There are some artists you discover by accident, and then they grab you by the soul. That was my introduction to Samoht.
It was his performance on Terrell Grice’s 1 Million Show that did it. He sang a jaw-dropping rendition of I Can’t Make You Love Me, and in that moment, I knew I was witnessing something different. Something sacred.
His voice didn’t just float, it testified. The control, the emotion, the restraint… it felt like church and heartbreak and healing all wrapped in one. I hit replay and then replay and then replay again.
Born Thomas Parker in Wilson, North Carolina, Samoht (pronounced Suh-Moh) isn’t just another R&B singer. He’s a vessel. A GRAMMY-nominated vocalist, a NAACP Image Award nominee, and a quietly disruptive force in modern soul music, his work is a fusion of R&B, gospel, and vulnerability that dares to get spiritual, even when it’s talking about romantic love.
From early grassroots Living Room Tours to collaborations with PJ Morton, Fantasia, and Tobe Nwigwe, Samoht has built a lane that’s both sacred and street; intentional music for hearts that need healing.
And on July 11, he brought that same energy to The Roxy in Los Angeles for the final stop of his Red Zone Tour.
This wasn’t just another concert in L.A., this was a culmination. The last West Coast show of a tour that’s taken him across the country, connecting with fans who’ve been following his journey. With powerhouse vocalist Emi Secrest opening the night, the energy was already high before Samoht even stepped foot onstage.
Before he performed, I had the chance to sit down with the man himself for a conversation that felt less like an interview and more like catching up with a friend who’s spiritually tapped in.
Eric Keith: You’re minutes away from closing out the West Coast leg of the Red Zone Tour. How are you feeling?
Samoht: Overwhelmed, but in a good way. I’m really grateful. Coming from Wilson, North Carolina, it’s a very small town. Well, it’s a city now, but we got two Walmarts and a Target. I’m really grateful. It’s kind of surreal, but it’s real.
QG: Is there anything that you do special before you go on any stage?
Samoht: Just prayer. I probably call my mom and have her pray for me. That’s it.
QG: What makes L.A. different from every other stop?
Samoht: The acai bowls are better. [laughs]
QG: Let’s talk about the Red Zone. What does it mean to you?
Samoht: It’s just a space where everything resides, like, that deals with birth, like the sacrifice of the body, the going through the portal, coming out, and just being your raw, authentic self. Red stands for love. It stands for so many different things. It causes you to stop and pause. And so sometimes I think we as a people. We as a race of people. I think we as a people, we don’t give ourselves a chance to stop and just relax while we’re thinking about your next thing.
And so this tour was an opportunity for me to say, “Yo, you’ve actually done a lot. Respect that. Respect the old version of you and stop trying to just like, oh, it’s time for the next level. You got to be in the story. You got to be on this.” Ni**a respect you.
QG: How did you prepare for the tour?
Samoht: I’m on 75 hard. Today’s my last day. And I didn’t plan it out like that. It just happened to be like that. Also, I kind of went into a bit of an isolation. I do that often. Like, I go on a sabbatical for no reason. I blinked. I’m doing a sabbatical. I need a break.
QG: What does the sabbatical do for you?
Samoth: I can’t hear God when a bunch of people around. And I know that sounds like so deep hearing God, but it’s true. God speaks to us more through things than people, even though some people only want to hear from another human. Like God can actually speak to you because you can feel it.
QG: What’s been the most rewarding part of this tour?
Samoht: The best part about being on tour has been…It’s cliche to people. People coming out and like songs you made in your bedroom or somebody’s kitchen years ago, they were singing these songs to the top of their lungs and almost throwing me off-key. It’s the people, man. I like people. I do.
QG: You were nominated for Outstanding New Artist at the NAACP Image Awards. How did that feel?
Samoht: It felt, at the time, I was like, “What the hell I’m doing up there…” But then I had to stop myself because I don’t want to self-sabotage. I was like, “You know what? I’m dope as hell, too.” I’ve been working a long time. I’ve been singing a long time. So let me give me some of that. Yeah, put me up there.
I’m done with impostor syndrome. I be too fly to have impostor syndrome. I sound too good to have impostor syndrome.
QG: You’ve worked with PJ Morton, Fantasia, Tobe Nwigwe… Who’s the dream collab?
Samoht: Solange. I feel like I got a lot of work to do before I get to that point
QG: Why do you think so?
Samoht: I feel like she walks around with, like, notebooks and just archives of Mugler and Gucci, and she just, like, okay, we’re going to do this look on Jimmy Fallon next time. Like, she already got it planned out. I’ve got to work on my plan. I just get, I’m feeling south. She’s feeling south too, but you know, she’s been in the city longer than me.
QG: What’s next?
Samoht: More visual art for me. And I’m going to buy a hen when I get home.
QG: Wait, like a hen that’s already cooked?
Samoht: No, it’s going to be alive… I just want to start selling eggs. I went to the church I grew up at when I went back home, and this lady sold me some eggs for $3. I said, “Let me get on that.” I’m going to get like a little table in front of the crib. I’m for real. I’m probably gonna sell mine for four.
Check out the full interview.
