On the night of April 18, Brandeis kicked off its “Art Never Sleeps” event. This showcase was a 24-hour span where different forms of art were displayed, performed and experienced all around campus. During the live music portion of this event, Brandeis was lucky enough to have a performance by the indie pop-rock band My Mom Is Here, a New York City-based group founded by Columbia University graduates, Sam Seiff and Nick Sare. The band consists of lead singer Samantha (Sam) Seiff, her boyfriend Nick Sare, who plays the keys, their guitarist Stephen Park, drummer Aidan Speckhard and Ryan Darr, who plays the bass. Before their performance, I had the pleasure to interview lead singer Seiff about the band and how the five of them have started to navigate the music industry.

We began the interview with Seiff, retelling the story of how “My Mom Is Here” got its name. She directly credits her boyfriend Nick for being the catalyst in naming the band, stating, “In undergrad, Nick was in a band called The Melt. He always used to joke and say his mom was there. Because of this, they joked about getting Nick a shirt that said my mom is here, and honestly, it just kind of stuck.” 

I then went on to ask her about the band’s new song “Lucky Dudes” and how they came up with the concept for it. To this, Sam stated, “This song started when Nick and I were trying to find a place to park in Westchester. I remember saying to him, ‘Maybe we’ll be the lucky dudes and get a parking spot.’ We then found a spot, and I started to hum a melody that became this song. This song, though, is also about being lucky in life and how many people are very cynical of young love, but I could see Nick and I marrying each other, so maybe we are the lucky ones.” 

Sam and Nick then explained their individual songwriting processes and how they take a concept and make it into a reality. Sam stated, “Most of my songs I come up with in moments of anger. I always think the best songs you don’t have to put as much work into—they just kind of show up. But after I get lyrics and a melody, I complete chords and pitch them to the band. My process is generating ideas and fleshing out chords.” 

I then asked Sam about the band’s impact on her life thus far, to which she responded, “I am an actor, and sometimes just running lines and being another number in auditions can make you feel disenfranchised. The band just fell into place and gave me a sense of agency in art and in life, also being able to do it with my boyfriend has been such a cool experience.” 

Lastly, Sam discussed the upcoming releases “My Mom Is Here” had, including the recording of their first studio album. Sam stated, “Yeah so the extended version of “Lucky Dudes” comes out on April 24th, we also just recorded “Can’t find my way home” by Steve Windwood, and we have our first full album coming out in June, the process of recording the first album was such a fun and unique experience, and we can’t wait for people to hear it.”

“My Mom Is Here” is rooted, at its core, as a tightly-knit collective of musicians involved in NYC's ever-growing music scene. They have this artful blend of jazz, pop and indie rock that is ever-present in all of their songs. My Mom Is Here is able to capture emotional in-between moments—late-night thoughts, unfinished conversations and the quiet weight of growing up. Their music feels immediate and unfiltered, yet carefully shaped, striking a balance between raw honesty and layered sound. This group of musicians thrives on collaboration, with each member contributing to a dynamic style that shifts effortlessly between soft, introspective melodies and louder, more chaotic bursts of energy. Their lyrics explore identity, relationships and the tension between comfort and independence, giving their work a deeply relatable edge without feeling overproduced or forced. Sam, Nick and the other members of “My Mom Is Here” have created something so beautiful in such a short amount of time. While small in nature, “My Mom Is Here” is able to fully elicit the kind of experience one may have listening to a more mainstream artist. With this being said, it is us the listeners, who truly are the lucky dudes.