Kabba (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids KABBA
KABBA in 2020
Background information
Birth name	Aminata Kabba
Also known as	A*M*E
Born	(1994-12-13) 13 December 1994 (age 30) Freetown, Sierra Leone
Origin	London, England
Genres	R&B pop hip hop soul dance
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2010–present
Labels	Future Universal Epic
Associated acts	Gary Barlow MNEK Duke Dumont

Meet Aminata Kabba, a British singer and songwriter born on December 13, 1994. You might know her by her stage name KABBA, which used to be A*M*E. KABBA was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone. In 2011, she was discovered and signed by Gary Barlow, a famous singer from the band Take That. He signed her to his record label, Future Records.

In December 2012, the BBC announced that KABBA, then known as A*M*E, was nominated for the "Sound of 2013" poll. This poll highlights new artists to watch out for.

In January 2013, A*M*E joined Epic Records, a part of Sony Music. This happened after Gary Barlow closed Future Records to focus on his own music. Later that year, she was featured on the Duke Dumont song "Need U (100%)". This song, which also featured MNEK, became a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart in April 2013.

KABBA's Story: From Sierra Leone to Stardom

Early Life and Moving to England (1994–2011)

Aminata Kabba was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 1994. When she was eight years old, her family moved to England. Life in Sierra Leone had become very difficult, and her mother's hair salon was even burned down.

Growing up in Catford, a part of south-east London, A*M*E met another talented teenager named MNEK. They quickly became friends because they both loved pop music from the 1990s. They started making music together and wrote several songs, including one called "City Lights." This song caught the attention of Take That's lead singer, Gary Barlow, who then signed her to his record label, Future.

Starting Her Music Career as A*M*E (2012–2018)

In 2012, A*M*E released a few songs to introduce her music to the world. These included "City Lights" (with Bartoven), "Ride or Die," and "Find a Boy." She wrote "Find a Boy" with famous singer Emeli Sandé and producer Naughty Boy.

In September 2012, The Guardian newspaper announced that A*M*E would release her first official song, "Play The Game Boy," in November. This song was produced by Electric and received great reviews. Digital Spy even called it one of their "Top 10 tracks You Need to Hear," praising its "super catchy choruses" and "K-pop inspired melodies." They said it felt "fresher than anything else" on the music charts that week.

On December 9, 2012, the BBC announced that A*M*E was nominated for the "Sound of 2013" poll. Other artists nominated that year included Angel Haze and The Weeknd.

Her song with Duke Dumont, "Need U (100%)," came out in March 2013. It was a huge success for both artists, reaching number one on the charts and staying there for two weeks! This song also earned her a nomination for "Best Dance Recording" at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.

On July 14, 2014, A*M*E released her second official song, "Heartless." She also sang on songs by other artists like Monsieur Adi ("What's Going On?"), CamelPhat ("Paradigm"), MK ("My Love 4 U"), Tough Love ("Closer to Love"), Shift K3Y ("Entirety"), and M-22 ("White Lies").

Becoming KABBA and Her First EP (2019–Present)

On July 8, 2019, A*M*E shared on Instagram that she would now be known as KABBA.

Just a few days later, on July 12, 2019, KABBA announced the first song from her new music collection (called an EP). The song is titled "Glue" and features Bartoven, who she had worked with before on "City Lights." "Glue" was first shared on COMPLEX magazine's website on July 24, 2019. In the article, KABBA explained why she changed her name: "KABBA is a Sierra Leonean name and part of my identity that is so precious to me. Now that I'm entering a new phase in my career, I'm free to fully embrace KABBA."

Her first EP, titled KABBA, was released on February 14, 2020.

What Inspires KABBA's Music?

Musical Influences

KABBA loves K-pop music and says it has a big influence on her sound. She mentioned, "I love my K-pop... There's influences from it in my music – I've got some fat, solid, six-part melodies which are very K-poppy." KABBA also looks up to artists like Beyoncé, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and the K-pop group Big Bang. She calls Janet Jackson her idol and a major inspiration.

KABBA's Music: Albums and Songs

Extended Plays (EPs)

Singles (Songs Released on Their Own)

As the Main Artist

As a Featured Artist

Music Videos

Awards and Nominations