‘The best song is still to come’

By Soncirey Mitchell

Tj Kelly and Samantha Carston are The Sevens. Courtesy photo.

Staff

Local genre-bending duo The Sevens are set to perform at Idaho Pour Authority on Saturday, March 30, in a show that will bring the sunshine back to rainy Sandpoint. Singer and ukulele player Samantha Carston and singer and guitarist TJ Kelly will be familiar to local music lovers due to their vibrant careers, though they’ve only recently united to craft a new and unforgettable musical experience.

Carston, Sandpoint’s singing sweetheart, entered the music scene when she was just 15, following in the rhythmic wake of her musical family — and blues musician Bonnie Raitt.

“I only sang Bonnie Raitt songs. I would listen to her while doing chores, so I knew all the words,” Carston told the Reader.

Raitt’s music was a steady presence in Carston’s life as she grew into a today’s confident lead singer, well versed in blues, jazz, americana and country — in her words, a “hodgepodge.” 

As a lifelong singer, Carston finds herself drawn first and foremost to artists’ lyrics, regardless of genre, when listening on her own time. Because of this, her own musical experimentation can’t be defined by a single genre or style. 

“I can’t say I have a specific sound because that just wouldn’t be true,” she said. “I’ve always been a singer, so I just tune into the lyrics.”

Recently, Carston’s been “dabbling in the world of writing,” finding her own lyrical voice rooted in personal stories and experiences. IPA concertgoers may be lucky enough to catch some of her original work among fan-favorite covers and plenty of originals written by Kelly, an accomplished songwriter.

The duo play to each other’s strengths with such impeccable harmonies that you’d guess Kelly and Carston had shared a stage from the get go. That’s not the case.

“I was kind of a late bloomer,” said Kelly. “I didn’t play any music or think about music until college. I remember trying to think of what to do for a major and my dad asked me, ‘What do you want to do for the rest of your life?’ and I said, ‘Well, I want to be a rockstar.’ He said, ‘No, seriously.’”

Kelly began writing songs in college, drawing inspiration from ’90s alternative bands like Matchbox 20 before returning to “the stuff that really stuck to my bones” — classic country from the likes of Willie Nelson and Dwight Yoakam, which he’d grown up on. Audiences will still feel the alternative influence in Kelly’s originals, as well as a new, experimental twist taken from rap music.

“Rap has a unique lyricism. I never grew up listening to it, but now it’s expanded my mind and expanded how I write lyrics,” said Kelly.

Carston and Kelly perform for the joy of it, prioritizing freedom and creativity rather than commodifying their art. Kelly believes that by not taking themselves too seriously and fostering a positive, fun-loving atmosphere, they ultimately produce better music. 

“When I stopped playing for a while, it took away something that I didn’t know I needed — not ‘wanted,’ needed. Playing with Sam brought me back to that joy,” he said, adding, “She has a great passion for music, and we feed off each other.”

Experience that joy and passion first-hand for free at IPA (203 Cedar St.) starting at 6 p.m. If you’re a fan of well-written, original music, there’s no better place to be this Saturday.

Be on the lookout for future performances from this talented duo as they further refine their sound. As Kelly said, “The best song is still to come.”