This talented musician is not only one of the most genuine caring guys around campus, but he can also sing Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love” (rap part and all) acoustically. What more can we ask for ladies?
If you don’t know him already, I’d like to introduce you to this weeks Campus Celebrity, Sam Boer.
Program: English at Kings University College with a minor in Music and Creative Writing
Year: 3rd year
Hometown: Guelph
Relationship status: Happily taken
Now, anyone who knows you knows that you’re an incredibly talented musician and song writer, when did you figure out that music was your passion?
I think I started to figure it out around grade 7 or 8. I was very lucky to have a close friend of mine who is actually 4 years older than myself; we were close friends growing up, so he was the person that introduced me to virtually everything.
He started taking up the guitar when he was going into high school. I started to see him playing guitar, and I looked up to him of course, so I though okay, I’ve got to get a guitar. So for Christmas, bless my parents, got me an acoustic guitar and it was instantly a fantastic outlet for me. I realized that I had things to say that I hadn’t known I wanted to say before.
That was when I realized music wasn’t something I just I loved listening to, but it was something I wanted to write, I wanted to express myself with.
What is your favorite song you have written so far? What is it about?
Um, the song I’m probably most proud of having written at this point, um, its one of the first songs I wrote it’s called lipstick. I’m especially proud of it because it came virtually out of nowhere and it encompassed so much of what I wanted to say as just a messed up grade 11 in a difficult relationship
What is your favorite song to preform?
“Crazy in Love” is a favorite *swoon* I must have preformed that at least 20 times now on campus alone, but I always love preforming with a band. My band Bed Sheets from back in Guelph (Now sadly broken up RIP), did a cover of “lets get it on” by Marvin Gaye that I had such a blast singing.
Have you ever serenated a girl?
*cue laughter* Oh, I’ve tried!
…and failed…
I remember it was valentines day, when I was 16, and I was dating somebody and I got her flowers and everything and it was going very well and like I came back to her house and I was really shyly, um, I shyly approached her and I was like can I, can I play you, I wrote this song for you, if you wanna hear it?
She said “oh, maybe later sometime Sam,” and I though oh…okay…
So that turned me off of the idea of serenading a girl.
But I was able to recently serenade my current girlfriend and she really did appreciate it.
What’s your ideal date?
Recently my girlfriend Anita and I did literal Netflix and chill, which was wonderful! We ordered a pizza and we actually watched Anastasia and cuddled and yeah.
Tell me about your most awkward dating experience.
I’ve got a surprising amount… I’m completely awkward.
Probably the first relationship I was in, there was one moment where we went out for sushi and it was a very cold day and we walked in and sat at the table and my girlfriend at the time, she was warming her hands over the candle on the table but I interpreted that to mean she wanted to hold my hand so I reached over and I kinda grabbed her hand like a lobster and everyone at the table just turned and looked at me trying to hold her hand, so I slunk back.
How do you balance school, social life, relationships, music etc?
There are actually two of me, don’t tell anybody.
It’s very difficult. I find, um, the most important thing in all of it is giving yourself at least part of the day to talk to a human being and feel like yourself.
You have been a soph for both the King’s team and the Music team. What’s the most important piece of advice you would give to an incoming Western student?
The most important thing that I tell first years is to take time for yourself. And its easy for me to say as an introvert but I truly think, its great that people are encouraged to be constantly engaged with each other but it goes back to what I said about having real conversations, you need to be relaxed in yourself.
What is your favorite part about Western?
Oh my goodness, I like it more and more the longer I’m here.
I love how many interconnected communities there are at western.
These little communities have the most interesting people and I love the impact they can have on people.
SPEED ROUND
Fav song: Sufjan Stevens- Come on feel the Illinois
Fav movie: Rushmore
Celeb crush: Ellen Page
Pet peeve: People who don’t allow themselves to listen
Guilty pleasure: Friends
Dream job: Touring Musician
Where can we see you preform or hear your music?
I have an ep coming out soon you can find it on my bandcamp site samboer.bandcamp.com