Sam Wills in Berlin

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Sam Wills had his first headline show last night at Kreuzberg’s Privatclub. Sam, who just recently released his second album called “Speak”, nonchalantly walked on stage, dressed in a plain plaid shirt and black jeans, opened his set with the first tune off that album. After the brief “Hallway”, he breezed through most of the tracks from his two LPs, with the songs from his debut “Breathe” (2021) still resonating. And they worked pretty well in this live setting with Sam himself on keys plus guitar, bass and drums. His unique mix of neo-soul, alt-soul, r&b and pop, together with his exquisite vocal chops in both lower register and falsetto style, all added up to a highly satisfying evening.

With tracks like “Overthinking Of You”, “Hold Tight”, or “Talk In The Morning” from his first album, it seemed as if we were treated to some sort of best-of material, with each song deserving much more attention and success. I also appreciated his “Turn Back” addition to the mix – his voice tenderly caressing the laidback groove. And I also realized that his lower register voice is at least as sensual and soulful as his falsetto. He actually reminded me of the early to mid 80s Lillo Thomas on some tunes. He also included his brilliant “Don’t Doubt It”, a single from 2023. Throw in some of his best pieces from “Speak”, like “Coulda Been Us” or the title track or “We Both Know” and a duet with his opening act, UK based singer Lola Moxom on “Traingazing”, and you have the best recipe for a successful night out.