Sampha

Biography

Sampha Lahai Sisay (born 16 November 1988) is a British singer, songwriter, musician and record producer from Morden, South London. Sampha has collaborated with Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Alicia Keys, Gorillaz, Florence + the Machine, Travis Scott, Kanye West, Daniel Caesar, Solange and others. Sampha has released two solo EPs: Sundanza (2010) and Dual (2013). Sampha's debut album, Process×Process3 February 2017 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Plastic 100°C5:162Blood on Me4:073Kora Sings4:184(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano3:385Take Me Inside2:196Reverse Faults4:137Under4:428Timmy’s Prayer4:249Incomplete Kisses3:5410What Shouldn’t I Be?3:33, was released on 3 February 2017 by Young and won the 2017 Mercury Prize. His second album, Lahai×Lahai20 October 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Stereo Colour Cloud (Shaman’s Dream)2:592Spirit 2.04:503Dancing Circles3:544Suspended3:055Satellite Business1:256Jonathan L. Seagull4:357Inclination Compass (Tenderness)3:088Only2:509Time Piece0:2010Can’t Go Back3:4111Evidence3:1812Wave Therapy0:2813What If You Hypnotise Me?3:3814Rose Tint2:48, was released on 20 October 2023.

Early years

Sampha was born in Morden, South London to Sierra Leonean parents and is the youngest of five brothers. His introduction to music began with learning to play on the piano at his parents' home in Morden and listening to records given to him by his older siblings. As a teenager he discovered music production after his older brother, Sanie, built himself a makeshift home studio. He went to Ewell Castle School, studying A-Level Music: in 2017 he returned to open a new music studio building. Sampha briefly attended Chester University.

Career

In 2007, Sampha met London producer Kwes, whose music Sampha said changed his life, through Myspace. Kwes guided him and introduced him to musicians, Mica "Micachu" Levi, Ghostpoet, Dels as well as his future record label Young (known then as Young Turks). In 2009 Sampha interned at the label. Also through Young, Sampha remixed "Basic Space" by The xx and met his earliest collaborators: SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Bullion and Lil Silva. Sampha is also the cousin of grime artist Flirta D from the grime music group SLK.
In 2017, Sampha released his first album, Process×Process3 February 2017 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Plastic 100°C5:162Blood on Me4:073Kora Sings4:184(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano3:385Take Me Inside2:196Reverse Faults4:137Under4:428Timmy’s Prayer4:249Incomplete Kisses3:5410What Shouldn’t I Be?3:33, to critical acclaim. The album won Sampha the Mercury Prize for best album of the year. He released his second album Lahai×Lahai20 October 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Stereo Colour Cloud (Shaman’s Dream)2:592Spirit 2.04:503Dancing Circles3:544Suspended3:055Satellite Business1:256Jonathan L. Seagull4:357Inclination Compass (Tenderness)3:088Only2:509Time Piece0:2010Can’t Go Back3:4111Evidence3:1812Wave Therapy0:2813What If You Hypnotise Me?3:3814Rose Tint2:48 in 2023, also to critical acclaim.

Personal life

Sampha's first child, a daughter, was born in the spring of 2020.