In Conversation with Adelaide-based Musician & Creative, Samuelson on Nostalgia, Self-Expression & his Debut Album
Photo: Zane Qureshi
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Samuel Hudson, aka Samuelson. I am 20 years old, originally from Bristol in the UK, but I’m now living in Adelaide, South Australia. I like to make music, make art and do cool shit.
How and when did you first get into music?
I started playing the guitar when I was seven years old, and I have since been playing that all my life. Throughout school, I played multiple instruments. When I was 12, I think I made my very first rap song with a Wii karaoke microphone, and since then, I would just go home and make a mixtape and put it on Soundcloud. I did that until I was fifteen. I then got more serious about music when I met people like HT, and obviously, I’ve got my boys Ethanrip, Mijieli and Vato, who I have been making music with since we were like 14. I study music at the University of Adelaide now, too.
Did you study any musical subjects in high school?
It’s funny, I studied music up until year 11, and then when I was in year 11, I went to my music class, and it was all theory, so I left because I thought I was never going to use that again, but now I study music. So it’s pretty ironic to me.
What is your creative process like when making music?
When I’m making music, it depends because I have worked with many different artists, and I know everyone makes music so differently. If I were going to make a song, start to finish. I would either be in the shower, and sometimes ideas just come to me, or I usually just make a lot of my music just off my guitar. I’ll just make a demo, and then from there, I will produce a little something, then take it to Alex or someone better at production than me and then we expand the vision. For my music, Samuelson’s music, I always want it to be very professional. That is why I work with Kirby for the mix and mastering, I work with other people for the beats. I love collaboration, and I feel like there are so many talented people in this city.
How did you come up with the name Samuelson?
Originally, my music name was Samiam but then I got hit with a cease and desist by this band when I was like 15 so I couldn’t use that name and I didn’t know what to choose. My uncle used to call me Samuelson when I was a kid, so I guess my uncle came up with the name.
To anyone who has never heard a Samuelson song, how would you describe the style of music you make?
I’m not sure because my new album coming out called “On My Way” is very much inspired by The Neptunes and Pharrell and that early 2000s sound; but then at university, I am making tracks that are more Sticky Fingers, Spacey Jane oriented. So I think this album is definitely more rap but Samuelson’s music will just evolve because I’m not trying to be in one box.
Now we know you rap, but can you sing as well?
I rap, I sing. I used to be a really good singer but then I couldn't sing for shit because of puberty. Now, my voice is coming back because I am getting older. I love autotune, though.
Can you tell us a bit about “On My Way”?
My new album, coming out in September, is titled On My Way (OMW). It is my first official album. I worked with Kirby on the mixing and mastering process, and it was really good just working with him because it taught me a lot, and it was just a really good experience to have someone like him beside me. It’s a project I started making right after I finished high school back in 2021, when I was 18, so the whole album is a collection of what was going on in my life at that point. Lots about partying, relationship problems, and it is just me being 100% authentic, which is what I wanted to do as well. When I was young, I would listen to lots of Odd Future and ASAP Mob, and all I’d be rapping about was drugs and women, so it was lots of lying.
I’m excited to drop the project. We’ve worked super hard on it. It is the first project to be dropped under Kargo Entertainment. Some of the first music I have dropped in two years.
Why did you name it On My Way?
When I had all the songs together, and I had to come up with a name for the album, I had my notebook out and I was writing heaps of different names I could do. At the time, I was always late, well, I’m still late to everything, but I was always texting people OMW, but it would auto-correct to On my way! It's really just because I was always texting that, but it also has a double meaning because I am on my way as an artist, the Adelaide creative scene is also on its way, and everything in my life is heading in a trajectory, and it's on its way.
Who inspires Samuelson?
I get inspiration from a lot of things. I do a lot of graphic design as well so I get lots of inspiration from imagery but if I am talking about artists and musicians.
Jeff Buckley has always inspired me in terms of songwriting and what he talked about. MF Doom as well, I respect his creativity and how he was able to do something that nobody else has ever done. Frank Ocean is always a big source of inspiration because of how profound his lyrics are, and it touches me in a way that others don’t. Lots of my friends inspire me, too. Cooper, Aidan, Matt, Alex, Ethan, Mitch, Zane - Everyone I surround myself with creatively inspires me.
What are your thoughts on the Adelaide creative scene?
I think the Adelaide creative scene is crazy. If I look back three or four years ago, buying No Touching and now pulling up to Aidan's store, Curated, I think the creative scene here is insane. There is so much talent here. A lot of people want to take it to Melbourne, right, which I can understand, but big stuff is going to happen soon in Adelaide. I love Adelaide so much and our creative scene is underrated as fuck.
Do you have a favourite track from your new album?
Ooh. I have heard all of these songs thousands of times so it’s hard to pick a favourite but one of my favourites would be “Bounce” because the first verse is probably one of the hardest verses I have ever come up with. It is everything I wanted the song to be.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
Lancey Foux.
What is your wildest dream as an artist?
My biggest dream as an artist is to do something that impacts people positively.
This magazine is titled “Nostalgia”. What are some of your most nostalgic or memorable moments from your childhood and adolescence?
From my childhood, it would just be watching cartoons and reading comic books because I was obsessed with superheroes when I was growing up. I loved Spiderman and the X-Men. I think one of my favourite memories was reading X-Men comics like Ultimate X-Men, and I remember seeing some stuff I probably shouldn’t have been seeing at eight years old. I remember my sister and I reading those comics and thinking what is going on?
From my adolescence, my most nostalgic memory was the summer of 2017. I remember chilling with Ethanrip and Esky the Sinister back then, skateboarding every single day in 40-degree weather, with no school and not a care in the world. Listening to Playboi Carti, Rich the Kid, all the old 2017 hits, and just enjoying my youth. I look back on those times now and think damn. I wish I enjoyed it a little more.
Do you have a favourite X-Men character?
Iceman or Nightcrawler. Iceman because his powers are so sick, and you know he’s a mega-level unit now, and he’s super powerful. Nightcrawler just looks cool, and teleportation and his tail are sick. I still take heaps of inspiration from the X-Men in terms of my graphic design imagery.
Samuelson with friends, Aidan Berry & Saschanight photographed by Maya Clarke
Favourite clothing brands?
I got a lot of homies who make the sickest shit. Everyday, I am in Illfated socks or an Illfated shirt or I am wearing Scumbag. Scumbag Studios is one of my favourite brands because I love Rishab and he is a wizard with it. I have been wearing Aidan’s brand No Touching (even though he doesn’t do it anymore) since I was fourteen. Two Nine Seven came out this year. You know Logan is going crazy.
So my favourite brands are Illfated, Scumbag Studios, No Touching and Two Nine Seven!!
Top 3 Favourite Places in Adelaide?
1. Curated ADL
2. Thousand Island
3. Ong Vietnamese
What is the most nostalgic toy you had growing up?
I used to have this car I got for my fourth birthday, it was a Hulk-Buster. It came with a Hulk toy too. If I could get that in real life I would.
Favourite Books as a kid?
Nah, man, I’m Dyslexic. I used to read comic books, though. My sister used to low-key gate-keep books from me, she wouldn’t let me read them. Lots of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The best book I've ever read was The Perks of Being A Wallflower.
