Intertwining a retro charm with a modern perspective, Sam Kogon has mastered the art of fusing something you already love with something you’ll love even more, pushing his psychedelic influences into fresh new landscapes anyone can enjoy. And today, TREMG is proud to premiere Sam’s latest music video for “All I Wanna Do!” Filmed in Yonkers, NY, the clip alternates between the natural and the supernatural, bringing an unlikely romance to life while Sam performs in an eerie living room.
“The concept started as a love story between a ghost witch and a mortal man, but it quickly became a world of its own,” Sam tells TREMG. “The locations inspired us to add me in as the masked character as a third party/narrator of the story. It was very silly on set. The ghost witch and the trapper (Violet Hetson & Danny Christmas) are a couple and in a band together in real life, so it was cool to play with that energy. The girls in the woods are played by my director’s niece and her friends (Olivia, Alahna and Daisy). They were so fun to have on set and really add this amazing energy the video needed. Shout out to their moms for all their assistance and getting everyone Happy Meals at the end.”
Inspired by Sam’s seemingly haunted apartment, “All I Wanna Do” takes star-crossed love to a whole new level, telling the story of a romance between a human and a ghost. It’s eccentric and playful, while also feeling just as serious and offering just as much longing as the most passionate human relationship would.
“I was playing with the line ‘there’s a ghost in my house and I want to let it out,'” Sam explains. “Sometimes I say ‘I *don’t* want to let it out,’ because I wanted to convey that it’s hard to let go of feelings and people that are not good for us or that may hold us back, even if we know it. That line represents the inability to move forward, much like ghosts who do not ‘cross over’ to the other side. It’s also a play on being ‘ghosted’ and the feelings you can get from being on the receiving end.”
Whether ghost-human relationships can work out is yet to be confirmed, but one thing’s for sure: we’ll be haunted by this song and video for a long time. You can check out Sam Kogon’s “All I Wanna Do” on your favorite streaming services now, and watch the music video’s premiere with TREMG above! You can also connect with Sam on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and his official website. Keep reading for more from our conversation with this creative singer-songwriter!
Congratulations on your new music video, “All I Wanna Do!” How does it feel to finally share the video with your fans, especially after seeing how much they loved the song when you released it last year?
Thanks! It took hundreds of hours to create with my director/producer Geoff Duncanson, almost like making a short film, so it feels great to finally share this video with my fans. I didn’t release this as a single prior to releasing my new EP, but it turned into the secret jam off the record, so I’m especially happy to have this video/single out now with enough easter eggs sprinkled in there for you to re-watch it and see something you didn’t see the first time around.
The “All I Wanna Do” music video has such a fun supernatural theme, with you wearing a mask while performing in a creepy old house. How did you come up with the concept, and what was it like on set?
The concept started as a love story between a ghost witch and a mortal man, but it quickly became a world of its own. The locations inspired us to add me in as the masked character as a third party/narrator of the story. It was very silly on set. The ghost witch and the trapper (Violet Hetson & Danny Christmas) are a couple and in a band together in real life, so it was cool to play with that energy. The girls in the woods are played by my director’s niece and her friends (Olivia, Alahna and Daisy). They were so fun to have on set and really add this amazing energy the video needed. Shout out to their moms for all their assistance and getting everyone Happy Meals at the end.
What does the song “All I Wanna Do” mean to you?
It’s a song and sound that I’m proud of. I hear it and think: “I really made that!?” From demo to completion it feels like a finished song to me. It’s one of the few songs of mine that I wouldn’t change a thing about.
“All I Wanna Do” has such interesting lyrics, with our favorite being “I got a message from above and now I want your love.” Is there a certain line from the song that you’re especially proud of?
I was playing with the line “there’s a ghost in my house and I want to let it out.” Sometimes I say “I *don’t* want to let it out,” because I wanted to convey that it’s hard to let go of feelings and people that are not good for us or that may hold us back, even if we know it. That line represents the inability to move forward, much like ghosts who do not “cross over” to the other side. It’s also a play on being “ghosted” and the feelings you can get from being on the receiving end.
You wrote “All I Wanna Do” after moving into a 1920s apartment in Westchester, NY, and you filmed the music video at several stunning locations in Yonkers. Since there are so many incredible places in Westchester (I’m from the area!), are there any other local places you’d love to film a video in the future?
I would love to film at Untermyer Gardens. Son of Sam associations aside, it’s one of the 7 Wonders of Westchester. I would also love to film inside the ruins of the old European Health Spa on Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale. They kept a caged Siberian tiger there at one point in the 70’s but now it looks like the setting of a horror film.
We at TREMG love getting to know new artists who haven’t gotten the success or attention they deserve. Who are some of your favorite underrated artists at the moment?
Gore Gloss is my favorite singer from Toronto and makes THE coolest music videos. The Medium is a great band out of Nashville with harmonies for days. Andrew Sa from Chicago is a fellow queer troubador with an amazing voice and style in spades. Power Violets is Violet Heton’s project, she is not only the star of my music video but a true rock star in her own right. Last but not least is my friend Zannie, they put out an amazing record last year and we have a collaboration in the works… More on that soon!
For anyone who isn’t familiar with your music already, which of your songs would you recommend to them to get a feel for who you are as an artist?
“All I Wanna Do” is a great start. Also “Barbed Wire” or anything from my latest EP really represents my current direction as an artist. I’d also recommend ”I Was Always Talking” & “I’m Letting Go” from my last LP, Psychic Tears (2016), and “I Could Never” & “Before” off my first record, Before You Knew Me (2015) for those who really want to go on a deep dive.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2023?
I have a few new singles in the pipeline that I’m really excited about, so expect those to be out by this summer. I’m also setting up some US & EU tour dates this summer and fall. I really do love to perform and can’t wait to play these songs live for returning and new audiences.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on?
I just would like to say thanks to Geoff Duncanson for making this music video with me, Beyond Costumes for generously supplying the costumes and props, the Duncanson family for letting us take over their living room (and making them listen to my song 89,000 times), to all the actors for their amazing talent and time, and to all of you who have listened and watched “All I Wanna DO.”
Featured Image: Bo Chapli
