If you’re not already across New Zealand artist Sam Cullen, we strongly recommend you go change that right now. With a new video clip for Shut The Door fresh under his belt, Sam has quickly become one of our favourite new artists from across the ditch.
So fresh off the video’s release, we caught up with Sam to chat about the New Zealand music scene, how the new video came together, and what the future holds.
Fresh off the release of his new video for Shut The Door, we caught up with New Zealand artist Sam Cullen for a chat.
HAPPY: How’s it going? What are you up to at the moment?
SAM: Hey Bill, I’m good thanks! I’ve just kicked into my first year of study at jazz school in Wellington (Victoria University) so I’m currently sitting in my dorm room practising up on some jazz theory which is fairly mentally draining but interesting nonetheless.
HAPPY: We’re loving Shut The Door! How does it feel having it out in the world?
SAM: It’s bloody exciting to finally have Shut The Door out into the world. The track had been burning a hole in my pocket for almost a year and the music video for a good few months so it’s a great feeling to have it up on screens and into the ears of an audience that seems to be really frothing it.
HAPPY: Could you tell us a bit about the track?
SAM: The track is a bit of an ode to that token dude in the bar just having a big old boogie with himself. I tried to put myself in his shoes and create a story about how he might’ve got into that situation. This sent the lyrics off into the realm of love and a messy break up resulting in a discharge of emotions on the dance floor.
HAPPY: We’ve got to talk about the music video too! Could you walk us through the process of how this came together?
SAM: The music video was the brainchild of director Dave Thomson from Auckland-based production company Imaginary Friends. Dave had an exceptional 70’s-style vision for Shut The Door which produced an exciting visual that suits the song perfectly. We filmed the video over one weekend in an old flat down in my home town of Invercargill where we threw around a bunch of ideas, drove ourselves a little crazy and made one huge mess. The video features my lovely grandparents, old school decor, cats and a huge dance party at the end with all of my mates!
HAPPY: How do you see Shut The Door as being different from Small Town? If at all…
SAM: Compared to Small Town, I think Shut The Door definitely has more of a party vibe to it. It’s got a universal hook that pretty much anyone can shout, a funky bass groove and some powerful riffs. Small Town, on the other hand, is about my hometown of Invercargill which produced a little more mellow, dreamy, and laid back sound. It’s great to have some variation between the two and it gives people a glimpse of both sides of what’s next from me.
HAPPY: We’re picking up a lot of different sounds in your music… are there any particular artists you’re currently getting inspiration from?
SAM: I’m a big fan of what’s coming out of the alt-pop/rock scene at the minute. The 1975 and Arctic Monkeys are right up there. I’m a guitarist at heart but love combining that with electronic elements so the likes of Radiohead is right up my alley. Some great kiwi music from the likes of Jed Parsons and Daffodils is super inspiring as well.
HAPPY: We’ve been noticing a lot of really great, and really unique artists coming out of New Zealand lately. Are we just naive, or have you guys been creating magic lately? Is there something in the water?
SAM: New Zealand is most definitely punching above its weight and I’m humbled to be navigating my way through such a vibrant music scene and learning from the best. With the NZ being that little bit smaller it’s easy to get to know people and with the likes of NZ On Air, opportunities to create media are everywhere. When you know people have got your back, it’s a lot easier to throw yourself in the deep end.
HAPPY: What’s next for Sam Cullen? Any other exciting plans in the works?
SAM: I’ve got plenty more material in the works which I’m itching to share so an album is definitely on its way! With the relocation to Wellington, I’m looking forward to trying my hand in a bigger pond as well.
HAPPY: Cheers for the chat!
SAM: Thanks a lot for having me – much appreciated.
Shut The Door is available now. Watch the new video clip above.
