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Jul 23, 2021 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Kate Hollowell

L.A.-based singer/songwriter and producer Sam Martin has previously won plaudits from the indie pop world as frontman for Youngblood Hawke, most recently with their 2020 LP, Edge of the World. Last month, Martin made his solo debut under the moniker Sunshine Boysclub with his new single, “Patience.” The track was the first from a forthcoming debut album, due out later this fall, and today Martin has shared the follow-up single, “Don’t See Why,” premiering with Under the Radar.

Much like “Patience,” “Don’t See Why” leans heavily on infectious pop energy, infusing the song with upbeat syncopated guitar grooves and indelible vocal hooks. The track is a sleek dose of L.A. sunshine tailor-made for the summer months, once again showing off Martin’s talent for addictive indie pop euphoria. Yet, there’s also a deeper narrative explored lyrically. As Martin explains, “‘Don’t See Why’ expresses the difficulties of letting go of other people’s expectations. The idea was inspired by witnessing someone close to me hit bottom. Their situation forced me to take a look at my own mistakes and patterns and the song became a reflection of my own life. Why am I doing the things I do? Why am I concerned with other people’s reactions? It’s impossible to be who everyone wants you to be. Spending too much time chasing other peoples’ idea of what your life should look like can leave you at the end of the wrong road.”

The single is also paired with an accompanying music video, directed by Kate Hollowell (Number One Popstar, Katy Perry, SASAMI). Martin says of the video, “The music video was shot on a trip to Mexico. We decided to completely wing it. A massive storm passed through and we set up on the beach and started rolling. We used the headlights of a car and an $8 flashlight for lighting. There’s still sand in various crevasses of my body. I wanted to bring a lightheartedness to the message of the song and the tropical scenery helps balance out the weight of the lyrics.”

Check out the song and video below and watch for the debut album from Sunshine Boysclub, due out this fall.