Performing Artist - Sammi Starr

PERFORMING ARTIST

Sammie ‘Sammi Starr’ Poitier

By Caprice Spencer-Dames | Photographs courtesy of Terrance Colebrooke of TCFILMZ

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or this April-June 2022 issue of Up and Away, Caprice Spencer-Dames caught up with Sammie ‘Sammi Starr’ Poitier for an in-depth conversation about balancing family life, entertaining, recording and socializing.

Sit back, relax and enjoy her one-on-one conversation with him.

Let’s start from the beginning and tell us a little bit about you. Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Nassau, Bahamas but raised since the age of five on the island of Andros, North Andros to be exact. Most of my family is from the island of Andros. I attended primary school and high school there.

When did you begin singing, learning music and performing?

I began my music journey at about age four. My dad is a musician, songwriter, recording artist and performer, so there was always music and instruments around. He would let us play around with all of them and I found that I was pretty good at drums and, later, piano. I began singing after listening to my older sister Shema and my mother sing all the time.

As an entertainer, you are dynamic on stage, but you seem somewhat quiet and reserved off stage. Do you transform into an alter ego on stage?

I most definitely do transform completely! I love the suspense around my persona. It’s a natural thing for me, though. The stage gives me life and energy. When I’m off stage, I prefer to be in an almost Zen mode, calm and free-spirited, to preserve my mental health and prepare myself for the explosion of energy on stage.

You have incorporated a number of musical styles, from rake-n-scrape to R&B and a few in between. What musical style hits to the core of Sammie?

For me, it’s hard to identify a single musical style because I love them all! I am, however, focused on creating a formula for Bahamian-styled music, rake-n-scrape and Junkanoo, to finally break into that world market and stay there. I’m a singer, so I love beautiful voices and harmony, so R&B is very appealing to me but I can’t get enough of the rake-n-scrape and storytelling vibes of our music.

The entertainment industry is unforgiving, especially when you have to balance family life, work life, on-stage life, studio work and just everyday life. How do you keep everything balanced and stay centred?

Honestly, I don’t even know. I know that, every day, I have a goal and that is to provide for my family and keep myself going and focused on my musical passion. Because of my love for my family, I just find myself working out every situation necessary to keep them happy and my passion for music never lets me down—it gives me inspiration and life energy every day!

Let me get personal (smile). Working in this industry requires long hours, so how does this impact your family life and what advice would you give other artists and professionals in this industry on how to balance it all?

If I said it was easy and cool, I’d definitely be lying—it’s very hard. The best advice I’d give is to accept your reality; that is, if you have a responsibility, acknowledge it and be realistic about how you will handle that responsibility and follow your dreams. Mine is my family. Even though I want to be successful as an entertainer, I want to be just as successful as a father and husband. The long hours mean less time for other responsibilities, but you must use your head and your heart in tandem with each other to make them all work together.

If you could invite a few people to your table—living or dead—for dinner, for some great food and for stimulating conversation with you and your family, who would they be and why?

Living - Elton John, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Marc Cuban, Beyonce, Jeff Besos, Curtis ‘50 cent’ Jackson No longer Living - Ronnie Butler, Sir Sidney Poitier, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Jerry Buss, Prince, Aaliyah All of these people are very special in their own way and, of course, super successful at entertainment and business. I can imagine the conversation with all of these people and my family, at the same table, would send our minds racing and inspire us all in a way that we could build the confidence and knowledge to take over the world!

What’s next for ‘Sammi Starr’?

I’m working on several projects, actually. I’m working on a mini-documentary series that tells the story of top Bahamian entertainers, both living and non-living, as a contribution to cultural history. I’m also working on expanding my marketing management and design company - St. Po Company. Finally, I’m super excited that I’m working on a few music projects - The Bridge, R&B Island, Rap Island - these will all be super amazing music pieces that I can’t wait for the world to hear! UA