About this episode
Today’s guest is one of the most exciting young artists in the world right now.A once-in-a-generation artist writing and producing every record himself — and turning that independence into global hits.His records aren’t just topping charts — many of them are 100%ers. Self-written, self-produced, and streamed hundreds of millions of times.He’s building a world entirely his own...In this episode of And The Writer Is, Ross Golan sits down with Sombr to unpack how he: - Writes and produces 100% of his music - Went from viral moments to global success - Deals with pressure, purpose, and proving himselfPresented by our friends at @NMPA @splice A huge thank you to our sponsors.Chapter list0:00 The Rise of Sombr: Bedroom Producer to Global Prodigy0:01:02;15 [NMPA] - Fighting for Songwriters (Season Sponsor)0:01:51 Early Discovery: Why Warner Music Bet on a 16-Year-Old0:03:38 My First Song Blew Up: Waking Up to 200K Likes & Columbia Records0:06:00;14 From NYC Roots to Proving Haters Wrong0:08:16 From Charlie Puth to Operatic Arias: My Secret Classical Music Training00:11:04 How I Dropped Out of LaGuardia to Get Signed (TikTok Made Me Quit)00:13:39 Opening for The Strokes at SXSW00:14:41 The Imposter Syndrome of a Global Superstar00:15:36 From GarageBand to Global Hits: My FLOPS & Early Projects (Cherry Valley)00:17:50 Who is Sombr? Shane vs. The Artist & Why New York Makes Anything Possible00:21:02 The TRUTH About "Caroline": She's Everyone... She's You.00:22:13 The $0 Photo Shoot That Became My Global Album Cover00:24:28 Advice to My 16-Year-Old Self00:26:18 My Secret Writing Method: Saving Choruses & How I Made the Album in 1 Month00:28:14 [NMPA] - The Power of Music Publishers (Sponsor Segment)00:28:56 [SPLICE] - Using AI Ethically & Protecting Creators (Sponsor Segment)00:30:42 "Back to Friends": Writing a Global Hit from a Career Low00:36:44 Working with Tony Berg: A Mentor and Real Instruments00:40:54 "Undress": Building Confidence After a Breakthrough00:43:40 Sacrifices of Fame: Losing My Social Life00:45:30 Anxiety and Expectations: Navigating Global Success00:51:23 Critics vs. Appreciation: Why Art Shouldn’t Be Rated00:058:09 The Final Word: Why the Haters Say I'm Not "Serious" (A Joke)00:58:50 The Beatles & The Muse: The Real Secret to Timeless Art00:59:11 Thank You & OutroNMPA fights for songwriters' rights, ensuring fair pay and protection.Check them out at NMPA.org and follow them on social media at @NMPAorgSplice is the industry’s top sample library—royalty-free for all. It empowers creators with its incredible library a
