In conversation with Samantha Hudson

Samantha Hudson, born in León and raised in the vibrant tourist hub of Magaluf in Mallorca, embarked on an audacious artistic journey that has taken her from the shores of the Balearic Islands to the bustling streets of Barcelona and Madrid. Her adolescence in Magaluf — known for its controversial reputation — fueled the rebellious spirit that defines Samantha’s artistic genius. Breaking away from societal expectations, she transformed into a musical hurricane at an early age. Having composed, written, and produced her first song, Maricón, at just 15, she sparked a national controversy with its critique of the Catholic Church’s treatment of the LGBTQIA+ community. This rebellious move earned her excommunication but solidified her reputation as an iconoclast. It is therefore no surprise that her latest EP, AOVE, has been a huge moment of success for Hudson, and through exploring the hardcore techno from the ’90s, AOVE has not only marked a significant shift in her sonic identity but also won her her first MTV EMA. A testament to her iconic status, Hudson describes her aesthetic as “impact, pussy, and antichrist,” remaining unapologetically herself, with aspirations to serve, devour, and revel in the freedom to pursue whatever pleases her in the moment. Period.

Can you tell us about your artistic journey; from León to Mallorca, Barcelona, and ultimately to Madrid? How did these places influence your art and career?
I was born in León but moved to Mallorca with my parents when I was one year old. I grew up in Magaluf, a tourist destination with a somewhat controversial reputation as the birthplace of balconing, cannibal drugs and other rather prurient practices… I suppose that having lived my adolescence in that environment fed the crazy genius I was born with, even though my family is quite normative. I’ve always felt a compelling need to break away from what was expected of me, so when I finished secondary school I enrolled in an arts high school and that’s where this hurricane called Samantha began. I changed my name, not officially of course, and I composed, wrote and produced my first song at the age of 15. When I turned 18, Mallorca became too small for me and I decided to try my luck in Barcelona, where I lived for 6 months and later moved to Madrid, where I’ve been living for almost 5 years now. These two cities gave me my first gigs, taught me everything I know about show business and, above all, gave me the freedom I had always wanted to develop professionally, personally and artistically.

Maricón was the single that in many ways brought you into the spotlight. Can you share your intention/ the story behind creating this song and video? It looks like a lot of fun!
Maricón was the first song I made and, as I said, I composed, wrote and produced it when I was 15 years old as a class project. I accompanied it with a very amateur video clip that I filmed in front of the cathedral of Palma, the lyrics denounced the abuses of the Catholic Church against the LGBT community and used irreverent and ironic language. I got an A, which made the religion teacher very angry and, after complaining to the board of teachers to no avail, he decided to take the video to the bishop of Palma. From then on, a cancellation campaign was launched that mobilised all the right-wing and ultra-right-wing parties in Spain, homophobic associations, Christian lawyers and even the Ombudsman for Minors. They collected 27,000 signatures to reprimand me and my teacher, and for weeks I made headlines in the national press. In the end, my school career was not affected, but I was excommunicated from the Catholic Church, like Madonna, Napoleon and Joan of Arc jajajajaja, a power move if you ask.

Fuck yeah, that is a power move. Do you still find yourself navigating the line between entertainment and activism in your art? My art is holistic, not only my music or my performances but also my speech, my values, my community, my gender, my aesthetic and of course my political beliefs. 

In 2021, you released your first performative show, Euthanasia Deluxe. What was the concept behind this show, and how did it connect with your larger body of work?
It was the first show we designed for theatres, just after the COVID-19 pandemic, so it really came about as an alternative to be able to continue working when nightlife was not allowed. It was a theatre concert where I went through all my musical repertoire at the time on a stage full of props, with several kitschy changes of look. It was really a very trashy concept but executed with the professionalism of a theatrical play.

In your speech at the VIII Feroz Awards gala, you discussed the “abandonment of the genre.” Could you elaborate on this concept and how it relates to your work in the music industry?
In that speech, which by the way also cost me several weeks of cancellation campaigns by the extreme right parties of my country, I established a simile between the film genres, increasingly mixed with each other, and the gender identity, increasingly diluted. In my opinion, and even though it’s a claim that has existed for many years, the great issue of this generation is the identity, gender and trans realities. My speech was an ode to non-binarism and to that current of thought that understands that the sex-gender system is a really big lie that has been instilled in us. Gender is not something in essence, it’s something in practice, and that practice has to be expanded beyond the archetypes of male and female. The feminine is not the patrimony of women, the masculine is not the patrimony of men, there’s a huge range of possibilities between the two poles of the spectrum and playing with the paradigms of gender is totally valid. 

Your first non-compilation album, Liquidación Total, was also released in 2021. Can you share the themes and inspirations behind this album, and what it represents in your artistic journey? How has this journey and its themes adapted today?
It was my first professional studio album and it was very inspired by the electro-clash music from Spain, groups such as Putilatex or Chico y Chica really helped me get the sonorous aesthetic for that work. This album kinda represents the beginning of my most musical concert artist side, and as it actually was a mix of different musical genres, it really laid the groundwork for my current identity as an artist.

Alternatively, your latest release, AOVE, takes inspiration from the hardcore techno of the ’90s. What motivated this shift in your music, and what has been the reaction to this new EP?
This is my latest work and the one I’ve felt more successful with. This raver sound really matches my mood and I feel like I finally found a comfortable place to express myself and feel fulfilled as a musical artist. I won’t say I’m at a mature point in my career because that sounds quite boring or as if I was about to die, but definitely I’ve grown up as an artist. Also, the live tour, AOVE BLACK LABEL, which we did for the first time at the electronic music festival SONAR in Barcelona, is certainly a liturgical raver catharsis, really worth seeing. 

Oh, and let us NEVER forget — You just won your first MTV EMA! How does this feel?
Very surreal. I’m an underground artist, from an indie music label, who was competing against a very big artist from the music industry in Spain, who certainly had way more resources than me in matters of press and communication and a way bigger amount of followers than me in social media. However, I did my campaign, I invited my audience to vote for me… and I won! Definitely, I may not be the biggest artist when it comes to numbers, but I’m for sure the most iconic. This award is a symbol of respect towards my music, my values and all the other things I said before that make up my artistic proposal.

If you could describe your aesthetic in three words, what would you choose?
Impact, pussy and antichrist.

Favourite designer of the moment?
I’m very obsessed with Rick Owens and Glenn Martens.

Most listened to song on your playlist?
Corcovado from Stan Getz and João Gilberto

Manifestations/hopes/dreams for the future?
Serve, devour and just do whatever the fuck that pleases me in that moment. 

period.