March 20, 2026 |
2026 has been go, go, go for singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Samm Henshaw. Dropping his sophomore album It Could Be Worse on January 19, the London-born talent hopped on a plane to Tokyo just over a week after, to kick off his 33-date world tour. Since then, Henshaw has been performing the standout cuts from record, which blends silky, neo-soul stylings with sprinkles of R&B, funk and indie to adoring crowds across Asia, North America and Europe. His last stop is his hometown, as he gears up to perform at Camden’s Koko on March 24.
Penning lyrics that intertwine tales of love’s passions with the pain of heartbreak (“Every fight, we don’t get it right, but we grow”), It Could Be Worse has cemented Henshaw as a modern crooner with a knack for tugging at your heartstrings. Inspired by a personal heartbreak, the tracklist lays out each stage of Henshaw’s healing process, with the musician likening it to “what you experience on the other side of grief”. Recorded with a live band, this soul-baring soliloquy is a proud testament for feeling out loud and speaks to the full spectrum of lovelorn yearners, soppy simps and hopeless romantics.
Dropping his first album in 2022, Henshaw has taken his time with this new LP, initially only releasing on vinyl to encourage slower consumption of the work. “I think the concept of just being able to take time with anything that you’re doing is really important. Especially when it comes to consuming art, being able to go back to something, listen again, watch something again, and find things you maybe didn’t see before,” he says of that decision. By the time the album dropped on streaming platforms, Henshaw had already sold over 2,500 copies. Samm Henshaw is clearly giving the people what they want.
Here, we sit down with Henshaw to hear more about what has influenced his sound, what’s on his rider and what he’s looking forward to about performing to a home crowd next week.
1. Who is Samm Henshaw?
Honestly, I’m still trying to figure that out myself.
2. Your headline show at KOKO, Camden, is coming up, what are you most excited for?
We are excited to be home. I think we’ve been on the road for almost three months now… I’m loving playing these shows and I’m loving playing these songs, but it’ll just be nice to be home in front of family and friends. I’m excited to play in front of some familiar faces.
3. What was your one favourite thing about recording your album with live musicians?
I think it’s being able to go back and forth with ideas and come up with new things together. Seeing how someone else can interpret an idea, or expand on it… being able to explore, not feeling like one idea is the final idea [is great]. That’s one of the best things about collaboration, allowing people to go into detail and really explore. That’s what creativity is… everyone’s contributions were important.
4. Who or what influences your music the most?
I think any form of storytelling is really big for me. Whether it’s a story told to me by a friend, a film, a TV series, a documentary or a book, engaging with any type of story is a massive influence for me.
5. What led you to title the album It Could Be Worse?
There’s been a lot of loss in my life. It started with a breakup, then family loss, a few deaths in my family.
Going through those experiences as I entered my 30s was challenging. You kind of anticipate and fear what’s coming, but when you actually go through it and come out the other side, it’s not as bad as you thought. Ultimately, it’s about getting through heartbreak, heartache and life experiences, and realising things aren’t always as bad as you expect.
6. How did you decide on your setlist for your Camden show?
It was pretty straightforward – new album. Then I thought about older songs that would sit well alongside the new ones, and picked ones people are familiar with. I wanted to play the majority of the new album and add a few older ones. Nothing too complicated.
7. What’s on your rider?
Very boring. Honey, ginger, lots of fruit, some Haribo, sweets in general. I don’t really eat them though because it can be bad for the voice. That’s about it. I probably need to add some new stuff, like puppies or something.
8. What are the top three venues you’d like to play next?
I’d love to play Paradiso in Amsterdam. And Radio City Music Hall in New York, I’d love to play there. I’d also love to create my own venue. That interests me more than playing places everyone plays all the time.
9. Where does your mind go when you are in front of an audience?
It starts with panic, wondering why everyone’s looking at me. Then more panic, don’t look at them, that’s weird. Then I worry about forgetting lyrics or something embarrassing happening, like my trousers falling down or tripping over, for the first few songs. After that, I get comfortable, and then it’s calm. Silence in my head. It’s actually pretty great.
10. What can new fans expect from your Camden show?
Maybe one or two surprises, maybe some friends coming out. A lot of singing, a lot of joy, some very awkward dancing, because I’m the best in the world at that. And the new album, you can expect a lot of that. Just a really fun time with people coming together and experiencing live music.
Top image by Bardha Krasniqi. Stream ‘It Could Be Worse’ here.
