How Sammy Rae & The Friends Have Fans Following Them To The Moon: Rae Co-Manager Doug Shaw & Paladin Artists' Seth Rappaport Break It Down

Photo by Mia Aguirre / Courtesy Sammy Rae – A Friend Indeed
Back: Max Zooi, Sammy Rae, James Quinlan, Will Leet. Front: Sebastian “C-bass” Chiriboga (glasses), Kellon Anderson, Debbie Tjong.

Firecracker Sammy Rae and her high-octane six-piece “The Friends,” led by James Quinlan, with Will Leet, Max Zooi, Kellon Anderson, C-Bass Chiriboga and Debbie Tjong, are a pure shot of joyous adrenaline whose connection with their fans runs deep. At a recent sold-out Teragram Ballroom (625 cap) show in L.A., the Brooklyn-based septet kept the dancefloor packed, jumping and crooning along to every word of their jazz-pop-rock-funk-soul amalgam, played to perfection on her just-completed “Follow Me Like The Moon Tour” and featured on her Let’s Throw a Party EP (Nettwerk).

“I always say her authenticity is her biggest asset,” says co-manager Doug Shaw. “She brings the crowd together into a tight community, but also makes you feel as if you’re the only person in the room when she performs.”

“Sammy has a unique ability to connect with the audience,” her agent, Seth Rappaport of Paladin Artists, concurred. “This group is all about inclusion and everyone is accepted. Their shows are safe spaces for everyone to be comfortable. They don’t have fans, they have ‘friends.’”

And it’s the band’s growing legions of friends that have led to sellouts and a strong buzz across the country as Rae’s career builds. She sold out DC’s 9:30 (1,200 cap), Chicago’s Metro (1,100) as well as her first market appearances in Nashville (the 1,000-cap Cannery Ballroom) and Seattle (the 1,130-cap The Showbox). In 2022 bigger rooms lie ahead, including Brooklyn Steel (1,800) two Royales (1,220 cap) in Boston and a Terminal 5 (3,000 cap) play in Manhattan. Pollstar caught up with Ms. Rae, Shaw and Rappaport to find out more about Sammy & Co.’s rising star.

Pollstar: When and how did you start playing music?

Sammy Rae: I started playing piano as a young child and wrote songs at 12.

Which artists and/or performances inspired you the most and why?

Rae: I live for Freddie Mercury and his fearless stage confidence, Bruce Springsteen and his family-first band leadership and Ella Fitzgerald and her dexterous use of her voice as an instrument.

What is your band setup?

Rae: We have a percussionist, guitar, bass, tenor sax, alto sax, keyboards and I’m on lead vocals.

How, when and where did you first meet Sammy Rae? How did that go?

Manager Doug Shaw: I’m close with the main booker at Rockwood Music Hall, Matt Currie, and follow up with him frequently to see if there’s anything exciting coming through the room. He called me and said Sammy sold out their big room, but it was more than that. He said every single person had their faces painted like Sammy’s and were singing every word. It was clear something special was going on. Our first meeting was great, it was just a casual coffee, getting to know each other.

How did you first see, hear, find Sammy Rae?

Seth Rappaport, Paladin Artists: I was introduced to Sammy by Doug Shaw. We were having an unrelated meeting over coffee at Rockefeller Center. As the meeting ended, I asked “Any new projects you working on?” That was my first introduction.

When did you first meet Sammy?

Rappaport: I first met Sammy after a concert performance in the summer of 2019. The audience was electric, and the show was amazing! She had such energy onstage doing jump kicks in the air.

What are Sammy Rae’s greatest qualities?

Shaw: I always say her authenticity is her biggest asset. The entertainment industry has so much smoke and mirrors, so I think people find it really refreshing when someone just hops on social and communicates authentically and honestly. Her live performance is also incredible. She brings the crowd together into a tight community, but also makes you feel as if you’re the only person in the room when she performs.

Your first breakthrough show? Where, when and what made it so good?

Rae: When we played Brooklyn Bowl (a hometown show) we all knew something special was beginning. We were playing “big” rooms now, and they were almost always full.

What’s your favorite venue or territory to play and why?

Rae: We’ll always get the most joy playing NYC rooms, because it’s where we started. The first couple cities we toured outside of New York were on the East Coast, like Boston and Philly and DC. It’s special to be playing those shows for the third and fourth time and watching the growth as the years pass.

What are Sammy Rae’s biggest career tent poles thus far?

Shaw: Sammy and her band are from Brooklyn, so selling out Brooklyn Steel in under a week was a real “we’ve arrived” moment. In general, though, I think what’s so special about Sammy is there hasn’t been one moment or driver that has created the groundswell. It’s been an extremely organic grassroots build. She’s incredible on social and every time someone sees a show, they come back with four friends next time.

Photo by Mia Aguirre / Courtesy Sammy Rae – How Sammy Rae & The Friends Have Fans Following Them To The Moon
null

What do you see as some of Sammy’s touring/performance highlights?

Rappaport: Sammy lives in Brooklyn. Her ability to sell out Brooklyn Steel (1,800 cap) over three months in advance was exciting. Watching her perform to that sold-out crowd in her hometown market was a true highlight. Also, opening for one of her favorite artists, Lake Street Dive, was a real treat.

How did Sammy Rae get signed?

Shaw: We pitched Nettwerk and Tom Gates (A&R) immediately got excited and wanted to be involved.

What kind of venues are you playing now?

Rae: In cities we have never played before, we are playing roughly 1,000-capacity rooms. It’s hard to believe sometimes. In cities we have played before, the rooms are closer to 1,500. We’re slated to play a 3,500-capacity in NYC in April and it’s likely to sell out. That’s a really special and humbling thing to say, because it all began for a handful of people and bucket tips on the Lower East Side.

What is your favorite piece of merch?

Shaw: The “Friends” shirt has been our best seller far. (https://shop.bandwear.com/collections/sammy-rae-shop)

Are you doing ancillary non-touring projects for Sammy Rae?

Rappaport: Sammy has a real passion for Broadway and musical theatre. Her concert performances already include many theatrical components and costume design. Paladin Artists recently launched a Theatrical Literary division. Our non-touring conversations include projects within the musical theatre community.

What’s next for Sammy Rae that we can look forward to?

Shaw: We are very excited to get to Europe. Much like in the U.S., we think she will organically sell 1,000+ tickets in London for the first time in the market. We are also very excited about new music. Sammy has been working with Neal Pogue (Doja Cat, Tyler, the Creator, and more). We think he’s going to bring very exciting things to the already unique Sammy Rae sound.

What’s next touring-wise?

Rappaport: In March, Sammy will play her first shows in Canada – two nights at Phoenix Music Hall in Toronto (one show is already sold out). This summer will be some of her first festival appearances. She is already confirmed on a long list of festivals that include: Beach Road Weekend, Levitate Music & Arts, Summer Camp Music Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, 4848, Red Wing Roots, Rooster Walk Music Festival, etc. We are currently in the process of confirming a fall headline tour. Many new markets and larger venues. International touring will come soon too. The demand is overwhelming and her growth is very exciting.

What projects are you working on beyond touring for Sammy Rae?

Shaw: New music, a docuseries for the tour, vinyl, new merch always as Sammy has an amazing merch business and European touring.

What makes Sammy Rae great?

Rappaport: Besides her (and the band’s) great music and live performance, Sammy has a unique ability to connect with the audience. This group is all about inclusion and everyone is accepted. Their shows are safe spaces for everyone to be comfortable. They don’t have fans, they have “friends.”

What song of yours should we go listen to right now?

Rae: “Jackie Onassis,” “Whatever We Feel,” and “Denim Jacket.” Should tell ya everything you need to know.