The Film Scorer Podcast is back from its season 4 mid-season break! To celebrate in this return, Sam Haft joins the show! As of now, Sam might be best known for being one-half of the duo The Living Tombstone, alongside Yoav Landau. Unsurprisingly, we dig a little bit into this, including how Sam got involved in the band (and his broader musical journey) and what his music-writing relationship with Yoav is like. The bigger part of our conversation, however, surrounds the new Prime adult-animated-musical series, Hazbin Hotel. Sam co-wrote all of the songs in the series (alongside Andrew Underberg). As such, Sam and I primarily talk about the show and his songs, including the demanding pace of work, how his writing process differs from that in The Living Tombstone, and the pressure of pleasing a large, dedicated fanbase.
Candidly, before chatting with Sam I wasn’t familiar with him, The Living Tombstone, or Hazbin Hotel! So it was great to open my eyes (and ears) to some new artists and projects, and tap into some massive, excited, and dedicated fanbases. Sam is clearly passionate about both The Living Tombstone and Hazbin Hotel, and I think it clearly comes through in this conversation.
The entirety of season one of Hazbin Hotel is now out on Prime, while Sam’s songs (and much of his other music) is widely available on all major digital platforms. You can find out more about Sam on his website.
Have a listen to our conversation below or wherever you get your podcasts (including Spotify and Apple Podcasts). Enjoying these interviews? Show the love by subscribing and leaving a rating or review!
About Hazbin Hotel
“Hazbin Hotel follows Charlie, the princess of Hell, as she pursues her seemingly impossible goal of rehabilitating demons to peacefully reduce overpopulation in her kingdom. After a yearly extermination imposed by angels, she opens a hotel in the hopes that patrons will be “checking out” into Heaven. While most of Hell mocks her goal, her devoted partner Vaggie, and their first test subject, adult-film star Angel Dust, stick by her side. When a powerful entity known as the “Radio Demon” reaches out to assist Charlie in her endeavors, her crazy dream is given a chance to become a reality.
Created by Vivienne Medrano, Hazbin Hotel is based on her popular animated pilot released on YouTube in 2019 and quickly gained over 942 million views and a rabid worldwide fan base. The series blends adult humor, unforgettable characters, and catchy musical numbers creating a wholly original and unique world.
Vivienne Medrano serves as executive producer and directed all episodes. Joel Kuwahara and Dana Tafoya-Cameron, and Scott Greenberg (Season One) also serve as executive producers. Hazbin Hotel is produced by A24 and FOX Entertainment’s Emmy award-winning animation studio Bento Box Entertainment.”