October 10, 2025 • 12 mins
Raised at the bottom of the world, Sam Cullen is on his way up.
The Invercargill-born musician is rising in the music world, having already performed on the main stage at Rhythm & Vines, as well as playing on some of the coolest stages around the country.
He’s been working quietly behind the scenes on his self-titled debut album, which is set to release soon.
Some of the songs on the album, he revealed to Jack Tame, are about five or six years old.
“It’s kind of been less of a, I’m going to sit down and write an album,” Cullen said.
“But the last five years of my life, these are like, the best songs I’ve written and haven’t released yet.”
Only being 25 years old, this means the songs were written throughout the early days of his adulthood – resulting in themes of coming of age and entering adulthood weaving throughout the album.
“I’m pretty proud of it and excited to have it out.”
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Teams podcast
from News Talks at by.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Love. That is Kiri muso Sam Cullen, just twenty five.
He has played the main stage with him and Vines
two of the country on some of our Coolest Stages.
He has been working quietly behind the scenes to produce
his debut album. Sam Cullen's debut album is called Sam Cullen.
(00:55):
It comes out very soon. He's here with us this
morning for a bit of a chat, a bit of
a cord itdle and a bit of a whiter as well. Kyodo,
good morning. Thanks, Oh, that's so good to see you,
and thank you for coming in person. Of course, so
so for any of our listeners for whom that was
the first Sam Cullen they've heard. I mean, first of all,
where have they been? But give us a little bit
of your story. You are from the Deep South.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Yeah, I'm from a vi Cargo, born and bread and
starting in Wellington. I live in Aukland now. Have done
music my whole life. It's kind of all I know
how to do.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
How did you get into it?
Speaker 3 (01:26):
I picked up a guitar at like seven, Mom and
dad gave me a guitar for Christmas, and I'd had
a babysitter and a school teacher that played music and
class and stuff. Yeah, and that was your first instrument. Yep,
that was my first instrument, kind of my own instrument.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Well, but that's probably a good thing, right. So mom
and Dad like because they didn't do the violin route,
they mercifully avoided the recorder.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
No, I did recorder.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Oh okay, okay, Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Thought Mum's through hell on Saturday mornings doing recorder. Aye.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Recorder is a useful way to learn to read music.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Oh yeah, but it's not useful for much.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
It's useful for driving the rest of the household completely
out there exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
So talk to us a little bit about the process
for this album. You've released a couple of EPs, but
you've been working on this process for a we are.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Yeah, Like some of the songs on the album are
probably five or six years old. It's kind of been
less of I'm gonna sit down and write an album,
but the last five years of my life. These are
like the best songs that I've written and aren't released yet. Nice.
So it's kind of the themes sort of like coming
of age at injuring adulthood and all that sort of stuff.
(02:33):
So I'm pretty proud of it. I'm excited to have
it out.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Nice, you're a rock Quest kde I am.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah. Twenty eighteen was the first time I'd ever been
in Oakland for the national final request.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Yeah, how was that? It was good? It was really good.
I'd done a rock Quest for like five years leading
up to that, so it was in my last year
of high school. Nice to finally get to the to
that point.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
How reflecting on what that kind of process is like
and the fact that you can go in every year,
you can get notes on your performances and the kind
of music you're writing. But how valuable as Rockquest is
an institution in your in your view, like.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Totally, I don't think I would have had as much
passion for making my own music, yeah as I did
at that age, because it, like you know, it obviously
gives you a goal to work towards. But also saying
that your peers do the same thing in your region
or your area is quite inspiring as well. Yeah, so
we're soper lucky to have them, Like, it's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And this is not a slant on invocado at all.
We've been speaking off here, and you know that I
have a real fondness for the deeps out. But I
mean that the truth is, when you're growing up in
a medium sized city, I can imagine that the opportunities
to go and play, to be exposed to different forms
of music and other musical communities can be a bit limited.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Yeah, totally. I was pretty lucky though, and that I
started playing in rugby clubs in pubs when I was
quite young, and you can't really you can get away
with that in regional New Zealand, but perhaps not so
much in the Vegas city. So well, I mean, like
I was the first time I played in a pub,
I was like fifteen. Yeah yeah, but so long as
(04:17):
you went drinking, No, no, absolutely not. But so that
and that and that respect like it was really good.
But you're totally right, and you kind of got a.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
But so you're saying that the kind of benefit from
being in that community is that you can have live
opportunities before exactly perform live that you might not otherwise
have a few.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
You have been performing live quite a bit over the
last few years as well, did you usually play with
a band, right.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I do, Yeah, I do, yeah, I got there's four
or five of us, depending.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
On So how has that factored into the album a lot.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Because it's I've got a band selene on for their
own instruments, you know, like I can't play the drums
at all, so like my drama, I get my druma
to play the drums on the records, and then like
I kind of writing the songs a little bit and
thinking about the live show a bit more now that
there's a band as well, which has been fun. How
so well, I guess when you're putting a live set
(05:20):
together you want to kind of ebbs and flows. But
some of the songs have like longer outros where alive
it really works super well because you can let the
guitar solo have a take as long as you are
exactly yeaheah, yeah yeah. And some of the songs you're
writing them and it's like this is going to work
really good live.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You know you're right, But but are the disciplines different,
Like do you think of them as distinct things?
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Yep, totally. Some of the songs I poll apart a
bit more than they are and as their recorded versions. Yeah,
you might extend them all short and different bits, blend
a couple of songs together, so you're not stuffing and
being like here's the next song.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Yeah right, yeah, yeah, you see that. It's been written
over five years. It's been a bit of a coming age,
coming of age kind of period. Early twenties is kind
of a kind of a golden time. But so do
you see a kind of three through the through the songs.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah, totally. I studied in Wellington after I left schol
as well for three years, so a lot of the
songs came from that period of my life where I
met a lot of my best friends and met my partner. Yeah,
things like that. So there's a lot of UNI days
in this album.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Oh yeah, yeah, but in a good way. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Well they reckon. It's the music you listen to when
you're like twenty two, that you'll listen to for the
rest of your life.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
So that's kind of what I'm feeling now, to be honest. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, you've just played Going Global too, right, Yes, So
what is it?
Speaker 3 (06:42):
It's a showcase run by the Music Commission and Independent
Music New Zealand where they invite like international music industry
over to do panel talks for two days, and they
put on two nights of gigs at Wami Bar. I'm
getting a happy road. Great and yeah we're like enough
(07:02):
to perform and go along to the showcases. Nice.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
The idea is that you kind of you learn a
bit from the professionals coming in from overseas, but you
also hopefully have an opportunity to say your goods a
bit totally.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Yeah, it's kind of it is like a kind of sure.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
In a good way.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Once the album is released November seven, you guys a
going to be touring. Yep.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Yeah, we turn the country which would be fun. There's
six six dates so far, up and down from right
from Avicago all the way to Auckland. Yeah. Excited to
get back on the road.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Ah, so good. All right, Well you're going to perform
for us this morning, so I will let you get
yourself sorted. Sam has brought his guitar and fantastic. We
heard a bit of a sound check, so I will
let you introduce it.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
Sam.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
This is Sam Cullen and thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Thanks, Jack, appreciate it, Thanks for your time. Let's called
that somebody's you cheers. We love songs on the qus
when you're scared true, the true says he needs somebody.
Maybe that somebody is you. But I was standing on
(08:14):
the sideline. Yeah, I'm just the water boy and maybe
trying to buy time it suspectator sport. Even if I could,
I know that I would not try to change it,
saying my own word, standing me throw it all the
way and have another drink here, take another day, seeing
(08:35):
your eyes on my fears beyond.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
This rampart and more.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
But it's hard to believe when it's cold outside, hard
to believe it to get excited. Colt it go, but
I want it. Wears me out, It'll wear you out,
But don't stop fighting all him old a Friday. I
get you down an anger, finding your passion, baby, that's
(09:06):
just finding yourself. And love songs who make cute of its.
When you're scared of the truth, The truth says you
want somebody, Maybe that somebody has you. Can I find
a language swallowing my pride every time we manifest, I
(09:29):
recon I'm a live too much bid in this sandy Stelia,
I think I'll eave the country. Well, you can have
it your way. This happens every time down in the heartland. Yeah,
the boys are doing fine. Every night out and next
morning spent on the fence. Yes, it's hard to believe
(09:52):
when it's cold outside, hard to believe to get excited.
Collected covid of the It wears me out. It'll wear
you well, but don't stop. I'll fighting him. Order the Friday.
I get you down in the anger, finding your passion, baby,
(10:16):
that's just finding yourself and love songs who make cuteed
it when you're scared of the truth, and the truth
says you want somebody, baby, that songbody has you. M
no glofo the fire. I need something old. Blame me
(10:43):
his song I like, and I like Oh love and
losing my face. I've and blooded in the fight, and
(11:05):
I want to find home at the end of the night,
to see this out, to forget my desire. It's so
stupid when the so much time and claim me a
love song, claim me that song. Baby, go easy, turn
this around.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
It's in my heart tonight. I got a hold on
this tongue.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Let's wear it out. Don't stop fighting them. Go let
a Friday. I get you down in the anger, finding
your passion, baby, that's just finding yourself and love songs
and make undards when you're scared of the truth, and
(11:51):
the truth is you want somebody me that Songbody has you.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Ah, so good. Thank you so much, Sam, congratulations. That
was amazing. Yeah, thank you, thank you. We really really
appreciate that, Sam Cullen. His debut album, Sam Cullen Self Titled,
is out on November seven. We'll hear all the details
on News Talks.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
He'd be website for more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame.
Listen live to news Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Teams podcast
from News Talks at by.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Love. That is Kiri muso Sam Cullen, just twenty five.
He has played the main stage with him and Vines
two of the country on some of our Coolest Stages.
He has been working quietly behind the scenes to produce
his debut album. Sam Cullen's debut album is called Sam Cullen.
(00:55):
It comes out very soon. He's here with us this
morning for a bit of a chat, a bit of
a cord itdle and a bit of a whiter as well. Kyodo,
good morning. Thanks, Oh, that's so good to see you,
and thank you for coming in person. Of course, so
so for any of our listeners for whom that was
the first Sam Cullen they've heard. I mean, first of all,
where have they been? But give us a little bit
of your story. You are from the Deep South.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Yeah, I'm from a vi Cargo, born and bread and
starting in Wellington. I live in Aukland now. Have done
music my whole life. It's kind of all I know
how to do.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
How did you get into it?
Speaker 3 (01:26):
I picked up a guitar at like seven, Mom and
dad gave me a guitar for Christmas, and I'd had
a babysitter and a school teacher that played music and
class and stuff. Yeah, and that was your first instrument. Yep,
that was my first instrument, kind of my own instrument.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Well, but that's probably a good thing, right. So mom
and Dad like because they didn't do the violin route,
they mercifully avoided the recorder.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
No, I did recorder.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Oh okay, okay, Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Thought Mum's through hell on Saturday mornings doing recorder. Aye.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Recorder is a useful way to learn to read music.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Oh yeah, but it's not useful for much.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
It's useful for driving the rest of the household completely
out there exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
So talk to us a little bit about the process
for this album. You've released a couple of EPs, but
you've been working on this process for a we are.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Yeah, Like some of the songs on the album are
probably five or six years old. It's kind of been
less of I'm gonna sit down and write an album,
but the last five years of my life. These are
like the best songs that I've written and aren't released yet. Nice.
So it's kind of the themes sort of like coming
of age at injuring adulthood and all that sort of stuff.
(02:33):
So I'm pretty proud of it. I'm excited to have
it out.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Nice, you're a rock Quest kde I am.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah. Twenty eighteen was the first time I'd ever been
in Oakland for the national final request.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Yeah, how was that? It was good? It was really good.
I'd done a rock Quest for like five years leading
up to that, so it was in my last year
of high school. Nice to finally get to the to
that point.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
How reflecting on what that kind of process is like
and the fact that you can go in every year,
you can get notes on your performances and the kind
of music you're writing. But how valuable as Rockquest is
an institution in your in your view, like.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Totally, I don't think I would have had as much
passion for making my own music, yeah as I did
at that age, because it, like you know, it obviously
gives you a goal to work towards. But also saying
that your peers do the same thing in your region
or your area is quite inspiring as well. Yeah, so
we're soper lucky to have them, Like, it's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And this is not a slant on invocado at all.
We've been speaking off here, and you know that I
have a real fondness for the deeps out. But I
mean that the truth is, when you're growing up in
a medium sized city, I can imagine that the opportunities
to go and play, to be exposed to different forms
of music and other musical communities can be a bit limited.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Yeah, totally. I was pretty lucky though, and that I
started playing in rugby clubs in pubs when I was
quite young, and you can't really you can get away
with that in regional New Zealand, but perhaps not so
much in the Vegas city. So well, I mean, like
I was the first time I played in a pub,
I was like fifteen. Yeah yeah, but so long as
(04:17):
you went drinking, No, no, absolutely not. But so that
and that and that respect like it was really good.
But you're totally right, and you kind of got a.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
But so you're saying that the kind of benefit from
being in that community is that you can have live
opportunities before exactly perform live that you might not otherwise
have a few.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
You have been performing live quite a bit over the
last few years as well, did you usually play with
a band, right.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I do, Yeah, I do, yeah, I got there's four
or five of us, depending.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
On So how has that factored into the album a lot.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Because it's I've got a band selene on for their
own instruments, you know, like I can't play the drums
at all, so like my drama, I get my druma
to play the drums on the records, and then like
I kind of writing the songs a little bit and
thinking about the live show a bit more now that
there's a band as well, which has been fun. How
so well, I guess when you're putting a live set
(05:20):
together you want to kind of ebbs and flows. But
some of the songs have like longer outros where alive
it really works super well because you can let the
guitar solo have a take as long as you are
exactly yeaheah, yeah yeah. And some of the songs you're
writing them and it's like this is going to work
really good live.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You know you're right, But but are the disciplines different,
Like do you think of them as distinct things?
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Yep, totally. Some of the songs I poll apart a
bit more than they are and as their recorded versions. Yeah,
you might extend them all short and different bits, blend
a couple of songs together, so you're not stuffing and
being like here's the next song.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Yeah right, yeah, yeah, you see that. It's been written
over five years. It's been a bit of a coming age,
coming of age kind of period. Early twenties is kind
of a kind of a golden time. But so do
you see a kind of three through the through the songs.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah, totally. I studied in Wellington after I left schol
as well for three years, so a lot of the
songs came from that period of my life where I
met a lot of my best friends and met my partner. Yeah,
things like that. So there's a lot of UNI days
in this album.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Oh yeah, yeah, but in a good way. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Well they reckon. It's the music you listen to when
you're like twenty two, that you'll listen to for the
rest of your life.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
So that's kind of what I'm feeling now, to be honest. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, you've just played Going Global too, right, Yes, So
what is it?
Speaker 3 (06:42):
It's a showcase run by the Music Commission and Independent
Music New Zealand where they invite like international music industry
over to do panel talks for two days, and they
put on two nights of gigs at Wami Bar. I'm
getting a happy road. Great and yeah we're like enough
(07:02):
to perform and go along to the showcases. Nice.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
The idea is that you kind of you learn a
bit from the professionals coming in from overseas, but you
also hopefully have an opportunity to say your goods a
bit totally.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Yeah, it's kind of it is like a kind of sure.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
In a good way.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Once the album is released November seven, you guys a
going to be touring. Yep.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Yeah, we turn the country which would be fun. There's
six six dates so far, up and down from right
from Avicago all the way to Auckland. Yeah. Excited to
get back on the road.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Ah, so good. All right, Well you're going to perform
for us this morning, so I will let you get
yourself sorted. Sam has brought his guitar and fantastic. We
heard a bit of a sound check, so I will
let you introduce it.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
Sam.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
This is Sam Cullen and thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Thanks, Jack, appreciate it, Thanks for your time. Let's called
that somebody's you cheers. We love songs on the qus
when you're scared true, the true says he needs somebody.
Maybe that somebody is you. But I was standing on
(08:14):
the sideline. Yeah, I'm just the water boy and maybe
trying to buy time it suspectator sport. Even if I could,
I know that I would not try to change it,
saying my own word, standing me throw it all the
way and have another drink here, take another day, seeing
(08:35):
your eyes on my fears beyond.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
This rampart and more.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
But it's hard to believe when it's cold outside, hard
to believe it to get excited. Colt it go, but
I want it. Wears me out, It'll wear you out,
But don't stop fighting all him old a Friday. I
get you down an anger, finding your passion, baby, that's
(09:06):
just finding yourself. And love songs who make cute of its.
When you're scared of the truth, The truth says you
want somebody, Maybe that somebody has you. Can I find
a language swallowing my pride every time we manifest, I
(09:29):
recon I'm a live too much bid in this sandy Stelia,
I think I'll eave the country. Well, you can have
it your way. This happens every time down in the heartland. Yeah,
the boys are doing fine. Every night out and next
morning spent on the fence. Yes, it's hard to believe
(09:52):
when it's cold outside, hard to believe to get excited.
Collected covid of the It wears me out. It'll wear
you well, but don't stop. I'll fighting him. Order the Friday.
I get you down in the anger, finding your passion, baby,
(10:16):
that's just finding yourself and love songs who make cuteed
it when you're scared of the truth, and the truth
says you want somebody, baby, that songbody has you. M
no glofo the fire. I need something old. Blame me
(10:43):
his song I like, and I like Oh love and
losing my face. I've and blooded in the fight, and
(11:05):
I want to find home at the end of the night,
to see this out, to forget my desire. It's so
stupid when the so much time and claim me a
love song, claim me that song. Baby, go easy, turn
this around.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
It's in my heart tonight. I got a hold on
this tongue.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Let's wear it out. Don't stop fighting them. Go let
a Friday. I get you down in the anger, finding
your passion, baby, that's just finding yourself and love songs
and make undards when you're scared of the truth, and
(11:51):
the truth is you want somebody me that Songbody has you.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Ah, so good. Thank you so much, Sam, congratulations. That
was amazing. Yeah, thank you, thank you. We really really
appreciate that, Sam Cullen. His debut album, Sam Cullen Self Titled,
is out on November seven. We'll hear all the details
on News Talks.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
He'd be website for more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame.
Listen live to news Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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