[Sammy Wilk](https://www.instagram.com/sammywilk/?hl=en) is swimming somewhere “In Between” real life and fantasy, the title of his newest single featuring [hometown friend Jvck J.](https://flaunt.com/content/jack-johnson-debuts-as-jvckj-amp-drops-you-lie) On the hook, Sammy sings, “Think this life is catching up to me, can't go underwater gotta breathe.”
Boasting over 1.5 million followers on Instagram alone, the Omaha, Nebraska native prides himself in using his platform for a greater purpose, creating meaningful music for the masses to relate to. Growing up an athlete but discovering his strong pen game senior year of high school, he moved to Los Angeles to take his artistry to the next level.
At 23 years old, the singer-songwriter, producer, philanthropist, and fashion designer is a true creative at the core, showcasing authenticity in each facet of his life. Drawing influences from a multitude of genres from rap to reggae to rock, he released his debut EP _Ready For War_ in 2016 and hasn’t looked back since. With music being his own outlet in discovering himself, Sammy continues to evolve and improve as a musician, while simply enjoying the art of creating.
“In Between” arrives following his previous project, [_Keep It In The Middle,_](https://soundcloud.com/sammywilkmusic/sets/keep-it-in-the-middle) this gray area he continues to explore. Flaunt caught up with Sammy via FaceTime, who was outside enjoying the Los Angeles weather alongside Jvck J. Read below as we discuss the new release, moving into a house with Jvck, tips for self-care, missing Nebraska, and more!
**How have you been holding up with COVID-19 and everything?**
Super interesting, keeping me on my toes. I went super strict crazy at first. I really followed the rules for the first 2 months, I didn't leave at all. I was terrified. It was scary, then I toned down a little once it wasn’t as serious I guess. I moved into a house. I was in a 2-bedroom apartment at first, me and my boy Jack J moved into a house. It got a lot better once we got more space.
**I** [**interviewed Jvck J**](https://flaunt.com/content/jack-johnson-debuts-as-jvckj-amp-drops-you-lie) **recently!**
Really? He’s a little fucking wizard.
**Congrats on the release of “In Between” with Jvck, how did the record come about?**
Me and Jvck J had a really funny weekend. We’re with celebrities, kicking it with the highest celebrity type vibes. A fucking crazy weekend. Monday comes around and we’re both posted in my room like “damn bro, I still feel shitty. This lifestyle’s weird, we got no balance. We’re somewhere in between the famous life and the fucking regular degular guy.” It came together super easily: hopped in the studio and it came out super quickly. We wrote that song in an hour, a long time ago.
**How long did you sit on it for?**
A year and a half. With everything going on in the world, it was time to release it. We’re super excited about it.
**And the feelings are still valid.**
Very valid, probably more valid than it’s ever been.
**You say “you’re swimming in between reality and fantasy,” can you expand?**
My last project I released is [_Keep It In The Middle_](https://soundcloud.com/sammywilkmusic/sets/keep-it-in-the-middle). I’m in a place in my life where I’m trying to find balance with the things I do, because we all got our vices. I’m trying to use those vices at a tame level, same way with the life we’re living. We live a really fast life and I’m somewhere in between. It’s such a hard, really confusing, chaotic, stressful, life, but also very fucking beautiful. Somewhere in between your life and fantasy is a fake world. A lot of situations I get myself into, I try to even tell the story and it doesn’t seem like a real story. Stuff I tell my siblings, it’s so fucking crazy.
**Give me an example.**
When I moved out to LA, I had a girlfriend at the time. I was living 6 months at my 2-bedroom apartment, then living 6 months at her friend’s house which is Kylie Jenner’s. When I first moved out here, I was living at Kylie Jenner’s for 6 months out of the year. She’s a homegirl of mine now but first moving out here, it was a trip. This is a really crazy lifestyle.
**How was that experience?**
Good, she’s a sweetheart. We had a lot of fun. She’s still an awesome girl. When you first get out here, you’re not expecting to live that life.
**You and Jvck J are both from Nebraska, do you guys bond over being in LA now?**
Of course. Our seventh grade year we met, got along super well. It’s been really really really helpful having somebody you grew up with, living this life out here in LA. It keeps you humble, keeps you level-headed. We experience a lot of highs together, a lot of lows together. I couldn't ask for a better team of friends to surround myself with, J‘s the best. One of my favorite people in the whole world.
**What do you do to keep your mind right? I’m sure music helps.**
Music, I do a lot of meditation. I was really good at it 2017, had a really good year with meditation and then I lost it. I got super flustered, I was in a funky place for a while but meditation really helps me. Even getting my guitar, I’ll play guitar. Focusing on anything. I’ll get a workout in, I’ve been trying to get better with the workouts because that always helps get serotonin in the brain.
**That’s what I do, just go on a run.**
I’ve been loving the runs. I used to hate running, but I’ve been a big fan. The high I get after a run is so good, fuck yeah. I’m having a recovery day today, trying to fix my body.
**Bring us back when you and Jvck J were stealing liquor from your parents' crib in high school?**
That’s hilarious. \[laughs\] I was a shithead. J, she’s asking about us stealing liquor back in the day. \[points camera to Jvck\].
**Jvck J:** We were definitely shitheads.
We had a lot of fun. I was an athlete, playing sports a lot. We’d steal all the liquor, literally as much as we can find and fill it up with water. Always got caught, I was the king of getting caught. A few arrests here and there but nothing too crazy, the regular shit. I was a fun kid, we definitely lived a good high school experience.
**Do you still party today?**
Yeah, probably a bit too much. Something we’re trying to keep at a level we can maintain longer. We have a lot of fun out here. We don’t really go out for parties, but we’ll have the occasional drink at the new house. Kick it by the pool.
**This is only your second single of the year, why is that?**
Honestly, I’ve been writing a bunch. It’s a weird time, I don't really know how to act. I don't know how to be. It’s funky. I’m going to keep releasing, I got a lineup I’m really excited about. 6 to 7 songs I’m stoked about. I’ma try to keep this going. Me and Jvck have a really cool idea, we’re waiting to hear back from the restaurant we want to shoot it at. I have a lot of music I want to release. My whole life’s in a funky place, the whole world is.
**How’d it feel having your song featured in the NFL game?**
That was fire, sick as fuck. It was right after my brother-in-law’s touchdown, great surprise to see that on a Sunday morning. So fucking wild. Life is fucking weird, it’s a weird world but it's awesome. I’m in a very blessed situation, I want that to happen more often.
**Do you miss Nebraska at all?**
Yeah, a lot. I mainly miss my house and my parents. I go back in 2 weeks. I haven't been back this whole year, Nebraska’s one of my favorite places ever. Weirdly enough, I miss the weather in Nebraska. This is great, but I like thunderstorms. I like fall time. I love thunderstorms, I haven't experienced a thunderstorm out here ever. I’m a big thunderstorm guy, I love the snow. I love LA but I miss home. I’m at a place in my life where I want to get the fuck out of LA. I’m over this shit.
**Talk about being a philanthropist, what inspires you to give back?**
In 2017, I went in and did a lot of therapy. It got to the point of what my purpose in life is: to inspire the lives of kids and children. I really do want people to smile and be happy. I’m not a perfect human, I have ups and downs. But everyone deserves to be happy, deserves an opportunity. I went to Africa twice, an incredible experience. It really let you know that you cannot complain because they endure a much harder life. It was a beautiful experience, I really want to keep doing it. It’s been two years. As soon as this pandemic’s over, I'd love to make it back over there.
**What can we expect next music-wise?**
Really good music. I’m dropping some cool hip-hop songs next, but I really want to get back to my reggae ways soon. I want some more good vibes in life, the world needs it. We’re in a really negative place right now. Nobody’s happy, everybody likes to shit on everybody, nobody can let people live. It’s a fucking dark place, we need more happy vibes. I’m in a really good mental place as of late, which is good. I want to sum it up and give it to the world.
**Anything else you want to let us know?**
Go stream “In Between,” expect new music very soon. We’re dropping a new Jack & Jack with my buddy Bruce are dropping a podcast. We shot two episodes now and they’re fucking amazing! I cannot wait for the world to see the Parental Advisory podcast, talking about everything in the world. We talk about what we do, the life we live, the fucking trip we take, girls we kick it with, everything. It’s about the lifestyle.
Everybody stay happy, stay smiling.
