Salem, New Hampshire native has come far from playing the local bars. Highly acclaimed singer, song writer Joe Samba is now playing some of the biggest shows and festivals, and bringing his Blue collar, regular Joe attitude to the masses.
Opening the Cali Roots stage is Joe Samba, an artist who burst on the scene the last year or two and has grown to be a fan favorite seemingly overnight. There’s something unique about Joe; paradoxically, it’s his normalness and unassuming demeanor that sets him apart from other pan-American reggae acts. Hailing from New Hampshire, this bearded crooner hit 1 million streams on his single “Create Something” and continues to rise to the top of our playlists and hearts.
“I’m from New Hampshire originally, and believe it or not, in that cold tundra there is a reggae scene I could come up in. I started playing local shows at a place called Bernie’s Beach Bar and then when I put out my first album things started moving quickly and I got to start playing in new places and it’s just grown and grown.”
Samba personifies the ultimate end goal for every regular dude who has ever dreamed about playing music and going on tour with a nationally recognized band, like Pepper, with whom he recently wrapped up a months-long tour. Approachable, vulnerable, and unabashedly himself, Samba’s message resonates deeply with his listeners.
“What’s the joke again? I’m an Average Joe. Any average Joe can do whatever the heck they want to do and that’s the message I want to spread.”
Firmly rooted in blue-collar nostalgia, his single “Boomer Economy” humorously analyzes the generation before us Millennials ruined the financial market with our avocado toast.
“It’s inspired by my father and his upbringing and the era he grew up in. He’s a boomer and it’s poking fun at and figuring out that disconnect between the generation gap; how he was raised compared to what we have to deal with now. It started from there, using that idea and running with that disconnect and trying to find common ground and understanding between different viewpoints. The economy has changed so much and there’s such a disparity I feel like more than any past generations. It’s hard times these days.”
Songwriting seems to be Samba’s strong suit, and we can expect a new album with (hopefully) some new hot takes and raw emotions in the very near future.
“There’s been a lot of inspiration. I have my son, Salvatore, and my fiancee now and I’m on the road a lot. I try to write from my heart so whatever’s happening in my life tends to come out. The writing process has been different because I’ve been touring so much, so whenever I have a melody or lyrics in my head I’ll do a voice memo so I can remember. Then when I get home I’ll put it in my computer and demo it out, feel it out and go from there.”
Catch Joe Samba on tour with Schwayze this summer! Get your tickets HERE!