Sami Michelsen’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

We recently had the chance to connect with Sami Michelsen and have shared our conversation below.

Sami, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I’ve been getting a lot of joy from the little things lately…like cooking, for instance. I use to hate the time it took me to prepare a proper meal that was even half way decent, but I’ve gotten better at makin’ it happen! I love to cook now!
I’m on the road A LOT these days, so when I’m home I like to try new recipes and experiment with things I haven’t tried before. I’m pretty proud of how far I’ve come as a cook!! 😀
I do make some wack food from time to time, no lie, but I still have the desire to become a “Chef” in someone’s eyes one day…maybe it will happen soon 😉 #highhopes

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi my loves!! I’m Sami Michelsen. It’s nice to meet you. 🙂
I am an artist, above all things, but my main gig is that of a Singer and a Musician. I specialize in Vocal Performance and Arrangement…I’m also a songwriter, lyricist and a producer. I love the creation process and all things art!! (@samisingstheblues)

I work with multiple bands and have found so much joy and inspiration in collaboration that it’s been my main M.O. – it keeps the flow going and the energy high.
I always create and express myself as an individual, but the teams I work with are vital to every project. We are all a part of something bigger than ourselves after all. One of my strongest collaborations is my Pop Rock band, Reptile Room. (@reptileroomofficial)

Reptile Room is my life’s work, to date. We just wrapped our album (it drops on October 10th – make sure to pre-save and give it a listen, baby loves!! 😉 and we do all of the writing, recording, production, and branding/marketing ourselves.
Reptile Room is so special to me because I’ve built it with my brother Sean and my best friend, Bill. It’s so rare to be able to work with people who are the closest to you in life…
Doing something so vulnerable with people you love so deeply is a very intense and powerful thing…You have this incredible experience where everyone involved is trying to do their best work, and afterwards you have this beautiful creation you molded and built together; it’s very rewarding.
All that to say, when you create with people who know you so well and on such a deep level, they know when you could be better, or when you could work harder…they know when you’re being inauthentic, and it keeps you and your work very close to the truth.
I’m very grateful for that…I like being so close to the truth.
The truth will set you free. <3

I also play the role of Stevie Nicks in a Fleetwood Mac Tribute called RumoursATL, which is so much fun. It’s been a really unique experience recreating their catalogue.
Such talented people in that band. I’m hoping we will start writing originals as a group sometime soon too. Fingers crossed.
(@rumoursatl)
Last but not least, I sing BGV’s and dance with an incredible original Funk Rock band called Mother’s Finest. MF has been crushing the scene since the 70’s!!
It’s indescribable, sharing the stage with living legends. My Mom brought me up listening to their records and now I actually get to jam with them…it’s surreal. They’ve really helped me develop as a performer and a vocalist…MF helped me kick off my career as a touring musician too so I owe them a lot. I have endless love for Joyce, Doc, Moses, Wyzard, John and Dion – MF really brought me out of my shell. (@mothersfinestofficial)

Sami Automatic is my stage name when I do anything solo. Keep your eyes peeled for me out and about in ATL, as I’ll be doing solo shows here and there along with releasing some new material…but first thing’s first: Go listen to Reptile Room on Spotify & Apple Music!
Find us/Follow us and Come see a show! 😀

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My Mother always knew who I was. So did my Grandmother (Mimi). When I was a kid, I thought I was shy. I thought I was too quiet and too strange…
I felt very misunderstood.
I think it’s normal to feel that way especially as a kid, but my Mom and Mimi both knew that with the right encouragement, I would shake off the shy parts and become someone I would be really proud of. I couldn’t even see that version of myself at the time…but they always saw my strengths and understood what I thought were my weaknesses, so they nurtured the parts of me that I was trying to reject. One of the main reasons I write so much is the way they taught me to self reflect…to “take what’s yours and leave the rest.” That made it much easier to define myself through life as I got older – crazy things happen all the time, and all I can do is accept responsibility for the things that are mine and leave the rest. Because of their faith in and love for me, I focus on bettering myself and becoming who they always saw me to be…
I am really loving who I am now and I’m very proud of the work it took to become her. I have them to thank for that.

I recently started pursuing sobriety as well, and that opened up an entirely new dimension to me also; a brand new side of me came out that actually makes me feel like a kid again, but without the confusion.
Mom and Mimi always reminded me that I always exist as a whole and complete version of myself, no matter how I feel in a given moment. They reflected that back to me when I would sink too low or to get too high. The two of them always brought me back to the real “me”…now that they’re gone it’s my responsibility to do that for myself. Being sober helps me to that, and it makes me feel like I’m closer to both of them. They were my best friends and I keep them with me always. <3

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
There is something so revealing about suffering. There’s nowhere to hide…it’s easy to be in a great mood when everything is going your way, but to be joyful and positive when you are wicked uncomfortable is difficult work… I think that’s where the real growth is.
The more I suffer, the more perspective I have, and the less power it has over me. Suffering is a life long process, especially if you’ve chosen to pursue a career in the arts or in music; it’s basically guaranteed: lots of judgement, lots of risk, and essentially no promise of “success”…just “Pain on Pain, repeating,” as Imogen Heap would say….so I’ve had to cultivate and maintain a positive attitude to be able to deal with it and really let it change me. It still hurts – it’s very humbling, very intense, and extremely difficult sometimes; I’m only human, I can only take so much before I crash out …but when I look at the big picture, I see my suffering as something more like character development instead of bad luck. That’s when the magic really starts to happen.
I also believe that when you are really going through it, it can feel more like a test than anything else…it never feels random to me. I’m also gifted with some kind of relief…gifts that even help you ace the test. For instance, I was bullied almost the entire time I was in school. It was very hard to deal with at the time and I didn’t understand why I chosen for it…until years later. At the time it was excruciating, but all of that social isolation gave me a lot of time to focus on myself. When I realized that I really loved to sing, I also happened to have plenty of time to get really good at it, which gave me a lot of encouragement and pride in my work. Sharpening my vocal skills created a new confidence in me that led me to performing, which started to shape me in another way entirely…and performing made me really good at expressing myself and interacting with all different kinds of people in all different kinds of situations. In the end, the suffering of being bullied lead me to become someone who could navigate social interaction and thrive in it. Now I have plennnnnty of friends. 😉
Everything happens for a reason.
Everything shows you a little bit more of who you truly are as time goes on; and even when the suffering feels inescapable and overwhelming, if you look at it more as a tool for growth, the suffering becomes your friend instead of something you’re trying to avoid.
You can’t actually escape it anyway.
“The way out is through”

Ultimately, however, I have found that my strength is in the suffering, and so I should choose to suffer well. Like in Braveheart. It has to be done, so do it well.It’s hard to accept the pain though, for sure…it’s hard to say “No” to a contract with Universal and then go back to doing Open Mics for $100…
It’s hard to have a gig go so unbelievably wrong, after pouring so much effort and intention into it, that you straight up don’t know what to do with your life anymore. It’s confusing…and sometimes you just want to disappear.
I wanted to disappear.
(I went to AA instead.
AA rules, people. I went at my lowest and it absolutely hugged my heart and turned me around. 10 out of 10, would highly recommend…)
Anyway, it’s hard to feel like you’re on the right path when your dreams feel far away and your suffering has gotten the better of you.
That’s the kick.

All that to say, I think the darkness uses your discomfort against you, to try and get you to settle or to compromise for the sake of comfort.
Ultimately, however, I have found that my strength is in the suffering, and so I should choose to suffer well. Like in Braveheart. It has to be done, so do it well.
Life is happening FOR you, not TO you.

My highest goal in life has been to become who God made me to be in this life; letting my light shine brighter than the day before, even though the days are darker…I think that is the whole point of the adversity – without evil there cannot be good. Life is a refining process, and there is something to be said about leaning into your discomfort. (But, when you feel like you can’t do it alone, please know there is always someone out there who can help you suffer through it.)
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. <3

You create your destiny.
You create who you are…and You are your greatest masterpiece.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I use to believe that being angry made me right. I use to think that feelings gave me more validity…now I see my feelings as more of a guide. Boundaries were never a strength of mine, so I never fully understood my feelings or what they meant. Sometimes I would twist validity into entitlement, or sorrow into rage. I use to believe that if I felt it, that made it real. Now I believe that the more I can sit with my emotions and drink them in, the more I’m able to see with discernment and a clarity that the emotions blind you to. It’s not that feelings are wrong; when your boundaries are violated and you’re betrayed, it makes sense that you would feel upset – feelings are designed to arise and let you know – hey, the stove is hot, take your hand off of it or you’re going to get hurt.
However, these days, I see my emotions as visitors and shaman more than I do pillars of value…I’m allowed to change my mind. I’m allowed to heal and change the way I feel about something. I’m allowed to grow, and that is what really gives me strength…that is what really makes me “right”.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. How do you know when you’re out of your depth?
I typically know I’m in uncharted territory when I’m not 100% sure of my next move; like I can’t see what’s coming or what I should do next…in the darkness though there are endless possibilities. I think that feeling use to scare me but now it excites me.
David Lynch said “Black has depth.. you can go into it.. And you start seeing what you’re afraid of. You start seeing what you love, and it becomes like a dream.”
I know I’m out of my depth when I am a little bit uncomfortable and have an overwhelming sense of mystery and excitement. I use to confuse that excitement with fear, but I’ve started leaning in to a more positive perspective. Years ago I felt being uncomfortable meant I wasn’t properly prepared, or wasn’t qualified to be in the position I was in…but then I watched a David Bowie interview where he talks about how important it is for an artist to be outside of their comfort zone in order to create something innovative and unique…something that could surprise even them…and anything Bowie or Lynch have to say, I take to heart. Bowie said to “always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth and when you don’t feel your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.” It’s a cool place to be, because it immerses me in the present moment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rumoursatlofficial.com
• Instagram: @samisingstheblues @reptileroomofficial @rumoursatl @mothersfinestofficial
• Facebook: Sami Michelsen
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/reptileroom
• Soundcloud: https://www.SoundCloud.com/alchemyrock
• Other: Follow me on IG for my new project launches and all of my other fun things!
  @samisingstheblues
  Check in on the RumoursATL website to catch us live!! Same with MF.
  Come see me live and let’s vibe xx

Image Credits
Cindy Harter Sims
Barbie Margolies
Joy Ludwig
Bubba Carr
Mike Colletta