SPOTLIGHT: SAM VARGA

Photo By Catherine Powell

Meet Sam Varga and tune into his newest single “Queen of the Ashes”

“Queen of the Ashes” has such a vivid narrative. Was there a specific moment or person that first sparked the idea behind the track?

Yes and no… I’ve watched someone go scorched earth and try to tear someone down. I think we all have. Watching it backfire can be brutal because no-one wins. I think this song is more about watching the smoke clear and seeing that person realize what they’ve done and who they’ve become.

You said you’d had the title in your head for a while. What kept pulling you back to that phrase, and how did it finally come to life in the writing session with Caroline and Spencer?

I think the germination of the title came from Game of Thrones, haha. I just knew that I wanted to apply it in a powerful way, so I wanted to work with two of the best songwriters that I know, Caroline Romano and Spencer Jordan, because I knew they were going to help me get there.

The song feels like both an anthem and a release. What emotional space were you in when you wrote it, and did it shift after recording it with Dan Swank?

I wanted to take something tragic and make it fun. I think it’s written so that you can sing along whether you’re the queen burning it all down, the one getting burned, or you have no idea what the hell we’re talking about. The bones of the song were solidified when I brought it to Dan, so it was just about him adding the lightning to really bring it to life. And, as always, he delivered. From inception to recording, the making of “Queen of the Ashes” was one of the most natural processes I’ve experienced with a song.

There’s a controlled chaos in the production, guitar-driven and brooding but still melodic. How intentional was that balance of beauty and destruction in shaping the sound?

I wish I could take credit for it, but I’m just stoked it comes across that way. Truthfully, we just followed through on what the song called for. It was extremely instinctual.

Your roots in Louisville’s DIY emo scene definitely come through, but you've fused it with Southern storytelling. Do you feel like “Queen of the Ashes” is the best representation of that fusion so far?

Yes. I'd say this single is the most indicative of my journey and influences. I would make this song my business card for my sound at the moment.

You’ve called Spencer Jordan “the special sauce” on so much great music. What’s the collaborative dynamic like when you work with people you’re that close to personally?

He’s a dick, but he’s my dick (I’m joking… but he’ll love that). We’re like brothers. We can be honest and brutal to each other without all the emotions. It also means that we can get the bones of the song to a good place a lot faster. Once that’s taken care of, we have the space to really push each other to make the music great.

You’ve described your music as ‘emotionally unfiltered’ and ‘self-deprecating.’ Is there a line you try not to cross when writing from personal experience, or is everything fair game?

If I'm writing about myself, I'll say the worst thing about me and put it to music. That's the healing part. Songwriting has kind of become how I process and come to understand myself and the world around me. If I'm talking about another person in a song, I try not to say anything that I wouldn't say to their face. I mean, they're gonna hear it anyway.

Coming off your 2024 debut Shadow Work and tracks like “Minute Man,” how do you see your evolution as a songwriter showing up in “Queen of the Ashes”?

I love this direction and lane we've found. This alt-folk/alt-country sound allows me to play with all the sonics I love, like pedal steel and mandolin, but also have the same dynamics as the punk music that's so wired in me.

Your songs seem to resonate with people going through moments of clarity, heartbreak, or just existential noise. What kind of moment do you imagine “Queen of the Ashes” soundtracking?

It could soundtrack so many different moments. It could be a moment of karma or comeuppance, or just a dirty boom-clap anthem.

If “Queen of the Ashes” were a film or a scene in a movie, what would it look like? Who’s the main character, and what are they burning down?

I kinda feel like it would be disingenuous if I didn't say Daenerys burning down King's Landing in Game of Thrones. Getting everything you want, at the cost of everything, and there being nothing left.

Listen to “Queen of the Ashes” here.