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At home he’s a hero. Is America next for Sam Fender?

BBG News

At the bustling Mojave tent during last month’s Coachella, I stood amidst a sea of faces – an unprecedented stage for this 31-year-old British crooner hailing from the northern shores – and declared I’d perform the daftest tune I’ve ever penned.

A three-chord punk outburst sparked by an offensive joke on Facebook during the COVID-19 crisis, the song was titled “Howdon Aldi Death Queue,” in which he narrates a scene of elderly people waiting in line at a supermarket close to his working-class hometown of North Shields, near Newcastle.

Easy now, easy now – stay back at least 2 meters,” translates to “Easy now, easy now – maintain a distance of 2 meters.” At Coachella, Fender’s guitar solo during the peak of the song appeared to mock the concept of guitar solos altogether.

Why perform something so dumb with so many eyes on him?

A few days after the show, I found myself chuckling and saying, ‘It’s simply fantastic!’ Sometimes, a lighthearted tune can just be enjoyable for its own sake. Not all songs necessarily have deep meaning or messages.

Yet most of Fender’s do.

Hailing from a lineage that encompasses bands like The Clash, The Jam, and filmmaker Mike Leigh, Fender is renowned for his candid portrayal of the authentic lives of ordinary British individuals, including veterans dealing with an indifferent system, teenagers battling depression, and workers affected by globalization. His music, a blend of poignant lyrics and robust melodies featuring electric guitar and saxophone, has struck a chord resonating deeply within the U.K., catapulting him to stardom as one of the country’s top rock artists. He boasts an impressive collection of three No.1 albums, three Brit Awards, and upcoming summer tour dates at the London Stadium and Newcastle’s St. James’ Park, several of which are already sold out.

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On Thursday, Fender debuted a music video for his song “Little Bit Closer,” which was directed by Philip Barantini and featured 15-year-old Owen Cooper. This duo is well-known to many viewers due to their work in the critically acclaimed series “Adolescence.” As reported by Netflix, it’s their most-watched British series ever streamed.

In an interview some time back, Elton John expressed that Fender is a highly accomplished British artist, undeniably the finest in the realm of rock ‘n’ roll.

Currently, the artist is gaining traction in the United States, having passed several months since the launch of his new album, “People Watching,” which could arguably be the strongest rock album of the year thus far.

It’s quite surprising: We’re performing for 80,000 people in London, but here I am playing small venues,” he commented while taking a leisurely walk around Pan Pacific Park. Fender was in Los Angeles during a brief pause from his tour between the two weekends of Coachella, and although he was downplaying the scale of his shows – he’d been performing at theaters instead of bars – you could understand his comparison as a stark contrast.

Speaking while clad in a worn gas station worker’s jacket and an old Replacements band t-shirt, he expressed his genuine affection for these performances, saying they transport him back to the early days. He made it clear that his ambition isn’t to pack stadiums here, but rather to ensure that the costs are covered, as currently, when they visit, they aren’t even recouping their expenses. With a chuckle, he admitted that all he hopes for from America is not to incur any losses.

Fender’s trip to L.A. this time around was a revisit, as he had been here for nearly two months last year, working on “People Watching” with Adam Granduciel of The War on Drugs. His affection for their 2014 album “Lost in the Dream” developed when he was battling a serious health issue; however, he prefers not to discuss the details too often. He was thrilled to have the chance to learn from someone he deeply admires.

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The country singer mentions that the symphonic piece “Evangeline vs. the Machine” ties into his gospel-influenced act at the Stagecoach festival in 2024, reflecting his roots.

Just like how Fender’s early albums “LP1” and “LP2” blend powerful choruses with dynamic rhythms, perfectly capturing his energetic live performances, “People Watching” does the same. However, in their gear-laden Burbank studio, which Fender referred to as a dreamland, they expanded upon the producer’s atmospheric sound. They added lush vintage synth elements, as heard on the track “People Watching,” and even slowed down the tempo for songs like “Crumbling Empire,” where Fender delivers poignant lyrics about the privatization of the British railway system in a more heartfelt way than you’d expect.

This album presents some of the most heartfelt vocals Fender has ever recorded, particularly shining in the beautiful track “Arm’s Length.” Here, he toned down his emotional wail to discover a deeply soulful pitch instead.

In my review, let me express that the artist, standing tall at approximately 6 feet 1, shared his candid thoughts about his vocal range. He admitted to feeling self-conscious due to his high-pitched voice and related it to his perception of his own talent. As he’s progressed in age, he noted changes in his vocal range, which led him to question his abilities: “Gosh, have I lost my touch?” he mused.

Speaking as a film enthusiast, I was once asked about ensuring the harmonies didn’t overshadow Fender’s exceptional vocals during production. With a chuckle, I replied, “Believe me, it’s impossible to outshine that powerful voice, no matter how hard you try.

Critics often compare Fender’s music, particularly the track “Crumbling Empire,” to that of Bruce Springsteen due to its similar use of keyboard and electric guitar. However, Fender believes this comparison is too simplistic as there are other influences in his music besides The Boss. He hears a synth melody in the title track reminiscent of Dire Straits, while “Nostalgia’s Lie” reminds him of The Byrds or The La’s. Fender acknowledges that some may detect a touch of Tom Petty in his music, but assures us his vocal style is quite distinct from Springsteen’s, given his pronounced northern English accent.

20 years back, there might have been an A&R person cautioning against using the term “lads,” but Sam is a proud Geordie and it shows, both in his speech and his music. His roots play a significant role in who he is and how he composes songs.

As a struggling teenager living hand-to-mouth with a mother battling fibromyalgia, Fender honed his guitar skills and songwriting abilities. At the age of 18, he was both working and performing in a pub in North Shields when his current manager first spotted him, recognizing a budding talent. (One reason Fender continues to use Facebook — despite it not being the preferred social media for his generation — is to stay connected with the elderly patrons he used to serve.) His debut album, “Hypersonic Missiles,” was released in 2019, with “Seventeen Going Under” following two years later.

2021’s standout album, according to England’s NME, is the one that received praise for tracks like the heart-wrenching title song, where Fender sings about his personal struggle with the U.K.’s welfare agency (“I see my mother / The DWP sees a number”), and “Spit of You,” a nearly overwhelmingly poignant song about his intricate bond with his father. Barantini directed the video for this latter track, featuring Stephen Graham portraying Fender’s father in it, similar to the adolescence drama “Adolescence.

I’m thinking: This is really going to be tough once he’s gone, I can’t dwell on it too much because then I start worrying about him leaving.

Songs similar to these have garnered numerous high-profile admirers: Last year, Noah Kahan collaborated with Fender on a fresh rendition of his popular track “Homesick,” and the artist recently shared with KROQ that he received an invitation to a Joni Jam at Joni Mitchell’s Bel-Air residence – but he declined due to feeling too anxious. “I completely chickened out,” he admitted, expressing regret over this missed opportunity.

At Coachella, Matt Bellamy from Muse watched Fender’s performance (accompanied by Bellamy’s famous ex-girlfriend, Kate Hudson), and later went backstage for a chat. When they met, Fender remembered thinking about saying something like, “Wow, I was a big fan of ‘Knights of Cydonia’ when I was 13,” but he wasn’t completely sure it was Bellamy, so he decided to keep quiet to avoid any potential embarrassment. Laughing, he admitted that he had made similar mistakes in the past.

As a die-hard music fan, I shared my admiration for The Kooks’ song ‘Naïve’ with Danny from McFly. I exclaimed, ‘What an awesome track!’ He seemed puzzled, asking, ‘Which song?’ I tried to jog his memory, saying, ‘You know, “Naïve” – wasn’t it a banger?’ He gave me a blank stare. I guess he doesn’t recall our conversation, but now that I’ve mentioned it in this piece, I’m sure he’ll be thinking, ‘Oh bloody hell!’

Fender has learned to be cautious with his words and how they’re presented in news articles due to his experiences with the tough-talking British press. He doesn’t consider himself a representative or voice for young Britons (even though no influential spokesperson would ever accept such a role willingly).

As a movie enthusiast, I often find myself rolling my eyes when I hear terms like “voice of a generation” tossed around so casually. To be honest, I don’t consider myself that. I’m just a regular guy sharing stories based on my own experiences and those of the people I know. It’s amazing how much significance others seem to attribute to it.

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A few months have passed since her song went viral, but this month, the 24-year-old Brit singer is scheduled to perform ‘Messy’ at the Coachella festival.

It was noteworthy this year when Fender commented in London’s Sunday Times that “young men from ordinary towns” are being attracted to figures like Andrew Tate, who he described as “demagogues and psychopaths,” because they feel constantly belittled for benefiting from a white privilege they may not acknowledge.

At a picnic bench in the park, Fender expressed bewilderment as to why his remarks sparked so much commotion.

He mentioned that the young fellows I’m acquainted with, such as my nephews, often spend time watching YouTubers. However, with just a few more clicks, they might find themselves on the page of Tate, a contentious internet personality who has faced accusations of rape and mistreatment of women. These young individuals are seeking guidance to shape their identities as men. I believe such role models shouldn’t be shrouded in misogyny.

Fender has stirred conversations with his views on the music industry, which he believes is biased towards the affluent. He stated, “Due to Brexit, touring within Europe has become unattainable for emerging artists.” He emphasizes that venues and grassroots music scenes require immediate safeguarding. Although he admits his lack of specific solutions, it’s clear he’s used to addressing such questions.

As a passionate cinephile, I firmly believe that it’s perfectly fine to exclaim, “That’s just not right!” or “Something’s wrong here!”, even if immediate solutions aren’t at hand.

Fender doesn’t compose every song as a broad societal commentary. The last track on the new album, “Remember My Name,” is a heartfelt brass band love song, as described by the singer, which portrays his grandfather expressing affection to his grandmother who had dementia and was under his care. On the other hand, “Arm’s Length” is about struggling in dating, as he humorously puts it, and delves into the experiences of people with an avoidant attachment style.

Is it autobiographical?

A hint of myself is there,” I admitted. “Growing up, I found chaos and unpredictability more familiar, so when things were too calm, it felt like if I didn’t disrupt it, it would explode on its own accord.” As I spoke, I reached into my pocket for a canister of nicotine pouches – a habit I’ve found harder to break than smoking. “Nowadays, I’m making an effort to find comfort even in comfort itself.

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Is dating harder or easier now than it was before he was famous?

“He mentioned it’s much less complicated for him as he’s not dating currently, but quickly changed the subject. Interestingly enough, although he didn’t want to discuss it, news about his relationship has been circulating in U.K. papers. It turns out he’s been seeing someone named Rosa Collier since 2022, and things are going well for them.” (The Sun reported in March that Fender has been “secretly dating” Rosa Collier, a young actor from London, since 2022.)

Despite his hesitancy about some parts of fame, Fender exudes the casual passion of a genuine rock star on stage – not implying that he spends much time pondering over his appearance.

He suggested that he needed to give the matter more thought, as he often appears rather shabby, he admitted. Speaking at England’s Reading festival in 2023, he sported a mullet hairstyle that came about by chance, he said. Some of his favorite Geordie footballers had terrible mullets in the ’80s – Paul Gascoigne and Kevin Keegan among them – and he always admired it. To be honest, when he looked at photos of himself, he exclaimed, “Oh, Christ!” But you know what? He confessed that he’s grown fond of the mullet again. Despite its shoddy appearance, he now finds it endearing.

Following his concerts at U.K. stadiums and a series of European summer festivals, Fender is expected to return to the United States this autumn. If he were to believe that things couldn’t grow any larger at home, would he possibly think about relocating to Los Angeles to make it big in America?

“Elton told me, ‘Just move there — that’s what I did,’” he said. “I’d be tempted to do it.”

There’s plenty of stories surrounding Elton John’s time in Los Angeles, tracing back to the pivotal evening at the Troubadour in 1970 that turned everything around for him.

Fender concurred, “Indeed, there’s a lot of tales surrounding it,” he said. “However, these stories are often exaggerated. For instance, he performed at the Troubadour numerous times – he truly persevered through each performance. In films, you might see just one concert followed by an instant appearance at Dodger Stadium. The essence of rock ‘n’ roll legend often overlooks the tireless effort involved.

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2025-05-09 13:32

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