Building on a youth of musicals, choir solos and sheer passion, by 18 years old Samm "Splash" Reid was a hype girl, singing with Shevy Price while she rapped. "I had to have my mom with me," she says, laughing. "I thought 'I can't wait until I can do this on my own,' that's when I thought I have to take this seriously. I wanted to be the one in front." For the past two years that's been the end game, taking the music program at NSCC and working with Johann "Yogidaproducer" Deterville to release her debut single "Feel Nothing." "I was going through a hard time motivational wise," she says, "fighting through that...it's kind of about letting go of the demons inside of you, 'tonight I'm going to feel nothing and just feel good.'" Performing in funk and Latin/R&B bands at school, singing back-up in Asia & Nu Gruv and collaborating with Corey LaRue of Hello, Click and Erin Costelo, Splash's Alicia Keys-inspired smooth vocals and emotional delivery are going to have you putting her on infinite repeat. The EP is due in August and Saturday she'll have a full band at Waveform, but in the meantime, do yourself a favour and follow the next big thing (soundcloud.com/sammsplash).
Waveform: Samm Splash
w/Jimmy Harmony, Earl B, Nadasi, AC Fiend & The Fracture, Carry The Lost
Sat May 11, 9pm, $10
Oasis Pub, 5661 Spring Garden Road, 422-2227