Q&A: Sami Siteman on Love, Heartbreak and NEW MUSIC
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
WITH HER LATEST EP THE WAY IT WENT, singer-songwriter Sami Siteman delves deeply into a personal narrative that traces the emotional journey from heartbreak to hope, ultimately finding new love. A storyteller with a knack for weaving honest reflections into her music, Siteman has been steadily building her catalog, with this EP marking a meaningful addition to her discography. For Siteman, The Way It Went is more than just a collection of songs; it’s the closure of a chapter she began years ago with her EP, All the Ways That This Could Go. That earlier work explored the various directions a relationship might take, but now, with The Way It Went, she revisits those themes to reveal the path her life and heart actually followed.
Siteman’s musical style defies easy categorization. Melding singer-songwriter introspection with pop sensibilities and a dash of country charm, her sound is as multifaceted as the life experiences she pours into her lyrics. Influenced by the likes of Sara Bareilles, Kacey Musgraves, and Carole King, Siteman brings a refreshing sincerity to her music, driven by an innate desire to connect and share her personal growth with her listeners. Raised in a musical household, Siteman's love for music was sparked by her father, who encouraged her to embrace music as a form of expression and healing.
Through the highs and lows, Siteman’s music remains a place of catharsis and connection—something she hopes resonates with listeners, wherever they may be in their own journeys. In this interview, Siteman opens up about the inspiration behind her latest work, her journey as an artist, and what lies ahead as she continues to connect with fans and explore new creative avenues.
LUNA: Your latest EP, The Way It Went, is a journey through heartbreak, hope, and finding new love. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the EP and how you approached this narrative?
SITEMAN: 3.5 years ago, I released an EP All the Ways That This Could Go, which explored all the different ways a relationship can go. It was largely based on my own relationship at the time, but a lot of it was hypothetical, as when I wrote the songs, the relationship hadn’t concluded and was in a bit of limbo, so it was unclear which way it would actually go. Now 3.5 years later, I’m in a different and much better relationship for me and decided that even though my past relationship was long over in my real life, I never really closed that chapter in my music, so I wanted to share the actual way it all went, hence the title “The Way it Went.” When I wrote each of these songs, I was truly just pouring out my feelings and processing my emotions, and I didn’t write them with the intention of grouping them together, but when looked back on it, it really did tell my story from heartbreak to hope to finding love (this time, my forever love) again.
LUNA: Your latest single, “I Could Have Married You,” has an intriguing title. What story does this song tell, and what was the writing process like for it?
SITEMAN: When I came up with the title for this song, I honestly thought it was hilarious because it seems (without any further context) like it would be a sad song longing for a love that didn’t work out, but in reality, it’s my genuine thank you note to my ex who could see that we weren’t right for each other, even when I couldn’t because that break up allowed me to find my true forever person. There might be an ounce of sass in the first line of the chorus “I could have married you, but I’m so glad I didn’t” but it’s mostly genuine gratitude because, as the second line states “it wasn’t until now that I knew what I was missing” in a partner.
LUNA: You have such a beautiful blend of singer-songwriter introspection, pop, and country in your music. How did these influences come together to shape your unique sound?
SITEMAN: Thank you!! My fiancé always makes fun of me for always describing my music as the intersection of singer/songwriter, pop, and country, but it’s true! I have never felt like I fit into boxes in most aspects of my life and my music is no exception. I grew up listening to so many different types of music so my own music has been shaped by a lot of what I love. For each genre that I consider my music to be a part of, I feel like I’ve always gravitated towards the melodies, catchiness, and narratives of them. Singer/songwriter, country, and pop often really tell a story and that’s something I have always tried to do in my music, whether it’s me trying to process and express my own emotions or me observing someone/something else. I have been influenced by so many artists’ music, but some of my top influences in each of these genres are: singer/songwriter - Sara Bareilles & Carole King; pop - Sabrina Carpenter & Meghan Trainor; country - Carly Pearce & Kacey Musgraves. There are so many more artists and songs that have influenced my music though, and I know that there will be many more in the future that continue to influence me.
LUNA: Growing up with a father who loved music, how did his influence impact your musical journey?
SITEMAN: Some of my most fond memories from childhood are singing while my dad played guitar. His love of music shaped mine so much. He was always playing music around the house and singing and playing guitar; he really showed me that music is such an amazing way to express yourself, have fun, heal, and connect with people. His musical influence has impacted me significantly both in my personal life as well as my music career. He (as well as my mom, grandma, sister, friends, and fiancé) have all been such huge supporters of my music. I would absolutely not be doing what I am doing today or be who I am today without each of them.
LUNA: Having released 26 tracks so far, do you feel like your approach to music and storytelling has evolved over time? What’s been the biggest change in how you create?**
SITEMAN: The way I go about recording my music and deciding which other music professionals to bring into my work has definitely improved over time. I used to do a lot of my own production, but I feel like my music has leveled up so much in how much more professional the recordings sound now that I’ve been working with professional producers. My current producer Dylan Emmet (who is also a great artist in his own right) helped me make my most recent EP feel like the most “me” any of my released music has ever felt. He totally nailed the production and arrangements and captured exactly what I was hearing in my head for each song, and I’m super excited to keep working with him moving forward.
My approach to my music creation and storytelling is constantly evolving because I am always changing, learning, and trying to challenge myself to do and be better, but one thing about my songwriting has remained (and I believe will remain) the same: for me, the core of my music is expressing myself and processing my emotions. I have a few songs where I tell someone else’s story from my perspective, but for the most part, my music is my heart on a platter. It is one of the most healing and cathartic experiences for me. I always say I write my music for me, to process and heal, but I share it to connect with other people and provide them something to relate to in the same way my favorite artists have done for me. This is an aspect of my music that I hope never changes.
LUNA: Santa Barbara seems like a very special place to be based. How has living there influenced your music or the way you approach songwriting?
SITEMAN: I absolutely love living in Santa Barbara. It is such a special place, and not just for the music scene, but also just for the peace and calm that I feel living here. I grew up in a suburb of LA and I’ve spent a lot of time in LA proper. I’ve also visited Nashville quite a few times. It’s really amazing to be in those places where there are so many creative people and everyone is inspiring and doing what I’m doing and that’s really cool, but it also can feel really intimidating and like I am further behind than where some people are in their careers and that it’s some kind of competition, which I know it’s not, but it sometimes feels that way to me, so I actually really love living in Santa Barbara, because it’s close enough to LA that I can get there and collaborate and play shows but removed enough that I can just make the music that I want to and do what I want with it and not feel pressured by what anybody else is doing.
LUNA: What’s the most fulfilling aspect of making music for you—writing, performing, connecting with fans, or something else entirely?
SITEMAN: I would have to say a combination of all of the above. Writing music is truly such a healing experience for me so that’s very fulfilling, but being able to actually perform it and connect with people in a live setting is so incredible as well and that’s one of the reasons I do this too. I recently had the opportunity to perform at the Hotel Café in Los Angeles as a BMI artist showcase artist and it was my first live performance in a really long time, so it was really incredible to get back out there and feel the energy of the room and the people live and not just through a screen.
LUNA: What can you tell us about the new music you’re working on?
SITEMAN: I tend to write a lot when I’m going through a lot, and I happen to be going through a bit of a tough time right now so I’m definitely writing quite a bit. But I also have a lot of songs that have been on the back burner for a long time that I haven’t recorded or released yet, so I’m actually putting a lot of those together into an album, my debut album in fact, and the main theme is mental health. I’ve struggled with mental health for a lot of my life so I’ve written a lot about it, but I haven’t released those songs yet, so it’s kind of a new topic for me musically as compared to some of my previous releases, which largely touch on love and heartbreak. I’m really excited to be able to share more about my own experiences and hopefully provide other people an opportunity to connect with and relate to them as well.
The album, titled Welcome to My Brain is going to take some time to record, produce, and put together so it’s likely gonna be released around May of 2026, but there will definitely be a few tracks released from it in the meantime, as well as a single in early 2025 that isn’t gonna be on the album, but is one that I am very happy and excited about sharing. The single is called “Glass Slipper” and it’s almost like Chapter 3 of my love life, if “All the Ways That This Could Go” and “The Way It Went” were Chapters 1 and 2. It wraps up (at least for now) my love song phase, though I am sure there will be plenty more to come in the future.
LUNA: What intentions do you have for the rest of the year?
SITEMAN: I would categorize my intentions for the rest of the year into two different buckets. For my music, I am currently working on some sync opportunities as well as trying to start production on “Glass Slipper” and doing a lot of really cool interviews like this one! I hope to use the rest of this year to keep connecting with fans as well, both long-time and new fans.
My intentions personally are to try to really soak up time with family and friends and to enjoy this first holiday season being engaged to my fiancé. We are getting married next year, so soaking in the engagement is something I hope to keep doing.
