About Me

I’m a singer, pianist, and composer based in San Francisco’s foggy Sunset District, where most mornings begin with my husband and son, a cold plunge, and a melody. My music is emotional, textured, and dreamlike—often built around sounds that move through the body: strings, synths, and keys that carry both weight and wonder. Listeners have called it ethereal, though I also love stretching into new territories, from EDM and house to cumbia and hip hop.

I first discovered composition while studying at UCLA, after a broken ankle nudged me away from dance. Having trained as a dancer for most of my life—and even performing salsa professionally at 14—rhythm and movement remain at the core of how I write. Whether I’m scoring for film or creating songs of my own, I’m always searching for the emotional undercurrent: what’s unspoken, but deeply felt.

Over the years, I’ve composed for short films, documentaries, and narrative features, while also releasing solo work that blends voice, piano, and ambient textures. Scoring for film has become one of my greatest joys—finding the emotional potential in a scene and making it visceral through sound.

I’m also the co-owner of Gooroo Music, a custom music and licensing company, where I collaborate with engineers and composers in the Bay Area and beyond. I love that I get to work alongside such inspiring and talented audio engineers and composers through Gooroo Music. It’s all about working with good people and making the most beautiful thing possible.

Selected Work & Recognition

Zoe: A Surf Story

• Composer; Winner, Best Documentary Short, Chicago International Film Festival

• Premiere at Old Princeton Landing (Dec 9, 2023)

If I Were You

• Composer; Winner, Best Soundtrack, Cinedanza Festival (Italy)

• International Avant-Garde Film Awards (2024) – Winner, Best Performance

• Audience Attention Grabber – Knowbox Dance Film Fest

• Screened at: Dance on Camera Festival (NY premiere, 2025), Lights Dance Festival (2024), InShadow Videodance Festival, Berlin Dance Film Festival (2025)

Mouthpiece

• Composer; Narrative short premiered at Palm Springs ShortFest

Re-entrification

• Composer; Feature documentary on housing justice and displacement, featured on KQED

• Screenings at civic/community events in Redwood City (BraveMaker, 2024) and Yerba Buena Conference Room (Metropolitan Transportation Commission-supported event)

The Dolphins

• Composer; Short film about the first women swimmers in San Francisco’s Bay at the Dolphin Club

• Opening screening held at The Dolphin Club, San Francisco

Catch Me

• Composer; Dance film featured at San Francisco International Airport Art Gallery and on Films.Dance

Road to L’Étape du Tour

• Composer; Feature indie narrative film – completed scoring (2025)

• Beginning festival circuit shortly

Motherhood

• Composer; Short film by Nicole Spring about complexities of early motherhood

• Featured at Sans Souci Festival

• Official selections: Frame Rush and Dare to Dance in Public Film Festival

• Continuing on festival circuit (2026)

Mill Valley Film Festival (2023)

• Composer; Official Trailer Composer

Space Bath

• Composer; 22-minute immersive piece exploring dreams and death

• Featured on Bandcamp, in Dolby Atmos showcases, and as a contemporary dance film

Novelle

• Composer; Neoclassical single featured by Spotify as one of the Best New Neoclassical Pieces of the Week

Howl

• Composer; Singer-songwriter album blending voice, piano, and ambient textures

Reflections from Filmmakers

“I love working with Sami! She has a natural and accurate sensibility to the vibe and creative direction on a wide range of collaborations we’ve worked on. I especially appreciate her lean toward nuance in soundscaping — she often creates sound bed environments that feel unexpected and add beautiful layers of depth to the music.”
— Gaby Scott, Filmmaker and Director (Zoe: A Surf Story, The Dolphins)

"It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with Sami Freeman. Her attention to detail and discipline in her craft have made her an excellent collaborative partner in multiple projects. Her work — from composing music for our feature documentary, Re-Entrification, to writing and performing at various venues throughout the Bay Area — has had a profound and lasting impact. Sami is a true artist who truly cares about each project she works on and continues to show her brilliance in her work."
— Lyrical Opposition, Filmmakers (Re-entrification)

“Working with Sami was a dreamlike experience! I feel very fortunate to have worked with Sami; she does a beautiful job of understanding a project and creating sound that resonates deeply. Her work as a composer played a crucial role in elevating the story and breathing life into the visuals of my film!”
— Nicole Spring, Filmmaker and Director (Motherhood)