In a world where artists constantly reinvent themselves, few transformations feel as genuine and profound as Sam Shi’s. Formerly known as Samanta Liza, the Swedish-Chinese-American singer, songwriter, and producer has embarked on a journey that fuses her multifaceted identity into a single, powerful artistic vision.
With her sophomore album uninvited garnering critical acclaim and a new single, “Wind Me,” on the horizon, Sam Shi is proving that a name change is more than semantics—it’s a rebirth.
“I’m not two personas anymore,” Sam explains. “I’m Sam Shi. Full stop. It’s not just about blending my personal and professional life, but about fully embracing who I am.”
uninvited: A Deep Dive into Sam Shi’s New World
uninvited is a bold, genre-defying collection that explores themes of identity, resilience, and self-discovery. Combining ethereal vocals with intricate production, the album invites listeners into a space where electronic, alternative indie and even classical elements converge.
Let's dive into a track-by-track breakdown of uninvited:
“Something New” - Exploring the thrill and uncertainty of new love, this track captures the intensity of emotions that come with the beginning of a relationship. Originally penned during Sam’s high school days, it’s a masterful blend of wistful lyrics and a beat reminiscent of “If Ariana Grande’s Sweetener Met Rüfüs Du Sol.”
“Sweet Release” - Co-produced with Enamour, this track is a cathartic anthem about letting go of emotional burdens. The song’s lush piano, pads, and synthesizers create a soundscape that’s as freeing as its message.
“I Will Be” - A haunting yet empowering track about self-determination. With melancholic piano chords, deep sub-bass, and ethereal pads, this song explores the power of choice and overcoming internal struggles, all set to a minimal, hypnotic 4-on-the-floor beat.
“No Love” - Written during a chapter of heartbreak, this poignant song confronts betrayal and disillusionment. The raw lyrics and stirring instrumentation reflect the pain of realizing that trust has been broken.
“Thick and Thin” - This heartfelt love song celebrates unwavering support in relationships. Its sincerity and simplicity make it a touching ode to sticking together through life’s ups and downs.
“Construct” - The album’s most spiritual track, “Construct,” dives into themes of self-discovery and enlightenment. Its intricate production mirrors a journey through untethering from past constraints, leading to profound realizations.
“Freedom Crime” - Sam’s personal favorite, this technical marvel shifts tempos and time signatures as it explores the liberation and discomfort of breaking free from societal norms. Featuring LA-based drummer Florian Gouello, the track is as rebellious as it is liberating.
“Dolores” - A mostly instrumental interlude inspired by the character Dolores from Westworld. This piano-driven piece creates a contemplative, cinematic moment of reflection within the album.
“npc” - A playful commentary on conformity and individuality, this track encourages listeners to break free from routine and find their unique rhythm. The clever lyrics, co-written with ChatGPT, pair perfectly with its vibrant beat.
“Two to Tango” - Co-written with Samantha Liss (Aezon), this sensual track is a dance of attraction and connection. The Latin guitar rhythms and electronic dance-pop vibe make it a standout for fans of Billie Eilish-inspired grooves.
“A Mistake, or Two” - A bittersweet exploration of unreciprocated love, this song captures the pain of past mistakes and their impact on a present relationship. Its emotional depth is both heart-wrenching and relatable.
“Feel Like Me” - A joyous celebration of love and self-acceptance, this track highlights how the right partner brings out the best in us. Its uplifting message and vibrant production make it an instant favorite.
“Thank You (Outro)” - A poignant conclusion to the album, this track cleverly incorporates motifs from the preceding songs, tying together the themes of growth, love, and self-discovery.
The Meaning Behind the Name
Rebranding as Sam Shi isn’t just about reclaiming her Chinese heritage; it’s about aligning her artistic identity with her authentic self. “I’ve come to realize that I’m not two personas,” she says. “Bringing my Chinese last name into my artist identity feels like stepping into my own skin.”
Having grown up in Sweden and later reconnecting with her Asian roots in Shanghai, Sam’s journey has been one of cultural exploration and self-acceptance. Her new moniker reflects this rich tapestry of experiences, blending the professional and the personal into one harmonious whole.
What’s Next for Sam Shi?
Fans won’t have to wait long for new music. Her upcoming single, “Wind Me,” is set to drop in February 2025 and promises to encapsulate her evolution as an artist. And for those lucky enough to be in Los Angeles, her 2025 tour dates are poised to deliver an unforgettable live experience.
So, what does Sam Shi hope listeners take away from her music? “Stop caring about what other people think and just go for it,” she says. “Finding your sound takes time, but starting the journey is the most important step.”
From Uninvited to unrestrained, Sam Shi’s artistry is a testament to the power of authenticity, resilience, and the magic of music that transcends boundaries. Don’t just RSVP—embrace the invitation to step into her world.
You’ve described the transition from Samanta Liza to Sam Shi as “stepping into your own skin.” Can you elaborate on how this rebranding reflects your personal and artistic evolution and how you hope it will impact how listeners connect with your music?
My full name is Samanta Liza Shi, but for the past decade, people have mostly called me Sam. At my Google job, my coworkers know me as Sam Shi.
When I started my music career in 2020, I thought I wanted to create a separation between how I see myself as a corporate worker and as a music artist. I’ve come to realize that this separation isn’t necessary. It’s also not realistic. In a way, I’m being dishonest with myself. I’m not living two completely separate lives. I am one singular, multifaceted individual whose multiple interests and skill sets intertwine to produce amazing outcomes. My art helps me approach my work in a more creative way, and my work helps me approach my music with a business mindset. My artistic and personal evolution are, in effect, one and the same.
For many years, I wasn’t being completely honest with myself about many things…Why did I constantly seek to achieve more? Why did I behave in certain ways when I was a teenager? How has the way I lived my life in high school and college affected me now? Why did I send myself off to boarding school when I was 16? Why did I feel closer to my paternal grandfather than my paternal grandmother? How come I barely knew her? What else about my ancestors do I not know?
When I lived in Sweden, people called me Samanta, but it sounds different in Swedish. No one ever called me by my middle name, Liza, and in a way, not releasing music under the name that everyone came to know me by — Sam Shi — was a way to hide or even disassociate a bit. It’s as if I created this character I thought I had complete control over. Turns out that by building this character, I realized I was learning how to get to know myself better—who I really am.
To be completely honest, it feels weird to reflect on this topic because I can now sense how my decision back in 2020 was influenced by unconscious emotions. And that’s okay. This has all been a necessary process to achieve the clarity that I feel today. Creating music has helped me grow so much in so many ways I couldn’t have imagined. I hope that my listeners will feel inspired to get to know themselves, too.
Your Swedish-Chinese-American heritage plays a significant role in your artistry. How have your experiences growing up in Sweden and reconnecting with your Asian roots influenced your music, especially in Uninvited? Are there specific tracks through which these cultural influences shine?
In Sweden, everybody takes music class in school at a young age. My mother and her mother even went to music school. It’s funny because I’m the one who didn’t attend music school but who ended up making music. I believe that a lot of my musicality comes from an inner knowing of years of studying and practicing music on the Swedish side of my family. I’m not sure that I would describe any of the tracks as particularly “Swedish” but if I had to intuit which tracks I attribute to my Swedishness, it might be uninvited, Something New, Freedom Crime, and Construct. I think it’s something about the melodies. Also, I think I associate the ¾ time signature — present during the verses in Freedom Crime — with some Swedish songs or lullabies.
When I was living in Shanghai, I started writing a song in Mandarin. I haven’t finished it yet, and to be honest, I wouldn’t recall the lyrics without referencing a doc somewhere on my computer. However, I do associate my track, Dolores (Interlude), with my Indonesian Chinese grandmother because she loved listening to classical music. I think I might’ve just channeled her or something. I don’t recall writing the song. Just that at one moment, the song didn’t exist…and shortly thereafter, there it was. A living and breathing piece.
Unrelated to my heritage but related to my upbringing and teenage years, I would say that a lot of my music, especially my percussion and love for harmonic minor keys, has been influenced by the three years that I lived in the Middle East when I was 13-16 years old, which can be heard in my tracks like Close To My Soul, Butterfly, and Myself.
The production of Uninvited is incredibly diverse, ranging from electronic and alternative indie to classical elements. How do you approach blending such different genres while ensuring that the album feels cohesive?
Great question! I think my vocals help with the cohesion…Yes, the production is diverse, but the voice aka the narrator, is the same. I also made it a point to re-use some of the same instruments throughout. For example, you’ll hear the same plucky synth in uninvited, Something New, and Freedom Crime. The pad in the intro of Sweet Release is the same pad that you hear in Freedom, Crime, and so on. Obviously, a guitar is a guitar. So that connects Two To Tango, NPC, A Mistake or Two, Feel Like Me, and Thank You (Outro). So, I’m using many of the same ingredients, but there are changes in keys, rhythmic patterns, melodic expression, and vocal execution.
I personally feel really strongly about not boxing ourselves in as artists. It feels great to explore the depths of our creativity, and packaging your work into an album shouldn’t punish your range. But I understand that cohesion is important, and that’s why I would reuse components throughout each record throughout the album. For example, once I shaped the sound of the synthesizer in the way that I liked it, I’d keep it more or less that way and then write a new chord progression or melody with it while reusing that sound as an instrument in my band. It is also worth noting that the album can kind of be broken out into several EPs, which sound incredibly cohesive, so stitching them together was really how the album came to be as one whole.
Several songs on Uninvited—like “Something New” and “A Mistake, or Two”—were initially written years ago but found new life in this album. How does revisiting and reinterpreting older works help you reflect on your growth as an artist and individual?
It helps tremendously! This is one of my favorite activities. Every now and then, I produce an instrumental, and I go, “Hmm…I don’t know what to sing about today,” so I dig up the archives of lyrics from when I was younger. When I was a teenager, every experience felt like the most life-changing experience, so I thought it was worth writing about, and so I wrote about it. I have to admit, this isn’t as easy to do as an adult. I’m busier now. Now, when I sit down as an adult in a busy day-to-day life, it comes with a sense of pressure to most efficiently generate my next best song in that moment, which ultimately makes me a worse writer. Instead, I prepare myself with the mental exercise of reminding myself to surrender to whatever comes to me that day because that is how I am inspired to produce my best art.
When I revisit old works, I’ll scroll through pages of lyrics and pick some that feel right, given the sound of the production that I’ve just finished. Once I do that, it’s amazing how the rest of the process just flows. Sometimes, I end up rewriting specific lines or writing a completely new hook…whatever the rebirth of the song requires. I don’t force songs to be something they’re not. Also, yes, I might’ve been a good songwriter at the age of 15, but I’m a much better songwriter and producer now, and I keep learning and growing. And, this process shows me just how much and it’s so rewarding.
Next time I do this, I’ll consider recording the process for my YouTube channel! I still have so many songs I’ve written in the past that I need to bring to life. There are some songs I haven’t touched yet because I just know the moment will come in due time when I’m ready. I believe some songs are waiting for me to be an even better singer/instrumentalist/producer, and I can’t wait to see their rebirth whenever it happens.
You’ve said you want listeners to “stop caring about what other people think and just go for it.” How do you balance this philosophy in your own creative journey, and what do you hope fans take away from Uninvited and your future projects?
Another seriously great question. It’s one thing to say it but another to mean it. It sort of reminds me of a thing we say in the UX research space: what people say, what people say they do, and what they actually do are all different.
For me, I practice constant mindfulness to not overthink or care too much about what other people think. Maybe it’s helpful if I elaborate and refine my quote a bit…Seek to understand and empathize with people, but set boundaries. Seek a deeper understanding of yourself and align your expression with your inner desires. If someone doesn’t like who you are or what you make, then trust that it just isn’t for them. The most important thing is that you love what you make at that moment.
More practically speaking…One thing that has helped me a lot is remembering that asking for constructive feedback versus seeking external validation or approval are very different things. When I ask my friends who are songwriters and producers for feedback, I now think of it as a way to gather data. I’ll say thank you, reflect on it, and then make my own decision. I also make it a point to gather multiple data points from different types of listeners and producers since music is so subjective. It has also been helpful to get to know my audience as a feedback loop to understand how different people respond to my art, which helps make me a stronger artist. If your friend produces rock music but you’re working on a dance-pop track, you can still ask them for feedback, but just keep who they are and keep their preferences in mind.
When it comes to just going for it…I’m a doer. Life is too short to sit around and do nothing. So why not just do it?! Once I set my mind to something, it happens—one way or another. You can be the same. Anyone can. I’m a firm believer that if something hasn’t happened in my life, then it's because I haven’t fully believed it or wanted it badly enough. I believe that’s true for everyone. There is, of course, nuance and complexity here, considering that individuals live in different realities with different needs…but that’s a topic for another discussion. The path toward success might look different, but the belief remains the same. Stepping into our own skins, becoming our authentic selves, breaking free from the mold – these are themes that Freedom Crime, NPC, and Construct touch upon.
I hope that listeners will feel connected to my values and beliefs by listening to my music. I like to think of my creative process as crafting the soundtrack to my life. So, as you listen to my music, I hope that you can imagine the environment, picture the character development, and hear the emotions. Maybe you relate to it, or maybe you feel inspired by it, and maybe one day, I’ll have the privilege of listening to the soundtrack of your life.