Stephanie Sam is gearing to release her first EP, titled Unraveling, in May.
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IN THE heart of Merebank, a story of resilience, talent and faith unfolds. At just 32 years old, Stephanie Sam is not only a holistic health coach and iridologist, but also an emerging gospel artist who is gearing to release her first EP, titled Unraveling, in May.
Her journey has been anything but ordinary, marked by significant health challenges that she has transformed into a mission of holistic healing and uplifting musical expressions.
Sam started singing at the age of 5. Her first public performance was in a nursery school play, where she sang the theme song to the Hindi movie, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
"As young as I was, I understood I had talent. I remember enjoying the experience and receiving many compliments. That was a seed sown," said Sam, whose vocal coach were YouTube videos.
She joined City of Love Ministries in Merebank, a church next to her home, when she was about 8 or 9 years old. This was where she found joy in worship, and collaborating with fellow singers.
"Some years later, I sent a voicenote to a friend at church. I told her to keep my singing a secret. She agreed. However her brother, who was part of the worship team, overheard my voice. Excited that someone could sing in church, he told the worship leader about my singing capabilities. Ironically today her brother, Tashlin Naidoo, is my fiancé."
Sam then joined the worship team, initially playing the guitar and then singing.
"It was such an exciting experience singing with others. I had the opportunity to lead the worship on some Tuesday services. It was a supportive atmosphere for growth."
Today she is part of the One Light Church at Grosvenor Boys' School Hall on the Bluff.
"I now sing with another lead worshipper, and to do harmonies and lead on some Sundays. One Light Church has encouraged my singing and helped me grow in confidence."
She described herself as a "new gospel artist" who now performed pop-rock gospel music.
"I usually do small shows with my producer, Clarion Sadanand, of CLS One Entertainment. I still sing at church, enjoying harmonising as a back-up vocalist and sometimes leading."
Sam started writing music in 2024.
"I had compiled some music on my voice recordings, and these were simple ideas. I wrote poetry when I was younger, so songwriting came naturally to me. At 30, things changed. I wrote the chorus for my first single, David Song. I then contacted Clarion and decided to take the plunge and record this song, which everyone loved."
The other tracks on the debut EP are Only King, This Means War, Fourth in the Fire, and Unraveling.
As Sam reflects on her life, she remembers her health challenges and is grateful to have journeyed this far.
In 2012, while in matric, she developed symptoms of a pseudo brain tumor. She was 18.
"My shoe size went from a 6 to an 8 overnight. The actual bone grew. The following year, I was going blind. I became depressed and angry. My hair started falling. As my vision gradually worsened, I had to wear thick-lens glasses. The doctor said my blood tests looked normal and wanted to wait. I did not have time. So with my mum's help, I reversed all symptoms in a year using nutrition and whole foods. God literally showed me how to heal through eating whole foods."
Then a second challenge arose.
"In 2019, I was 25 years old and contracted hepatitis A from a worker. After a blood test, the doctor ordered immediate hospitalisation, stating I was in liver failure. I was in the hospital for three days, which gave me enough time to think about how short life is and consider all the things I still want to do. It was a rude awakening. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I recovered and changed my life again. This time I started exercising and eating better. I fully reversed my liver readings to normal in a month, using a detox and drainage method.
"I am thankfully doing much better. I feel balanced and I am able to thrive in all things I put my mind to. I'm grateful God gave me a second chance. God gave me back my life and I want to give it back to Him. From wellness to worship."
She hoped the music she made would bring upliftment to each soul.
"To help them remember that God chose us to be here on purpose and to live with purpose."
When asked about her musical inspirations, she named her parents. Her mom, Helen Sam, always enjoyed music and singing, while her dad, Timothy Sam, who came from a musical family, played the guitar, led worship, and was part of a band in his heyday,
"My parents actually met at church. My dad taught my mum to play the guitar. Ironically, my fiancé and I also met in church. He helped me refine my guitar skills, even though I initially learnt to play on my own."
Sam's EP will be available on all major music platforms like Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music and Bandcamp.
Follow her on Instagram @stephanie_abigale_sam, TikTok @stephanie_sam_music and Facebook @stephanieabigalesam
** Sam will be part of a live worship experience with Clifford Andrew and Jared Clay on April 11 at 1pm at the Bat Centre on the Victoria Embankment in Durban. Tickets are available at Quicket.