Samuel Wilbur is Making a Scene

October 27, 2025

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Making a Scene Presents an interview with Sam Wilbur

Samuel Wilbur returns with a powerful new album, Ivory Tower — a record that feels nothing short of magical. Beyond its cinematic sound and lyrical depth, the album stands out for how Wilbur uses his platform to spotlight some of Minneapolis’s strongest female voices, featuring stunning performances by Meghan Kreidler, Dani Michaele, and Laura Kiernan.

Wilbur teamed up with two of the Twin Cities’ most respected producers — Andy Thompson and Matt Patrick of The Library Studio — to bring his vision to life. The result is a sweeping, urgent indie rock opera that captures the chaos and hope of modern America.

A Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter, high school teacher, and passionate environmentalist, Wilbur splits his time between the classroom and the studio. By day, he teaches U.S. history and journalism. By night, he channels his lessons and convictions into music — crafting indie rock anthems filled with lush harmonies, sharp hooks, and poignant reflections on climate change, late-stage capitalism, and the fight to stay human in an increasingly automated world.

Following the critical success of his 2024 album The Age, Wilbur poured his environmental and social anxieties into a bold 13-track concept album. Ivory Tower explores life in an era where billionaire power brokers flirt with fascism and invasive technology deepens the global climate crisis. Through 90s-inspired guitar riffs, haunting string arrangements, anthemic trumpet lines, and thought-provoking lyrics, Wilbur turns despair into a rallying cry for awareness and action.

Recorded across four continents, Ivory Tower is Wilbur’s most ambitious project to date — a global collaboration anchored in Minnesota’s thriving music community. The record includes five tracks featuring the dynamic Meghan Kreidler of Kiss the Tiger, additional vocals from the rising band Kiernan, and groove-driven basslines from Ian Martin Allison.

True to his dual role as educator and artist, Samuel Wilbur transforms complex social lessons into songs that are accessible, resonant, and impossible to ignore. Ivory Tower isn’t just an album — it’s a call to consciousness from one of Minneapolis’s most passionate musical voices.

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