Music Artist Samuel Embracing All His Roots With EP ‘SAMUELito’

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentMusic Artist Samuel Embracing All His Roots With EP ‘SAMUELito’ByLaura Sirikul,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Laura Sirikul is a L.A.-based reporter covering film/TV and music.Follow AuthorJun 14, 2026, 08:46pm EDTSamuel's 'SAMUELito'Samuel Management & Entertainment Music GroupMusical artist Samuel has been through a lot in his young life.Born and raised in Los Angeles, the 24-year-old Mexican-Korean American singer knew he wanted to pursue a career in entertainment. His parents knew there was something special about their only son, and at 11, he moved to South Korea to become a trainee at PLEDIS Entertainment, where he trained alongside members who would eventually form SEVENTEEN. He left the trainee group in 2013, formed a hip-hop duo in 2015, and then competed in the second season of Produce 101 before debuting as a solo artist with Brave Entertainment in 2017. After issues with the company, Samuel went through a lengthy legal battle to be released from the contract. It was also during that time in 2019 that he tragically lost his father.After taking some time to grieve, Samuel released an EP, Now, in 2024, under his newly formed company, Samuel Management & Entertainment Group. Yet, he still struggled with how he defined himself as an artist and took time to reflect on how he wanted to present himself. Now, he seems to know that with his newly released album, SAMUELito.“I’ve been in the music industry for a very long time,” Samuel says over Zoom from Seoul. “I started very young, and I just felt like I’m coming back to where I first started, when I was born, growing up, what I ate, the environment, the people I was with, and the music I listened to.”As one of the few Latino-Korean artists in K-pop, Samuel embraced his unique background. He grew up in Los Angeles, surrounded by Latin music and Mexican culture, and was given the endearing nickname “Samue...