While strumming out covers from his favorite music artists with his brother in their garage band, Daniel Sampson, grew his love for all things music.
A 20-year-old freshman from Kennewick, Washington, Sampson makes alternative rock music and has spent long hours at his desk and in his room with his hands flying across his computer keyboard teaching himself several instruments, including the bass guitar, drums and piano, and even has taught himself to write and produce songs, as well as sing them.
Sampson developed his love for music in 2020, and in an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio, he spoke on the beginning of his journey, and all the self-teaching he did in his youth.
“I’ve been playing music ever since I can remember," Sampson said. "I started writing lots of music, so I taught myself to play all the parts of the instruments, and the stuff I couldn’t find someone to do for me, like a singer, I taught myself how to do it. When I was around 15 or 16, I built this incredible passion for writing music and creating harmonies. I’ve been teaching myself and progressing ever since then.”
Sampson says he finds a lot of joy in his music; not just in writing, producing and creating it, but in seeing the reactions of others and the smiles on their faces when they hear it for the first time.
“There’s a lot of joy in it,” Sampson said. “I look back at where I started and I think ‘wow, I came so far.’ It’s such a passion for me. One thing that gives me the most joy is the way others feel when they hear it.”
For any aspiring musician like Sampson, he offers encouraging advice to not let any dreams fade away, because people need to hear what you have to say.
“I’d say to just never give up on your dream,” Sampson said. “If you love creating music, I’d say just always push for that dream. Never let it sit in the back of your mind and you say ‘it was something I wanted to do, but it’s not going to work out.’ Your music needs to be heard. Your voice needs to be heard. Over time, with the help of the Lord and your dedication, things will sound better, people will appreciate your music more, and it will touch the lives of a lot of people.”
Sampson has produced two full EP’s and three singles up to this point and is planning on releasing a new single in October of this year, along with a new 6-song EP in early 2026.