Yorkton’s own Samara Yung is back with a new country album; ‘This is Me.’
“This album was a whole bunch of firsts for me,” Yung told Yorkton This Week. “After the last album ‘July Rain’, which was released in December 2011, I wasn’t connecting with very much, nothing I wrote down and nothing I was listening too was hitting me in the right way. I felt lost and confused and really didn’t know what direction I wanted to go, and to be honest I really didn’t know if I wanted to continue in the music industry at all. People really do not realize how hard it is to chase a dream that may never reached, and all of the sacrifices that come along with it.
“Luckily I am surrounded by some pretty amazing and supportive people and with the help of my new manager Casadie Pederson, and my family we reached out to some awesome song writers and put together what I feel is a great album.”
Yung’s decision was one of about where music fit into a life with another career, and a husband.
“Unfortunately yes I do have a career outside of music,” she said. “I honestly have no idea how I am not pulling out my hair some days but when I am not singing I also have a full time job as a pharmacy technician. I take my holiday days to do performances and go on tours.”
It helps that her husband is a fan of her musical efforts.
“I am married to an awesome supportive husband who puts up with a lot of traveling on my end but I seriously couldn’t do it without him and my families’ support,” said Yung.
“Being a musician is not always easy, and no I didn’t know if this album was even going to happen. I found myself at a crossroads. I needed to decide if I wanted to continue or if I wanted to walk away proud of everything that I have accomplished and just pack it in and focus on a different aspect of my life.
“But after some serious and sometimes very hard discussions with myself and my team I had to remember why I started in this business in the first place.
“Unfortunately some things have had to be put on hold and a lot of sacrifices have been made on so many peoples behaves to allow me to do this.
“And when you’re constantly waiting for your big break to come it’s easy to lose sight of why you started in the first place.
“I did finally come to the realization that I cannot imagine my life without music and music is extra special to me because I get to share it with my dad. No one can ever take that part of it away from me and I love being able to look over and share those moments on stage with him. So here we are now with one more album under our belts.
“It takes a lot to get an album on the ground and this is number three for me.
“I am so grateful to have the support of my mom, dad, husband and ever growing team during the good times and the bad on this crazy roller coaster ride of a career, but we have achieved a lot as an indie artist and we wouldn’t change a thing.”
With her career questions the new CD took longer to put together than might have been ideal.
“It took way longer than I intended,” said Yung. “I just really took my time selecting my material. I wanted to make sure that every song I chose I connected to in some way, and that the material represented who I am right now.
“Sometimes that is hard because I did not write any of the songs I was choosing, but in the end I feel very strongly about my selections and I feel they are a great representation who I am right now — hence the title of the album; ‘This Is Me’.”
While this is Yung’s third recording, finding the right songs does not get easier, even with experience.
“It definitely doesn’t become easier,” she said. “We are all constantly changing and as an artist I am always trying to push myself out of our comfort zone and try to become a better singer, better artist and just better all around. I’m not really concerned about repeating themes or styles as I feel that the most important thing is to stay true to myself and what I believe in and can connect too. You want people to hear the pain, or the love, or the anger in a song and connecting to a song is a key part in that.”
At the same time, experience does mean evolution as a performer.
“I truly do believe that my music is evolving, I feel like I am finding myself in this industry and meeting and working with some pretty amazing people along the way,” offered Yung. “I have been in the industry now for 10-years and every time I go into the studio or chose songs for an album, or sit down and write something it’s a new experience.
“Also working with new people puts a new perspective on my music and a fresh set of ears and input is always good, to keep it fresh and exciting, not to mention I am a little bit older then when I first started recording music and I feel that you can hear that on the new tracks.”
That all said, Yung isn’t necessarily sure the new album is her best, but just different from earlier efforts.
“I don’t know if that’s the right way to say it as I am extremely proud of everything I have accomplished and put together over the past 10-years,” she said when asked if the new release is her best. “I do feel that the maturity is evident and a transformation is audible in every project that I do. I can only hope to keep getting better, and hope that the audience feels the same.
“I do feel though that since I was so lost after the last album that I have found myself in this project and hopefully can keep that momentum going forward into the new project — yes it’s never ending.”
In terms of Yung’s own impression of the album, her favourite cut almost missed the cut.
“My absolute favourite song on the album is a song that almost wasn’t on the album,” she said. “A week before going into the studio one on the songs I had chosen was actually recorded by another artist and therefore the song was pulled from my project. I found myself searching for a replacement for it.
“I was sent a song from my new favourite songwriter Emily Weisband and fell in love with a song called ‘Fight this Feeling’ which is my favourite song on the album.
“I really felt the connection when we were recording it as well. Everything happens for a reason right?”
Overall Yung likes the new material a lot.
“I am happy with everything on the album,” she said. “My producer Bart Mckay really helped me find my voice with this project and there is a little bit of everything for everyone I think. There is even a duet with a fellow Saskatchewan artist and my friend Codie Prevost.”
And the music is already getting airplay.
“The first single to radio was actually released last year and we are on our third single right now,” said Yung. “But the single that has been released to radio at the same time as the album was released is a song called ‘Better Than I’ve Ever Been’. It’s a very inspirational song about picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and coming back better then you were before. I feel everyone can connect to the song no matter what you are going through in your life. It was sent to me when I needed it most, and I can only hope it inspires someone else as it did me.”
And the public seems to be liking the new release too.
“So far the feedback has been great,” said Yung. “For the first time ever in my career I was top-50 in iTunes downloads three-days after the album was released. I was ecstatic about that.”
