Loading details…
Loading details…
Artist
Sampha's artful and emotive mix of pop, R&B, and electronic music isn't easily categorizable, and is further distinguished by a heartfelt vocal style that tends to sound as if it's on the brink of choking back tears. The artist established himself as a valued remixer and studio collaborator sought by emergent underground talents and mainstream stars alike, including SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Drake, Beyoncé, and Kanye West. Process (2017), his full-length debut, went Top Ten in his native U.K. and won the Mercury Prize, yet Sampha has humbly continued to assist a similarly vast range of artists, including Florence + the Machine, Alicia Keys, and Actress, since its release. The singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and producer, born Sampha Sisay, started making music in his early teenage years. In 2009, the South London native broke through with a remix of the xx's "Basic Space," which led to a busy schedule across 2010 and 2011. This period entailed collaborations with SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, and Lil Silva, as well as a solo debut with Sundanza, an EP issued on the Young Turks label. After a less eventful 2012, the following year Sampha was featured on Drake's "Too Much" and Beyoncé's "Mine," and issued Dual, his second Young Turks EP, an abstract and skeletal showcase for his fragile-sounding yet expressive voice. As he continued to work with fellow U.K. natives SBTRKT, Bullion, and FKA twigs, Sampha was also sought by more high-profile North American artists, and in 2016 alone appeared