Sammy Rae & The Friends. Photo by Mia Isabella Photography
Few things make me happier than discovering a new favorite band, and that happened recently with the Brooklyn, New York-based, seven-member collective Sammy Rae & The Friends, who will be spreading their musical joy on the State Theatre stage this weekend.
Their sound is a sublime hybrid of pop, jazz and dance. There’s a buoyancy to it that had me at hello as I skipped my way down the yellow brick road of their discography, which is a pair of EPs and a handful of singles.
Samantha Bowers, who records and performs under the name Sammy Rae, is a 28-year old Connecticut native who jumped on the phone with me for a lightning round of questions a few days ago.
She and her band are stoked about their show in Maine. “It’s additionally exciting because we haven’t played for people in that city, and it’s nice to get to know folks in difference places,” said Rae, adding that every state in New England feels like home territory to the band.
Sammy Rae & The Friends might be new to me but are clearly well established as evidenced by a pair of sold-out shows in Boston immediately following their stop in Portland. Their Spotify streaming numbers are in the millions.
Rae started playing the piano when she was about 4 years old and starting writing songs while in high school.
The first Sammy Rae & The Friends song I heard is a jazzy, upbeat tune called “Jackie Onassis.” It’s playful yet smart, and right out of the gate, Rae shows off a knack for rhyming the seemingly impossible with this line: “She looked like Jackie Onassis/Top of her classes/I’m doing my best just passing by.”
Rae said that the song was initially inspired by how lovely the name Jackie Onassis sounds. Then she started thinking about people in her life, especially women, and the characteristics that the former first lady embodied. From there, it took a quirky turn.
“The next thing I know, I was reflecting on my all-girls Catholic high school experience, and I kind of invented her (Onassis) into the lead character of that song.” The song tells of a schoolyard fight and the Onassis character saves the day. “When she found me I was in pieces, crying hard into my hat/She tells me ‘Mama you look lovely when you take a stand’/And I tell her ‘No one’s ever been so kind to me and I thank you for that.’ ”
Sammy Rae. Photo by Sara Haile
Sammy Rae & The Friends pride themselves on creating welcoming, inclusive spaces at their shows. In that vein, I asked Rae, who describes herself as a queer singer-songwriter, whether things like Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act (dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill) has made that seem all the more essential.
“Absolutely, and without fail it’s increasingly important that we’re carving out spaces for folks to be queer and that queer artists continue to make music that elevates queer listeners,” she said. “I think to be an artist is to innately have a sense of responsibility, so that’s something we’re very passionate about and something we’re trying to lean pretty hard into and maintain as a core tenant of our artistry.”
Sammy Rae & The Friends have a mantra on their homepage that says the following:
“Go put a smile on somebody’s face, go tell somebody they’ve got a place in this world, go tell somebody you wanna be friends with them.”
Sammy Rae & The Friends are entirely responsible for the smile on my face as I listen to songs like “Kick It to Me,” “Follow Me Like the Moon” and “The Feeling.” They’ve caught lightning in a bottle with the chameleon tempo changes of “Let’s Throw a Party!” and punch through the sky with the sweeping “Living Room Floor.”
At the center of all of their songs is Rae’s voice, which is a warm breeze that she wields perfectly. It’s glorious to listen to someone at the top of their game, and that’s how it is with Rae.
But, honestly, I feel confident that you could walk into this show completely unfamiliar with any of their music, and it won’t matter because their vibe is huge and bright, and the songs are easy-on-the-ears confections swirled with funk, mood and optimism.
Sammy Rae & The Friends
8 p.m. Friday. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $20 in advance, $25 day of show. statetheatreportland.com
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