Samantha Sharpe Explores Raw Vulnerability With Her Single, ‘Ghost’

I am so truly grateful to have the opportunity to share Melbourne, Australia based artist, Samantha Sharpe’s latest single ‘Ghost’.

Watching the musical career unfold for this beautiful singer/songwriter, you can’t help but jump on board as you witness her passion and determination and listen to each track as her songwriting unfolds.

Inspired by the artistry and growth of artists like Adele, Samantha Sharpe’s journey has led her to open for some notable Australian acts such as The Chantoozies, Allan Caswell, Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus) and Steve Kilbey (The Church) and in 2019 she opened up the season for the Australian Baseball League by singing the national anthem.

Her latest project has been the creation of her Patreon community, that has given her an outlet to personally connect with her fans in a more connected and authentic way. You can check her community out here.

Recorded at Salt Studios in Melbourne, produced by Ross Caygill and mastered by Christian Wright of London’s Abbey Road Studios, the latest single release from Samantha Sharpe, ‘Ghost’ tells a vulnerable, all too familiar modern day story of being ghosted and the emotions that come with the experience and the not knowing.

“I got ghosted, and I had a lot of pent up emotions about it. It’s so familiar to people within this age group, I think, to talk to somebody online, to get along well, and then just never hear from them again. It’s strange and it leaves you with a lot of unanswered questions.” Samantha Sharpe

Listening through ‘Ghost’ you are instantly captured into the emotion of the unfolding story.. the beauty and sensitivity in the piano playing, which was in itself a vulnerability for Samantha, and the emotive story-telling vocals whisk you away into a recognisable experience for so many of us.

“There’s a moment in this song where all the pent up energy and anger is finally out, and you can actually hear me take a deep breath and sigh it all out.. like, now that this is out.. I can, gratefully, move on.” Samantha Sharpe

This is a must listen, moving track that will hold your undivided attention through every note and capture you to the end.

You can listen to ‘Ghost’ below:

Would you like to start by telling us a little about yourself?

I’m an independent artist from Melbourne, Australia, and I’ve been releasing original work since 2019.. before that I tried my hand at at least a dozen different jobs, but none of them were the right fit for me.

Music has always been my first real love, and dream.

What was it that first inspired you to begin a career in music?

I always looked up to musicians, thought they were such larger-than-life people — to stand up and make noise, to sing, to play an instrument, when so many more people are silent?

Musicians stand out, and make change, but they also make connection.

How many people have I met, befriended, connected with because we had something in common?

And how often has that “something” been an artist, a show, a song, a book..?

I love that that’s a possibility.

How would you describe the feel of your music?

I used to describe it in a more folk-centric way, that what I was doing as a “singer-songwriter” was writing “singer-songwriter songs”, but I’ve realized that with each release and each song I write, I’m growing and learning, and becoming an “artist” within my own right.

My music feels like storytelling, but also, like self expression, and wanting to connect with people.

I like to think it feels familiar, but in a way you can’t quite place – like the way a new friend can feel like you’ve known them forever if you click just right.

They just get you.

I want it to feel that way.

I hope it feels that way.

You have recently released your single, ‘Ghost’.. what was the inspiration behind the creation of this single?

Truly.. being ghosted.

Living in such a digital age, where people can come in and out of our lives in an instant, it can be hard to forge anything long-lasting online.. and this guy disappeared from my life so quickly, dropped off the grid so dramatically, I actually wondered if he was hurt or injured somewhere.

I hadn’t been ghosted before, so I thought it was a valid concern.

Turns out some people just.. don’t text you back.

It frustrated me, to the point that I actually buried it down for a while.

Forgot about it — or so I thought.

I went into the studio to write a completely unrelated song, and this kept coming back up.

The words kept replaying in my head.

I’ve been waiting on the line.. it wouldn’t go away.

I had to address it.

What does ‘Ghost’ mean to you?

Being vulnerable.

Not only is this song one with sparse production, but I play the piano on it, something I had not done before, and I wrote it from a place of genuine pain.

It’s a really vulnerable piece of me, telling my story and being so relieved to get it out.

I was so scared when I brought it into the studio, thinking about how it wouldn’t be what people expected of me, but it’s truly me, and it’s moody, and dark, and deep, and that’s who I am.

It’s vulnerability all around.

What did the creative process look like for ‘Ghost’?

Honestly, it was a labour of love, but also .. anguish. I had to go for the minor tones, the sad sounds, the deep words, to tell this story, so writing it was vulnerable, as I mentioned before, but I loved making it, and getting to figure out the piano, record with it, and feel like a real soloist in the studio.

Whenever I write on the guitar I usually get to mix it up with other instruments or put a solid beat behind it with my producer on the drums, but this time around, it was me, telling the story, and being an island..

Vulnerable!

Where do you find your inspiration for your music?

A lot of my writing comes from stories of my own life, or even fiction, honestly!

This one was definitely based on facts and stories that happened to me, a big personal effort, but that isn’t always the case.

This one, though.. inspired by my own experiences, and as personal as it could get.

How has Covid-19 impacted your release?

Covid really pushed back a lot of the “additional” stuff for the release — the creative of it, the photoshoots, video shoots, everything was just sort of pushed back.

But it also was the reason I could make the song at all — being in so many lockdowns meant that I was able to learn new skills and establish new goals and habits, and one of the main things I chose to do at the very start of the pandemic was to learn to play piano.

Mission accomplished?

What would you like to see happen for you in your music from here?

Honestly, the sky is the limit, and even then, why stop there, right?

I’ve always wanted to sing in front of more people.

More, and more, and more.

To stand up on stage in front of my people, my fans, my family, in a fantastic outfit, and to make everyone in that room feel something they didn’t even know they needed to feel.

I want to touch hearts, touch minds, bring joy and connection and a sense of belonging to people.

I want to be that friend, right?

The one who gets you, who stands by you, and knows who you are even when you’re having trouble defining who that is.

So I’ll keep writing, and performing, and connecting.

I hope that takes me beyond my wildest expectations.

What is one message you would like to share with your fans?

I see you, and I am so grateful to you.

Fans can often keep our creativity alive, when things get tough.. hearing that what I am doing is making a difference, is making somebody smile, making somebody feel like they belong, helps me to find joy in the minutiae of being an artist during a global pandemic.

Where can people find your music?

I’m on all the platforms that I can list; Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Deezer, amazon music, tidal, pandora, YouTube, bandcamp, and now Patreon too, where people can also find behind the scenes content..!

www.patreon.com/samanthasharpe