Samantha Montgomery, like many singers looking for a breakthrough into the industry, posted videos of herself to YouTube in the hopes of being noticed. Unlike many, she was noticed. When Israeli musician Kutiman – real name Ophir Kutiel – heard Montgomery’s song, he decided to take it on as a project. Documentarian Ido Haar captured the modern story of discovery in Presenting Princess Shaw, which screened at SXSW earlier this month.

Samantha Montgomery On Presenting Princess Shaw

For years, the New Orleans, La., based Montgomery had posted videos of herself singing to YouTube under the user name Princess Shaw. Though her videos didn’t rack up many views or likes, when Montgomery wasn’t working at an elderly care facility, she continued to doggedly pursue a career in music. Once she realized she had found her voice, she wasn’t about to quit.

“I’ve always had like a knack for singing. I just wasn’t confident enough. I didn’t have my voice. I hadn’t discovered my voice yet until I got to New Orleans. I didn’t have confidence. I felt like a failure before I even started,” Montgomery told uInterview in an exclusive interview at SXSW in Austin, Tex. “But, when I got to New Orleans, I got in the shower one day and started singing and I had this voice and I’m like, ‘That’s It!’”

After Kutiman produced the version of Montgomery’s “Give It Up,” layered with a beat and a variety of musical instruments, it quickly started to go viral. Montgomery’s phone filled up with so many messages that she thought that it was some kind of spam. When she was finally able to see the video that everyone was talking about, she was brought to tears.

“Other people have done versions of my song but nothing like that. I was crying. It was so beautiful, it was like it was made to go together,” Montgomery said. “That beat was made, that track was made for the song. It was made for “Give It Up,” and it went together. It was so surreal. I couldn’t believe somebody would take something and make it so beautiful. Pick me out of all the people to do that for.”

Over the years, as Presenting Princess Shaw shows, Montgomery struggled to attract large audiences to her live shows. But, she finally got the chance to deliver her talents in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd with Kutiman and the other musicians he’d used to give life to her track “Give It Up.”

“When I’m on the stage I feel at home. When I started to walk out I was like, ‘I’m freaking here!’” Montgomery told uInterview. “It was dope.”

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Article by Erik Meers

Erik Meers is the founder and editor of uInterview.com, uPolitics.com and uSports.org. He was previously managing editor of GQ, Harper's Bazaar, Interview and Paper magazines.

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User
Q: How did you start singing? -

I’ve always had like a knack for singing. I just wasn’t confident enough. I didn’t have my voice. I hadn’t discovered my voice yet until I got to New Orleans. But, I always used to write little songs and sing. It was always like, ‘if I get on the stage I’m gonna forget the song. I’m not gonna know what to do.’ I didn’t have confidence. I felt like a failure before I even started. But, when I got to New Orleans, I got in the shower one day and started singing and I had this voice and I’m like, ‘That’s It!’ So I’ve always had it but just not confident enough.

User
Q: How did you find out about the YouTube version of your song? -

Right then is when I found out. People were like... I had like Gmail, I had little messages, but my phone was acting up and that’s the reason why I couldn’t see what was going on. So I’m like, ‘Ok probably some scam or something, I don’t know what it is.’ Other people have done versions of my song but nothing like that. I was crying. It was so beautiful, it was like it was made to go together. That beat was made, that track was made for the song. It was made for “Give It Up,” and it went together. It was so surreal. I couldn’t believe somebody would take something and make it so beautiful. Pick me out of all the people to do that for.

User
Q: How did it feel to perform in Israel? -

On the stage it was beautiful. It was a beautiful thing on the stage. My thing was behind the scenes, to watch everybody work and to just walk around and look before everybody filled up the place, just to walk and look at everything. But, then when you get your hair made and makeup on and you’re standing there and you’re like, ‘Oh god this is the time, this is the time, I’m gonna sing this song that I did a long time ago and now it’s music.’ I was just standing there like I just wanted to get out there. When I’m on the stage I feel at home, when I started to walk out I was like, I’m freaking here!’ It was dope.

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