Independent singer, songwriter and producer Sam Nicolosi announces his new 5-song EP Origins, now available digitally on all major retail outlets. Marking his second EP, Origins takes listeners into the mindset of Nicolosi through his transition from leaving his hometown, Evanston, IL, and moving to Los Angeles, CA. Living in LA created a false sense of reality from which he had to learn how to return to his roots when feeling lost and complacent, all while dealing with a toxic relationship. Origins is Sam’s emergence from that dark and emotional space, reconnecting to his own energy and purpose.

The EP is a collection of songs mainly written and produced by Sam alone, and features two highlight tracks, Clash Magazine’s “Track of the Day,” “Realign,” an up-tempo song about returning to your roots when you feel lost, and Spotify’s #NewMusicFriday playlist track “Caught Up,” about being addicted to something, or someone, toxic.

In this interview, we speak with Sam about influences, the new album, the digital music world and more.

Full Q&A along with links and streams below.

Where are you from (and live now) and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)

I was born and raised in Chicago, but I moved out here to LA when I turned 18. I make magical, soulful, electronic pop.

What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?

I became obsessed with music since age 11. I started hearing melodies in my head constantly and I quickly realized that I am a creator of sound.

How is your new release different than any previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?

My goal with Origins was simply to make a piece of art that would excite me and make me happy. My only goal was to actually release the project – I’ve held a lot of music back and I really had to commit to releasing this one.

Do you face challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? How has technology helped you (assuming it helps)?

Yes. Being an artist for a living – that’s a challenge. Technology literally allows me to manipulate sound into anything I imagine. I love taking real instruments and samples and warping into something uniquely unidentifiable.

Where can we connect with you online and discover more music?

Hit me up on Twitter or Instagram! I try to be as responsive as possible. There’s gonna be a whole lot more new music coming out this summer and I can’t wait for you to hear!

Anything else before we sign off?

Be the light.