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Sampha facts for kids

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Sampha
Sampha VEGA (cropped).jpg
Sampha performing in November 2016
Background information
Birth name Sampha Lahai Sisay
Born (1988-11-16) 16 November 1988 (age 36)
Morden, London, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
  • record producer
Children 1
Instruments
Years active 2009–present
Labels
  • Young
  • XL

Sampha Lahai Sisay (born 16 November 1988) is a British singer, songwriter, musician and record producer from Morden, South London. Sampha has collaborated with Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Frank Ocean, SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Gorillaz, Travis Scott, Kanye West, Solange and others. Sampha has released two solo EPs: Sundanza (2010) and Dual (2013). Sampha's debut album, Process, was released on 3 February 2017 by Young and won the 2017 Mercury Prize. His second album, Lahai, was released on 20 October 2023.

Early years

Sampha was born in Morden, South London to Sierra Leonean parents who moved to the United Kingdom in the 1980s. 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.

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. In 2009 Sampha interned at the label. Also through Young, Sampha remixed "Basic Space" by The xx and meet 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, to critical acclaim. The album won Sampha the Mercury Prize for best album of the year. He released his second album Lahai in 2023, also to critical acclaim.

Personal life

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

Discography

  • Process (2017)
  • Lahai (2023)

Awards and nominations

Year Organisation Award Work Result
2013 BBC Sound of 2014 Himself Fourth
2017 Mercury Prize Album of the Year "Process" Won
Soul Train Music Awards Best Collaboration "Don't Touch My Hair" (with Solange Knowles) Nominated
Best Dance Performance Nominated
2018 Worldwide Awards Album of the Year Process Won
BRIT Awards Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act Himself Nominated
Ivor Novello Awards Best Song, Musically and Lyrically "No One Knows Me (Like the Piano)" Nominated
2023 Grammy Awards Album of the Year Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (as a featured artist and songwriter) Nominated
2024 Ivor Novello Award Best Album Lahai Nominated
2024 Ivor Novello Award Best Song, Musically and Lyrically Spirit 2.0 Nominated
2024 American Association of Independent Music Libera Awards Best R&B Record Lahai Won

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Sampha para niños

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