Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Kim.
Hi Sam, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in San Diego but primarily raised in Los Angeles. I moved a lot throughout southern California due to my dad’s ministry. Early on, music became a part of my life, being classically trained through piano and violin for 12 years. As a kid, my parents were putting me into the discipline of studying music, and this was what I did not particularly enjoy. Amidst all the change from moving, there never appeared to be a constant besides the spotlight of being a pastor’s kid and the internal battles I was fighting that eventually became external wherever I went. With traditional Korean and Christian values, it felt like there was a higher level of expectation for me to be excellent, well-rounded, and “perfect.” And it felt magnified in a place where one should theoretically experience the most grace — in the church. There were countless times where I was judged, but in this time, I learned a lot about myself. I acknowledged my flaws and recognized how depraved the world is too. This realization is where my life took a turn and where I became convicted to live my life differently. Throughout this time, music became one thing that gave me room to breathe, as I had picked up instruments that I naturally gravitated towards (drums, guitar, singing, bass) and started to use them in both small (singing/jamming out to my favorite songs) and large scale settings (band, worship team, making covers with friends). I felt like I was being met where I was, and I did not have to act like I had everything figured out. It was a safe haven. Slowly, my passion for music grew, where I committed to live performances and creating content even though there were difficult times with both music itself and other parts of my life (career).
Then, I headed off to San Diego for college, and it felt like a full-circle moment because I was born there. And in my time there, I was fortunately able to navigate through what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I started off with chemistry and going pre-med, and this was mainly because this was what my parents considered to be stable. After a couple of years, I built up the courage to tell my parents that chemistry was not for me and had brought up alternative options, including non-STEM degrees. Those were immediately shut down, and I ended up settling for public health because it was still in line with what my parents wanted for me. I ended up picking up a minor in music to help keep my sanity. In college, I continued my involvement with the worship/praise team with campus ministries and church that I became a part of, but I also got into dancing — something I never had the courage to try/put more time into until then. That is how I formed some of my first friendships in college. I had my fair share of wrestling with the community in college, where I felt judged once again and felt like I couldn’t find deep, intentional friendships. But I was thankful to have a few people that loved and cared for me despite everything that I struggled with.
COVID took over the world as I was wrapping up my junior year of college and forced my senior year to stay online as well. This was also when I had reconciled issues with the community and committed to pursuing music moving forward. It was a big decision, and I wanted to make sure my family knew too. I was afraid, knowing that they would disapprove and be angry with me (which they were). While I did not (and still do not) have their full blessing to pursue it, I knew that I did what I could by communicating it to the people I love the most. I wrestled with honoring my parents while still pursuing what I loved doing and felt called to doing.
After college, I stayed in San Diego and worked on music while picking up part-time jobs to make ends meet. I was making beats and producing, trying to find my sound. I stayed at the same church I committed to during college and started volunteering for the music/worship team there. As I volunteered, I connected with other musicians and started working with one of them on original music. We started making some cool songs. This was when things took off, or so I thought. Things happened at the church I was attending, and they ended up asking me to become their worship director for the time being. The news and the opportunity came out of nowhere. After much deliberation, I accepted the opportunity in faith. This was never a part of my plans. It became a 16 months endeavor of blessings, challenges, and growth. I was able to finish well and transition out as I felt like my time there was coming to a close. Other personal events that transpired in the last six months have also shown me that this chapter of life was wrapping up.
And here I am now, back in LA under totally different circumstances, to pursue music as a career.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There were many struggles. Growing up, it was the expectation to be the best of the best in all facets. There was a standard that I was supposed to be a cut above the rest. That I had to be good enough at something to show it to others but not good enough to pursue it as a career. That academic excellence was the only way to go. That it was what my parents thought was right for me and not what I felt was right for me. Along with those struggles, I wrestled with being judged and my flaws being magnified while people did not take responsibility for their own.
A lot of unexpected things happened that led to unexpected opportunities. I am a planner, and so when things did not go according to what I had planned for the foreseeable future, it was tough. I have had to let go and go with whatever was presented. Taking leaps of faith trusting that things were ultimately going to work out for my good. But taking what felt like several leaps of faith within a short time made it even more difficult.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an independent artist, musician, and producer that goes by the name “5AM.” I create music that incorporates elements of RnB, soul, neo-soul, lo-fi, jazz, and hip hop. I produce my own beats and write my own songs. I am most proud of having the courage to pursue this as a career despite the opposition, doubts, and other obstacles that come with making it as an independent entity. It was not an easy decision and has not been an easy process. But I am going out of my comfort zone, taking risks, and making decisions in faith.
What sets me apart from others is that I am pursuing and doing this for something bigger than myself. As much as music is my passion, I hope to show people that there is something greater beyond the highs and lows of life that most songs talk about. That is not to say I cannot write songs that are relatable to everyone; I desire to be a vessel, a light that shines truth beyond our human thoughts and emotions through the many songs I hope to create.
How do you think about luck?
I will say in life events that are strongly formative to who I am today; I do not think I have the best of luck. Not having much money growing up, dealing with personal issues not caused by me, and having multiple high-stress and emotionally dense events happening to me at once are signs of bad luck for me. But I usually don’t look at those situations as bad luck. I tend to think most things, if not everything, happen for a reason. I would say that I did not get to meet the right people early on in my life, but that changed starting high school.
I do have good luck with games and draws for the most part, though.
I cannot say much about how luck has played a role in my business/craft, but so far, I am lucky to have connected with other creatives through random opportunities as soon as I got to LA. Some were artists that I followed in my earlier years of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/5amofficial
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saam_kiim/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC03oTPvlWjbpKlofOADcUOQ
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0kAdi3kL9i4xHOYVwOmUIv?si=UiKRJLHoScGFeXWR_O_WXg
