make connections that will further your career, but finding your purpose and working to become the best you can be can only be done by you. Being an independent artist, I am my own manager, booker, marketer, etc. These qualities improved for me over time after becoming more comfortable living in Nashville. I no longer compare myself to others. I’m in my own lane and it feels good knowing that I’m my own boss when it comes to my artist career. Being self-motivated is really the key to improving in these areas. Some advice that I would give to someone early in their journey is to go out of their comfort zone. Something that I regret in college was not venturing out into Nashville sooner. I only wrote with people at my college and performed on campus. There were so many opportunities just outside of campus that I didn’t know about until I graduated. So don’t be afraid to see what’s beyond where you’re comfortable.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful think my parents did for me was support me 100%. My career path isn’t an easy or normal one, yet they have done everything in their power to help me get to where I am today. They helped me move to Nashville and attend college, where they drove up tons of weekends to visit me. They still come to Nashville to see my shows. I couldn’t be more grateful for my parents and all that they have done for me. Their love and support have given me the confidence and drive to make them proud.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Nick Williams

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