Samantha Fischer | Songwriting +Poetry
Samantha Fischer’s sweet melodies and soulful tones are equally as captivating as her pen on the page, crafting rich story and rhythm. She is an incredibly talented singer/songwriter, and we’ve been spoiled to experience her poetry and prose as well. Fischer is definitely one to keep a tab on over the upcoming years as she releases more of her beautiful work into our lives. Samantha resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
GM: Tell us about your current creative expressions.
SF: Poetry. Songwriting. Worship Leading. Currently dabbling in writing fiction, but that’ll be our little secret. :)
A few years ago, I began writing poetry again. The gift laid dormant in my soul throughout most of my formal education. However, after attending a Writer’s Retreat with Carrie Lloyd in Redding, CA, the poems appeared again.
Songwriting has been happening since I was in third grade. My piano became my refuge and to this day, it still is.
Worship leading is a fun one too. We all know those people who are eager for a platform. I know this all too well because I used to be one of them. The Lord killed that in me during my course in ministry school. He cultivated intimacy and tenderness for His name instead. Now, at my home church, I am able to bring my real, authentic self to the platform. I am able to sing love songs to God because I am truly in love. Spontaneous moments bubble up from that place as well, which is another complex creative expression in and of itself.
Fiction is also fun. Creating characters and playing chess with their lives, is perhaps the closest taste of playing God that I'll ever attain.
GM: Do you find your poetry and songwriting themes cross over? Or do they feel quite separate?
SF: What a fun question. Unfortunately, my poetry and my songs remain quite segregated. To this day, I’ve only ever turned one poem into a song. I don’t see that trend changing anytime soon. Generally, when I’m songwriting, the melodies and the lyrics approach at the same time. I tend to voice memo those ideas, steward them at the keyboard later in the day, and shelve them as demos for the future. I much prefer to finish songs right away than to let them sit for long periods of time.
Poetry is a different ballgame entirely. I sit at an empty page ninety-five percent of the time and force myself to write. After I write five to ten icky, unpublishable, emotional quandaries of poems, I hit some sort of Eureka and wonder, “Where on earth did that come from?!”
Songwriting remains far easier for me than poetry. Perhaps it’s because music carries this unspoken power to crack open doors to our mind, will, and emotions far more eloquently than a blank page.
GM: What inspires you?
SF: My first thought when reading this question was, “Oh Lord, how long can this article be?.”
It’s only appropriate to start with the tried and true inspirations:
#1: The Ocean.
Once upon a time I had to memorize a poem for a project in middle school. “If I Should Have a Daughter” by Sarah Kay was the one I chose. There’s a line in the poem that says, “There’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline no matter how many times it’s sent away.” Little did I know, that particular line from that poem would mark me so intensely. I was living in California when I heard those words. Bonfires at the beach were commonplace. The poetry echoed in my spirit as I watched the waves. Thus, the ocean will forever remain near and dear to my heart.
#2: Lianne La Havas.
Oh, Lianne. How I love her. This woman and I share the same birthday - August 22nd - and we could visually pass for sisters. Mixed, brown skin. Curly black hair. Buttery voice. Tend to write love songs. Poetic. Now, if only I had her British accent!
Her debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough, is something I listen to at least every month. Highly recommend.
#3: Christopher Nolan.
Dear Lord, his films move me. Tenet. Inception. Interstellar. Dunkirk. He’s a genius. When he, his wife, and Hans Zimmer create art together, something inside of me comes alive! His cinematography and story-telling are my absolute favorite.
As for the new and noteworthy inspirations:
#1: Parkour:
Yes, believe it or not! There’s a group of guys from England who go by STORROR and their YouTube channel, believe it or not, inspires me. The human body is capable of incredible things and they do a lovely job showcasing it.
#2: Medical Podcasts:
Let me explain myself:
I can vividly remember watching the pilot episode of "Grey’s Anatomy" as a little girl, at the feet of my grandmother's rocking chair. As well as several seasons of "E.R" and "Stories from the E.R.". I’ve rekindled my love for medicine by listening to medical podcasts on long drives. Odd, I know, but it's quite lifegiving to me.
#3: The Murphy Shepherd Series by Charles Martin:
When I read “The Water Keeper” last year, I finished it in a week. As much as I love reading, finishing books remains a challenge for me. Not this one. It’s a tearjerker. So timely. So needed. It’s about a man who patrols the Florida Keys and saves women out of sex trafficking. Charles Martin’s writing lies somewhere in between a love letter, a Mission Impossible screenplay, and the book of Proverbs.
Highly recommend.
GM: How do you stretch yourself as an artist?
SF: One of the main “stretches” I do as an artist is to actively remind my fickle self that I am indeed an artist. I must remind myself that what I have to create is worth something. I must remember that what I have to create is inherently valuable. You must walk before you run. Reminding myself of my creative identity is crucial before I start creating art in the first place.
Besides this affirmation, I journal most every morning. Three pages. Julia Cameron’s "Morning Pages" style. It feels monotonous and lifeless till you find your rhythm. I am a testament that it is rewarding beyond belief when you practice it.
And last, but most certainly not least: exercise! It’s quite easy for writers to sit in their chairs all day, fiddling away at their keyboard until they’ve struck gold. In my humble opinion, this is a poor strategy. Considering that we are triune beings, so intricately connected, if we’re artistically constipated, perhaps our gut is as well. In some cases, perhaps our soul is backed up too. Thus, if we can wake up our body with walking, kickboxing, calisthenics, or stretching, we are much closer to shaking off apathy and preparing ourselves to create. Not to mention, the endorphins are exhilarating.
GM: What have you learned about yourself and/or life in the creative process?
SF: Woof.
I’ve been writing since I learned how. Novels (never finished), songs (some of them intensely cheesy), and poems (which circa 2009 were quite depressing!).
As early as sixth grade, I found myself infuriated when I was trying to create, because I would edit my work constantly. A sharp, critical eye is a death sentence to creativity. Such editing showcased a trend in my personal life as well. I realized it was easy for me to edit, course correct, over analyze, and hypothesize about my season, my friendships, and my dreams, instead of simply enjoying life. Subduing the inner critic is a strenuous yet honorable battle.
It is still hard for me to simply write, whether that’s fiction, stream of consciousness, or otherwise. The inner critic wants to have its piece of pie. However exhausting, learning to shut off my editor's brain when actively creating is a muscle that I am growing. Word on the street has it that many creatives are swapping their MacBooks for typewriters. This is so they can create freely and address their typos later. I envy their investment.
GM: Three words to describe your writing would be…
SF: Vivid. Honest. Generous.
GM: Talk to us about showing your work, or in your case, performing and sharing your songs and story with the world. Why is this valuable?
SF: Songs are these sweet, musical, lyrical babies, that when birthed have the ability to bless nations. They’re also the things I desperately hold dear, like a mother with her newborn. Sharing my songs has always been a rollercoaster. There are the confident moments, then the critical moments, then the joyous moments, the victorious moments, the panic moments, the “what the hell am I doing with my life?!” moments, and beyond. Releasing music is a doozy.
Performing, however, is another ball game entirely. It’s this supernatural exchange between a minister and her congregation. Live music will always be a spiritual experience. Interestingly enough, that is how I met Julia who runs this magazine! We crossed paths at a BLVCKBOX Soundstage Concert in Redding, CA.
Music unites us, and thus, makes the scary endeavor of laying your whole heart on a platform and seeing what comes of it well worth it.
GM: What can we expect next from you?
SF: My debut poetry book, “I Sought the Prophet” is set to release in October.
Perhaps sometime after that, I will make an album.
And sometime after that, I hope to write a children's book.
And maybe, just maybe, when I get the courage to publish a novel, I will!
GM: How can we follow what you are doing?
SF: Follow @samanthajgfischer for all of my social media.
For worship happenings at my church, you can see those here : https://www.instagram.com/grovempls/
And as for my music, follow me on Spotify, iTunes, or AmazonMusic!
Thank you all for reading.
Blessings and abundance to you.
(And thank you again, sweet Julia and GROVER!)
