Meet Sammi Martinez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sammi Martinez.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I grew up singing in church since the age of four. My mom is a piano teacher, as well as the pianist at my church, so music was in my blood! When I was younger, I was actually very dedicated to violin. I was not only in my school’s orchestra, but I played in several other programs where I would learn very difficult pieces and go through auditions. Most people thought that I was going to pursue violin for my career, and admittedly, I probably thought that too. After 8th grade, I auditioned and got into the highest-level orchestra at my high school when I was only a freshman. While that would’ve been a huge success to most people, that was actually my wakeup call when I realized, I didn’t want to play violin as a career. I made a huge decision and dropped out of orchestra and joined my school’s guitar program, which is now like my second home.

When I was 11 years old, I got my first guitar. I wish I could say it was love at first sight, but the funny story is, I actually hated it! My hands were too small to play, so me, being the stubborn little girl, I was (Who am I kidding? Still am!), wanted to quit. About a year later I got back into it, and through the years it’s become my #1 instrument of choice. When I was 12, I wrote my first song. I instantly fell in love with songwriting and wanted to hit the stage. I started performing at open mics, including SoZo Coffeehouse and Tempe Center for the Arts with Walt Richardson, who invited me to play in their “In the Spotlight Show, as well as the 10-year anniversary for TCA. Within a year, I started booking gigs. Now, I play around the valley nearly every weekend, and have had some incredible opportunities since. This year I competed for the third time in Alice Cooper’s Proof Is in The Pudding Competition, and made it to the Finals, in which I got to perform at Celebrity Theater! I’ve also played at the Arizona State Fair, and Phoenix Comic Fest.

Please tell us about your art.
Most of the songs I write tend to deal with love, or rather the absence of it in heartbreak. The goal I have with my songwriting is to create something positive out of a negative situation and express myself through the music. I think that the reason many songwriters like to write about love is because it’s something that can be hard to communicate, so when you find a song that perfectly describes how you feel and what you’re going through, it makes you feel like you aren’t so alone. For my music, my ultimate goal is to have that effect on someone. As much as I appreciate when people come up to me after my shows to say I did a great job, my favorite compliment is when someone tells me how much one of my songs impacted them, and how the lyrics captured what they were unable to express. To inspire someone in that way, and to create a sense of community within my music is what motivates me to keep doing it, as well as the fact that it’s something I’m extremely passionate about.

Choosing a creative or artistic path comes with many financial challenges. Any advice for those struggling to focus on their artwork due to financial concerns?
There are a billion phenomenal artists in this world who never get the recognition they deserve because they believe they can’t do it, at least for a living. I’m only 17, so while I haven’t had to face the whole financial stability issue yet, what I do know is this: If your art is something you are deeply passionate about, and something that makes your life the happiest it can be, don’t throw that away no matter what. As far as musicians, once you start playing around a lot, you’ll most likely start booking some gigs that pay well. It never hurts to have part time jobs as well. The important thing is to set aside some time to focus on your art. I think this goes along with the saying, “If it’s important enough to you, you’ll find a way. If it’s not, you’ll find an excuse.”

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
In January of 2017, I released my first EP, “Perspective.” The album includes five original songs. It is available on almost all social media platforms including Spotify and iTunes. Just search my name and you’ll find it! I’m planning to release new music in early 2019, so be on the lookout for that! You can also find me playing around the Phoenix area all the time! All my gigs are listed on the events page on my website.

Contact Info:

• Website: sammimartinez.com
• Email: officialsammimusic@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sammimartinezmusic
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/sammimartinezmusic
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/sammimmusic

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