Ep. 223: sombr | How a 100% Writer-Producer Took Over Pop
And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan
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Sponsor messages and explanation of NMPA and Splice supporting songwriters and creators.
Today’s guest is one of the most exciting young artists in the world right now.
A once-in-a-generation artist writing and producing every record himself — and turning that independence into global hits.
His records aren’t just topping charts — many of them are 100%ers.
Self-written, self-produced, and streamed hundreds of millions of times.
He’s building a world entirely his own...
In this episode of And The Writer Is, Ross Golan sits down with Sombr to unpack how he:
- Writes and produces 100% of his music
- Went from viral moments to global success
- Deals with pressure, purpose, and proving himself
Presented by our friends at @NMPA @splice
A huge thank you to our sponsors.
Chapter list
0:00 The Rise of Sombr: Bedroom Producer to Global Prodigy
0:01:02;15 [NMPA] - Fighting for Songwriters (Season Sponsor)
0:01:51 Early Discovery: Why Warner Music Bet on a 16-Year-Old
0:03:38 My First Song Blew Up: Waking Up to 200K Likes & Columbia Records
0:06:00;14 From NYC Roots to Proving Haters Wrong
0:08:16 From Charlie Puth to Operatic Arias: My Secret Classical Music Training
00:11:04 How I Dropped Out of LaGuardia to Get Signed (TikTok Made Me Quit)
00:13:39 Opening for The Strokes at SXSW
00:14:41 The Imposter Syndrome of a Global Superstar
00:15:36 From GarageBand to Global Hits: My FLOPS & Early Projects (Cherry Valley)
00:17:50 Who is Sombr? Shane vs. The Artist & Why New York Makes Anything Possible
00:21:02 The TRUTH About "Caroline": She's Everyone... She's You.
00:22:13 The $0 Photo Shoot That Became My Global Album Cover
00:24:28 Advice to My 16-Year-Old Self
00:26:18 My Secret Writing Method: Saving Choruses & How I Made the Album in 1 Month
00:28:14 [NMPA] - The Power of Music Publishers (Sponsor Segment)
00:28:56 [SPLICE] - Using AI Ethically & Protecting Creators (Sponsor Segment)
00:30:42 "Back to Friends": Writing a Global Hit from a Career Low
00:36:44 Working with Tony Berg: A Mentor and Real Instruments
00:40:54 "Undress": Building Confidence After a Breakthrough
00:43:40 Sacrifices of Fame: Losing My Social Life
00:45:30 Anxiety and Expectations: Navigating Global Success
00:51:23 Critics vs. Appreciation: Why Art Shouldn’t Be Rated
00:058:09 The Final Word: Why the Haters Say I'm Not "Serious" (A Joke)
00:58:50 The Beatles & The Muse: The Real Secret to Timeless Art
00:59:11 Thank You & Outro
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Check them out at NMPA.org and follow them on social media at @NMPAorg
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And The Writer Is...
Hosted by Ross Golan
Executive produced by Joe London and Jad Saad
Follow us on socials at @andthewriteris
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