X Ambassadors

Being an artist is a challenge. It’s a state of rawness and vulnerability that not many people need to face daily. Creating that safe space, free of judgment is a crucial step in the creative process.

Sam Harris is a Grammy Award-winning songwriter and lead singer of the rock band X Ambassadors. Sam takes us through his creative journey and expresses how putting pen to paper is a lifeline for his mental health. By putting intention behind his writing, he can safely say what’s on his mind. From there is where he begins his songwriting journey.

“If I didn’t have a creative outlet or an outlet to get my thoughts down on paper, I would be totally lost. It’s a lifeline for me.”

• Doing what I do is as much a form of self-medicating as it is communication. I write songs like little messages in bottles, hoping someone out there gets it and feels less alone; but they’re also my own form of therapy / deconstruction of my ego. I think that challenging myself to be more open about my own experiences, has taught me to respect myself more; and by sharing those experiences i feel a deeper connection with our fans who listen to the music.

• One of the main messages that I try to get across in my music is that life is messy and full of contradictions. We’re all hypocrites, and it can be somewhat beautiful if you look at it the right way.

• If you’re struggling to find your inner voice as a writer, the best advice I could give is to pick something to write about that makes you uncomfortable. Write something that you don’t want anyone to read or see or hear EVER. And then… show it to someone you trust. 9/10 I guarantee it will be great. The truth is what we’re all after, whatever form it takes.