Sampha

Sampha Lahai Sisay (born 16 November 1988) is a British singer, songwriter, musician and record producer from Morden, South London.[1] Sampha is known widely for his collaborative work with SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Drake, Kanye West, Solange and others.[2] Sampha has released two solo EPs: Sundanza (2010)[3] and Dual (2013).[4] Sampha's debut album, Process, was released on 3 February 2017, through Young Turks[5] and won the 2017 Mercury Prize.[6]

Sampha
Sampha performing in November 2016
Background information
Birth name	Sampha Lahai Sisay
Born	16 November 1988 London, England
Genres	Electronic soul R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician record producer
Instruments	Vocals keyboards sequencers percussion
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Young Turks XL
Associated acts	SBTRKT Jessie Ware Drake Solange FKA twigs Kanye West Lil Silva Koreless Everything is Recorded
Website	sampha.com

Early years

Sampha was born in Morden, South London to Sierra Leonean parents who came to the United Kingdom in the 1980s. His introduction to music came from learning to play on the piano at his parents' home in Morden and absorbing records given to him by his older siblings. Later, he discovered music production as a young teen, after his older brother, Sanie, built himself a makeshift home studio. He also went to Ewell Castle School for a number of years where he studied A-Level Music and in 2017 returned to open a new music building.[7] Subsequently, in 2007, through Myspace.com, Sampha met London producer, Kwes, whose music Sampha said changed his life. Kwes guided and introduced Sampha to musicians, Mica "Micachu" Levi, Ghostpoet, DELS and his now label-home, Young Turks in 2009, where he interned.[8] Through Young Turks, 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.[9][10][11]

Discography

Albums

Title	Details	Peak chart positions									Certifications
		UK [12]	AUS [13]	BEL (FL) [14]	CAN [15]	GER [16]	NLD [17]	NZ [18]	SWI [19]	US [20]
Process	Released: 3 February 2017[21] Label: Young Turks Format: CD, LP, digital download	7	28	28	35	46	38	40	34	51	BPI: Silver[22]

Extended plays

Title	Details
Sundanza	Released: 21 June 2010[23] Label: Young Turks Format: CD-R
Dual	Released: 29 July 2013[24] Label: Young Turks Format: CD, 12", digital download

As lead artist

Title	Year	Peak chart positions		Album
		UK [12]	FRA [25]
"Too Much" / "Happens"	2013	—	—	Non-album single
"Timmy's Prayer"	2016	—	—	Process
"Blood on Me"		—	—
"(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano"	2017	92	182
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

As featured artist

Title	Year	Peak chart positions					Album
		US [26]	US Rap [26]	UK [12]	UK R&B [27]	FRA [28]
"Valentine" (Jessie Ware & Sampha)	2011	—	—	—	—	—	Devotion
"What You Won't Do for Love" (Jessie Ware featuring Sampha)		—	—	—	—	—
"On Your Own" (Lil Silva featuring Sampha)		—	—	—	—	—	The Patience EP
"Hold On" (SBTRKT featuring Sampha)	2012	—	—	—	—	—	SBTRKT
"Too Much" (Drake featuring Sampha)	2013	64	16	86	19	—	Nothing Was the Same
"The Motion" (Drake featuring Sampha)		—	—	93	26	107
"Play" (Katy B featuring Sampha)	2014	—	—	—	—	—	Little Red
"A Kiss Goodbye" (Emile Haynie featuring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Devonté Hynes and Sampha)		—	—	—	—	—	We Fall
"Loop the Loop" (Bullion featuring Sampha)	2015	—	—	—	—	—	Loop the Loop
"Saint Pablo" (Kanye West featuring Sampha)	2016	—	—	—	—	—	The Life of Pablo
"Don't Touch My Hair" (Solange featuring Sampha)		91	14	—	—	—	A Seat at the Table
"4422" (Drake featuring Sampha)	2017	50	—	39	13	175	More Life
"Close but Not Quite" (Everything Is Recorded featuring Sampha)		—	—	—	—	—	Close but Not Quite EP, Everything is Recorded by Richard Russell
"Mountains of Gold" (Everything is Recorded featuring Sampha, Ibeyi, Wiki and Kamasi Washington)		—	—	—	—	—	Everything is Recorded by Richard Russell
"Show Love" (Everything is Recorded featuring Syd and Sampha)		—	—	—	—	—
"Illusions" (Roses Gabor featuring Sampha)	2018	—	—	—	—	—	Fantasy & Facts
"Desoleil (Brilliant Corners)" (Loyle Carner featuring Sampha)	2019	—	—	—	—	—	Not Waving, but Drowning
"Soldiers" (Headie One & Fred Again featuring Sampha)	2020	—	—	—	—	—	GANG
"Walking Flames" (Actress featuring Sampha)	2020	—	—	—	—	—	Karma & Desire
"3 Hour Drive" (Alicia Keys featuring Sampha)	2020	—	—	—	—	—	ALICIA
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Other songs

Year	Song	Album
2009	Neon Blue	251109 EP
2014	Answer	Young Turks 2014 Compilation
2018	Treasure	Beautiful Boy

With SBTRKT

Albums

• SBTRKT (27 June 2011)
• Wonder Where We Land (7 October 2014)

Productions

• SBTRKT & Sampha – Evening Glow/Break Off (2010, EP, two songs, co-production w/ SBTRKT)
• H.A.S – The Unconscious State (2010, EP, six songs, production)
• Jessie Ware & Sampha – Valentine (2011, single, production)
• SBTRKT – SBTRKT (2011, album, two songs, co-production w/ SBTRKT)
• Lil Silva – The Patience (2011, EP, one song, co-production w/ Lil Silva)
• Short Stories – On the Way (2013, EP, two songs, co-production w/ Koreless)
• Jean Deaux – Find Your Love (2013, single, one song, production)
• Drake – Nothing Was the Same (2013, album, two songs, co-production)
• Katy B – Little Red (2014, album, one song, production)
• Fabiana Palladino - For You (2014, single, one song, co-production)[29]
• FKA twigs – LP1 (2014, album, one song, co-production w/ FKA twigs)
• Solange – A Seat at the Table (2016, album, four songs, co-production) [30][31]
• Chip – Ten10 (2018, album, one song, co-production w/ Lil Silva)[32]
• Roses Gabor – Fantasy & Facts (2018, album, one song, production)[33]
• Alicia Keys – ALICIA (2020, single, one song, co-production w/ Alicia Keys)
• serpentwithfeet – Fellowship (2021, single, co-production with serpentwithfeet & Lil Silva)[34]

Remixes and covers

• The xx – "Basic Space" (2009, Sampha Remix)
• The xx – "Fantasy" (2010, Bullion & Sampha Cover, unreleased)
• Zero 7 – "Swing" (2010, Sampha Remix, unreleased)
• Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip – "Sick Tonight" (2010, Sampha Remix)
• Othello Woof – "Doorstep" (2010, Sampha Remix)[35]
• Bobby Caldwell – "What You Won't Do for Love" (2011, Jessie Ware and Sampha cover on Boiler Room)
• Chairlift – "Sidewalk Safari" (2011, Sampha Remix)
• Friendly Fires – "Blue Cassette" (2012, SBTRKT and Sampha cover on BBC Radio 1)
• Air – "All I Need" (2016, Sampha cover on BBC Radio 1)
• Prince – "17 Days" (2016, Sampha cover on BBC Radio 1)
• Roy Davis Jr. featuring Peven Everett – "Gabriel" (2017, Sampha cover on BBC Radio 1Xtra)
• Prince / Sinead O'Connor – "Nothing Compares 2 U" (2017, Sampha cover on BBC Radio)
• Drake – "Controlla" (2017, Sampha cover on BBC Radio 1)
• Solange Knowles – "Cranes in the Sky" (2017, Sampha cover on BBC's coverage of Glastonbury Festival 2017)
• Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers - "Get Lucky" (2018, Sampha cover on BBC Radio 1)[36]
• Oumou Sangare – "Minata Waraba" (2018, Sampha Remix)[37]
• Joni Mitchell - "River (Joni Mitchell song)" (2018, Kelsey Lu feat. Sampha cover)[38]

Other

• Bullion and Sampha – I Never Dance (2010, vocals, unreleased)
• Beyoncé – Mine from Beyonce LP (2013, vocals)
• Nautic – Freedom of the Floor from Navy Blue EP (2014, synths)[39]
• CKtrl - Dolphy from Forest EP (2015, vocals, co-production)
• August Alsina - Job from This Thing Called Life LP (2015, sampled)
• Frank Ocean – Alabama from Endless LP (2016, vocals)[40]
• Talib Kweli - The One I Love from Radio Silence LP (2017, sampled)
• ASAP Twelvyy - Strapped from 12 LP (2017, sampled)
• Domo Genesis - Overthinking from Red Corolla mixtape (2017, sampled)[41]
• David Byrne – Everybody's Coming to My House from American Utopia (2018)
• Florence and the Machine - Grace from High as Hope (2018, co-writer, piano)[42]
• Lil Wayne - Let It All Work Out from Tha Carter V LP (2018, sampled)[43][44]
• Robyn - Send to Robin Immediately from Honey LP (2018, bass syntheziser)[45]
• Solange – Time (Is) from When I Get Home LP (2019, vocals)
• Kindness - 3 tracks from Something Like a War LP (2019, vocals, synth)

Awards and nominations

Year	Organisation	Award	Result
2013	BBC[46]	Sound of 2014	Fourth
2017	Mercury Prize	Album of the Year for "Process"	Won
	Soul Train Music Awards	Best Collaboration for "Don't Touch My Hair" (with Solange Knowles)	Nominated
		Best Dance Performance for "Don't Touch My Hair" (with Solange Knowles)	Nominated
2018	Worldwide Awards	Album of the Year for "Process"	Won
	BRIT Awards	Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act	Nominated
	Ivor Novello Awards[47]	Best Song, Musically and Lyrically	Nominated

References

1. "Beggars Music – Sampha". Beggars Music. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
2. "Rising: Sampha". Pitchfork Media. 8 July 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
3. "Sampha – Sundanza". Young Turks Records. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
4. "Sampha – Dual". Young Turks Records. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
5. "Sampha – Process". Young Turks Records. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
6. Brown, Mark (14 September 2017). "Mercury prize 2017 is won by Sampha's Process". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
7. "Mercury Prize-winner Sampha Sisay returns to Ewell Castle School". Your Local Guardian. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
8. "Instagram post by Young Turks • Sep 15, 2017 at 5:47pm UTC". Instagram. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
9. "Sampha's Search For Magic _ The FADER". The FADER. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
10. "Sampha the voice of generations _ Dazed". Dazed Digital. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
11. "RBMA Radio Live – Sampha". Rbmradio.com. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
12. Sampha peaks in the UK:
    • All except noted: "SAMPHA | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
    • "The Motion": "DRAKE | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
13. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. 13 February 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
14. "Sampha Discography". ultratop.be. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
15. "Sampha Chart History". Billboard. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
16. "Sampha Discography". Offiziele Deutsche Charts. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
17. "Sampha Discography". dutchcharts.nl. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
18. "NZ Top 40 Albums Charts". RMNZ. 13 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
19. "Sampha Discography". hitparade.ch. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
20. "Sampha Chart History". Billboard. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
21. Renshaw, David (3 November 2016). "Sampha Details Debut Album Process". The Fader. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
22. "BRIT Certified – bpi" (Enter the keyword "Sampha" into the search box). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
23. "Sampha – Sundanza". Young Turks. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
24. "Sampha – Dual". Young Turks. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
25. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 6, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
26. "Drake Album & Song Chart History". Billboard charts.
27. Peak positions for the featured singles in the UK:
    • For "Too Much": "Archive Chart> January 20, 2014". Official Charts Company.
28. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 13, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
29. "Sampha Produced This Gem from New London Artist Fabiana Palladino - The FADER". The Fader. 6 August 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
30. "A Seat at the Table on iTunes NZ". iTunes. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
31. "Here Are The Full Album Credits For Solange's A Seat At The Table". The Fader. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
32. "Chip Returns with "Darth Vader" Visual". RESPECT. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
33. "Roses Gabor Partners Up With Sampha To Lament A Fading Love (And The End Of Summer) On Illusions". Complex. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
34. Ruiz, Matthew Ismael. "serpentwithfeet Announces New Album DEACON, Shares Video for New Song "Fellowship"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
35. "Download Othello Woolf x Sampha". Dummy Mag. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
36. "BBC Radio 1 - Live Lounge, Sampha". BBC. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
37. "Sampha Remixes Malian Pioneer Oumou Sangaré; Hear it Now - XLR8R". XLR8R. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
38. "Kelsey Lu takes on 10cc "I'm Not In Love"". The FADER. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
39. "Freedom of the Floor, by Nautic". Nautic.
40. "Track-by-track review of Frank Ocean's 'Endless'". The Independent. 19 August 2016.
41. "Domo Genesis (Feat. Styles P) - Overthinking (Prod. Sap) [Red Corolla". YouTube. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
42. "Florence + the Machine: High As Hope review – high flyer coming in to land | Music". The Guardian. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
43. "Lil Wayne Samples Sampha on 'Tha Carter V' Standout 'Let It All Work Out'". OkayAfrica.com. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
44. Joshua Espinoza. "Lil Wayne Addresses Suicide Attempt on 'Tha Carter V'". Complex.com. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
45. Honey (liner notes). Robyn. Konichiwa Records. 2018. KOR057CD.CS1 maint: others (link)
46. "Sound of 2014 Profile: Sampha". BBC. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
47. "Ivor Novello Awards (@TheIvors) - Twitter". Twitter and Ivor Novello Awards. Retrieved 25 April 2018.

External links

• Official website