Fresh from "To the Moon"'s success, Sam Tompkins releases EP

Official album cover art for “who do you pray to?”

You may know Brighton-based artist Sam Tompkins from “To The Moon,” his TikTok hit with Jnr Choi. However, Tompkins has actually been singing for years; his first introduction to performing live, street performing on the streets of Brighton, evolved out of a dare on his sixteenth birthday. Last month, Tompkins’ latest EP “who do you pray to?” was released on Friday, March 18.

“I am a man from the UK with a beard. I write very depressing music that you can sort of be sad about if you want to be,” he said by way of introduction. 

Image of Sam Tompkins by Rosie Matheson provided by Universal Music Group

Sad but relatable, Tompkins sings a lot about his family, including “Hero,” “My Brother,” and “Bloodline,” his three favorite songs on the EP. “Hero” is about his father’s largely hidden struggles with depression, especially following his separation when Tompkins was around five years old. “As sad as it was, it is a testament to how much he wanted me and my siblings to feel safe and protected, even though he was going through stuff.” Tompkins calls his father his “role model” and stars as him in the “Hero” music video.

Music influences for Tompkins include Justin Bieber, Usher, Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, and Kanye West. Bieber actually reached out to Tompkins, and they even hosted an Instagram live together. “He’s probably my most consistent idol of hero that I’ve had since I was 14,” Tompkins said. “For the last 10 years, I’ve looked up to this person.”

Bieber also covered Tompkins’ song “(w)hole” in a video that garnered more than a million views. The song was written during the lockdown and acknowledges the uncertainty that stems from that time period. 

Although that uncertainty is a universal feeling, Tompkins doesn’t want any surprises in the type of music he produces. “I don't want to be one of those artists who suddenly just jumps from sound to sound,” he said. “Any music I make comes from a point of like really appreciating the history of that and it's a part of who I am.”

However, Tompkins grew up with R&B and hopes to lean more into that genre and help other artists develop their songs. “I also write for other artists and I really like writing for other people because I'm not exhausting my own emotions,” Tompkins said.

In addition to the collaboration with Jnr Choi on “To the Moon” and studio sessions with Bieber, Bebe Rexha has co-signed his work. “To the Moon” samples a cover of Bruno Mars’ “Talking to the Moon,” released in April 2011, that Tompkins recorded in his living room. Since its original release, Tompkins’ viral song has been remixed with Gunna.

Despite the thrill of going viral, Tompkins was actually going through a breakup at the time. “It was a mixture of being really sad but also having something really exciting going on,” he said. “It was wicked and when [the remix] started kicking off, [the song] went viral twice.”

The viral hit partly catalyzed Tompkins’ way to fame, but his universal lyrics and ability to empathize have played a huge role in producing relatable, meaningful music. “I know everyone my age has gone through some sort of struggle and at least know someone who's gone through something,” he said. “I think music can humanize people by making music for people who feel like they're not represented too much.”

You can listen to the new EP on all platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. For other Sam Tompkins content, follow him on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok.