Northern singer-songwriter Sam Macdonald launches his solo career with “Distant Light,” a melodic, off-kilter debut that blends rock, pop, and soul with an unmistakably personal tone. The track arrives as both a creative reset and a declaration of intent from an artist stepping beyond collaboration to define his own sound.

Raised in Carlisle, Macdonald grew up in a home where music was constant. Early exposure to Buddy Holly and his father’s 50s and 60s cassette tapes set the foundation, later expanded by the Northern bands that shaped British guitar music — The La’s, The Coral, Echo & the Bunnymen, Oasis, and The Stone Roses — alongside Neil Young, R.E.M., and the spirit of Motown. Those influences merge seamlessly in “Distant Light,” where rhythm carries as much weight as melody, revealing the subtle imprint of hip-hop’s groove-focused sensibility.

Lyrically, the song is about escape — the drive to change, to move forward, to find meaning beyond the moment. Its title evokes both hope and distance, a light just far enough to chase. “I’ve learned a lot about what I want to make,” says Macdonald. “This is a movement towards something that isn’t shaped by other people’s rules. The basslines, the drums, the visuals — everything comes from my direction.”

The single marks a shift from his past collaborative work to a sharper, more defined personal vision. Built around concise songwriting and textured production, “Distant Light” captures an artist in motion — reflective, grounded, and free of outside expectation.

“Rarely is anything set in stone or black and white,” Macdonald adds. “Staying true to yourself — that’s what matters most.”