With just a few short years in Nashville, Sam Varga has already established himself as a serious writer and dynamic performer.
Coming from the fast-paced Punk scene that reminisces on his high school days and the Blues filled ambiance of Austin, Texas, there are a certain edge and energy that Sam Varga allows into his songs to stand out from the crowd in Music City. After quickly coming up through the songwriting ranks, he has now shifted his attention to his artistic career at hand. Sam Varga's newest single, "Half Heart Hallelujah," is the latest indication of a promising artist trajectory following his debut EP, 'Light Me Up.'
Within the deep and profound vocal performance from Sam Varga lies a wholehearted message in the way he uses his lyrics to splatter a not-so-jolly take on the well-known "Hallelujah." The chorus shares some resemblance to the classic record as he offers up his own rendition yet touches on the relatable factors.
Having written this song in the fetal position on the couch of his childhood home on Christmas morning, Sam Varga takes us through a series of unfortunate events that inspired the very song, "Half Heart Hallelujah."
A concoction of a recent breakup, death of a family member, and a Christmas Eve hometown bar hangover, Sam Varga took his trials and tribulations and turned them into a showcase of the darker side of the holidays that they typically don't flaunt in holiday tinged songs.
Allowing himself to be vulnerable through the lush Country-Rock fusion, Sam Varga leaves himself open like a book throughout this performance. In turn, you can't help but sit with your own thoughts as you learn more about the artist as he presents his talents and story on a silver platter.
Intricately putting the finishing touches over the course of six months on this masterpiece, Sam Varga proves to listeners that the difference between good and great is in the details.
Congratulations on the release of “Half Heart Hallelujah.” Could you please take us into what the creative process of this song looked like for you?
I started writing this song with my eyes closed. It was Christmas morning and I had just had a discussion about going on anti-depressants. I walked back to the couch I hadn’t left all weekend and the chorus came. I knew I had a song and that was gonna be enough to pull me out of whatever I was in. As soon as I got back to my house in Nashville the rest of the song was written in probably 20 minutes. Then when it came time to record it my producer Will Stone heard this satirical church hymn in what I had brought. We threw on some churchy piano, some disgusting guitar, and a drum kit that sounded like it came from the supply closet of a Young Life house and it was done.
When you open yourself up on a Christmas track like this, what is your main reasoning for straying away from the traditional holly, jolly, holiday vibe?
We leaned into the lounge in cheekiness of the Christmas thing because it made the lyrics a little light…but also in a way really makes the whole thing darker haha. At least I think. We decided to double down and release it on Black Friday and shoot the music video at Santa’s Pub in Nashville. HHH is a Christmas track the same way Die Hard’s a Christmas movie.
How would you describe your sound and the approach that you take towards the music you craft?
Nowadays I just kinda hurl myself on the train tracks and try to have some cool guitar in there before I hit 4 minutes. I’m more comfortable saying what I think and what I believe, but I’m starting to see that my being self-deprecating in my songs is probably some bullshit cop-out/safety blanket. Like “Hey here’s some fucked up shit…or hey this is what I believe…but hahaha don’t take it seriously so no one gets offended or concerned” But there are things I want to say I am serious about and I’m working on that muscle.
If you had to pick one lyric in “Half Heart Hallelujah” that resonates with you the most, what would it be?
"I’m dug into a town that was made to break my heart. So I drink myself to death and let someone call it art” My Nashville writers know about this. Nashville is a drinking town with a music problem. And writers here will ride so many ups and downs just getting the songs out and trying to make it to the tenth year of this “ten-year town”
Do you have any other releases lined up before the end of 2020? What can listeners anticipate to hear next from you?
Oh yes. I’ve got a few more singles in my pockets. I’m gonna keep on releasing music tell they tell me to quit.