Biography
Sampha crafts a distinctive fusion of R&B, pop, and electronic sounds that resists straightforward classification, set apart further by vocals that convey raw emotion and frequently seem poised to hold back sobs. Recognition first arrived through his sought-after skills as a remixer and session contributor, drawing interest from both rising underground figures and major acts such as SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Drake, Beyoncé, and Kanye West. His initial full-length album, Process, reached the U.K. Top Ten in 2017 and captured the Mercury Prize. In the years afterward he quietly lent support to an equally wide array of performers including Florence + the Machine, Alicia Keys, Actress, and Kendrick Lamar, notably shaping the latter’s Grammy-winning Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Lahai, issued in 2023, expanded on Process with a brighter, more expansive approach whose reflective words drew from his grandfather, fatherhood, time travel, and Afrofuturism.
Born Sampha Sisay, the vocalist, songwriter, keyboardist, and producer began creating music while still in his early teens. A breakthrough arrived in 2009 via a remix of the xx’s “Basic Space” that sparked steady work across 2010 and 2011, encompassing joint projects with SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, and Lil Silva plus his own Sundanza EP on Young Turks. After a quieter 2012, 2013 brought guest spots on Drake’s “Too Much” and Beyoncé’s “Mine,” followed by the release of Dual, his second Young Turks EP, whose sparse, abstract arrangements highlighted a delicate yet powerfully expressive voice. While continuing to link with U.K. peers SBTRKT, Bullion, and FKA twigs, he also attracted attention from prominent North American artists, appearing in 2016 on Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo, Frank Ocean’s Endless, and Solange’s A Seat at the Table. His own tracks “Timmy’s Prayer,” co-written with West, and “Blood on Me” surfaced later that year as early indicators of his debut album.
Recorded during the period of mourning following his mother’s death, Process arrived in February 2017, peaking at number seven in the U.K. and just outside the U.S. Top 50. Additional appearances followed that year on Drake’s More Life and several releases tied to Richard Russell’s Everything Is Recorded project. The album ultimately earned the 2017 Mercury Prize along with Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards Album of the Year.
Throughout the ensuing period Sampha lent his talents in multiple roles to projects by Loyle Carner, Alicia Keys, Headie One and Fred again.., Actress, and numerous others spanning varied styles. An expanded “bonus edition” of Process appeared at the start of 2022, incorporating two tracks previously exclusive to Japan. Later the same year he featured on a pair of chart-topping releases: Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which topped the U.S. chart, and Stormzy’s This Is What I Mean, a U.K. number one. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers later received the Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.
In June 2023, while contributing to releases by SBTRKT, Laura Groves, Kwes., Speakers Corner Quartet, and Ragz Originale, Sampha returned with his first solo single in six years. The atmospheric “Spirit 2.0,” co-written with Yussef Dayes, Yaeji, and El Guincho, preceded the October arrival of Lahai, his second album. The full set maintained a collaborative spirit, with Groves, Ibeyi, and Speakers Corner member Kwake Bass among the many participants. Lahai reached number 21 on the U.K. pop chart and number 25 on Billboard’s R&B chart. In July 2024 Sampha joined acclaimed rapper Little Simz on the single “Satellite 2.0.”
Born Sampha Sisay, the vocalist, songwriter, keyboardist, and producer began creating music while still in his early teens. A breakthrough arrived in 2009 via a remix of the xx’s “Basic Space” that sparked steady work across 2010 and 2011, encompassing joint projects with SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, and Lil Silva plus his own Sundanza EP on Young Turks. After a quieter 2012, 2013 brought guest spots on Drake’s “Too Much” and Beyoncé’s “Mine,” followed by the release of Dual, his second Young Turks EP, whose sparse, abstract arrangements highlighted a delicate yet powerfully expressive voice. While continuing to link with U.K. peers SBTRKT, Bullion, and FKA twigs, he also attracted attention from prominent North American artists, appearing in 2016 on Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo, Frank Ocean’s Endless, and Solange’s A Seat at the Table. His own tracks “Timmy’s Prayer,” co-written with West, and “Blood on Me” surfaced later that year as early indicators of his debut album.
Recorded during the period of mourning following his mother’s death, Process arrived in February 2017, peaking at number seven in the U.K. and just outside the U.S. Top 50. Additional appearances followed that year on Drake’s More Life and several releases tied to Richard Russell’s Everything Is Recorded project. The album ultimately earned the 2017 Mercury Prize along with Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards Album of the Year.
Throughout the ensuing period Sampha lent his talents in multiple roles to projects by Loyle Carner, Alicia Keys, Headie One and Fred again.., Actress, and numerous others spanning varied styles. An expanded “bonus edition” of Process appeared at the start of 2022, incorporating two tracks previously exclusive to Japan. Later the same year he featured on a pair of chart-topping releases: Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which topped the U.S. chart, and Stormzy’s This Is What I Mean, a U.K. number one. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers later received the Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.
In June 2023, while contributing to releases by SBTRKT, Laura Groves, Kwes., Speakers Corner Quartet, and Ragz Originale, Sampha returned with his first solo single in six years. The atmospheric “Spirit 2.0,” co-written with Yussef Dayes, Yaeji, and El Guincho, preceded the October arrival of Lahai, his second album. The full set maintained a collaborative spirit, with Groves, Ibeyi, and Speakers Corner member Kwake Bass among the many participants. Lahai reached number 21 on the U.K. pop chart and number 25 on Billboard’s R&B chart. In July 2024 Sampha joined acclaimed rapper Little Simz on the single “Satellite 2.0.”
Albums
Singles
