Sam Ryder

Sam Ryder by Harald Krichel CC BY-SA 3.0
Sam Ryder by Harald Krichel CC BY-SA 3.0

Sam Ryder is an English musician who made a name for himself posting cover songs on TikTok during the first Covid-19 lockdown in the UK. This led to him being signed to Parlophone Records and going on to represent the UK in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. 

His bombastic ‘Space Man’ entry finished first in the jury vote and second overall in the contest, after Ukraine. Sam scored the UK its best result since 1998 and its first top three result since 2002. ‘Space Man’ went on to reach number two in the UK Singles Chart – making it the highest-charting UK Eurovision entry since 1996. Sam followed up this success with the release of his debut album, There’s Nothing but Space, Man!, which  rocketed in at number one on the UK Albums Chart in 2022. 

Sam told the Viva! Vegan Podcast that it’s his love for the animals that keeps him vegan but that he also appreciates the anti-inflammatory properties of a plant-based diet for keeping his voice and body in prime condition, so he can perform at his best and hit all the high notes needed for his powerful rock ballads.

Sam Ryder on the Viva! Vegan Podcast

Recorded live at Vegan Camp Out, Sam discusses with Faye how he draws inspiration from vegans such as Lewis Hamilton, who are at the top of their professional fields. He also discusses the importance of not telling people what to do but leading by example. Right on!

In this conversation, Sam and Faye also discuss:

  • Getting into music via a love of Canadian rock band Sum 41
  • How he became vegan
  • The health food shop he opened with his partner
  • The importance of being non-judgemental
  • The importance of being true to yourself and respecting people’s life choices
  • His initial hatred of HIIT workouts and how he has grown to love them

Sam mentions how due to health issues, some people are unsure about going vegan, we have a full list of resources available here to help anyone who needs reassurance, advice or guidance over at Viva! Health.

We also recommend Balanced Vegan which provides an overview of what a healthy vegan diet looks like, what the experts say, why plant foods are good for us and why animal foods harm.

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