Seal (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Seal
Seal in Sydney, 2012
Background information
Birth name	Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel
Also known as	Sealhenry Samuel
Born	(1963-02-19) 19 February 1963 (age 62) Paddington, London, England
Genres	Soul folk pop dance rock
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter record producer
Years active	1987–present
Labels	ZTT Sire Warner Bros. Reprise Decca
Spouse(s)	Heidi Klum ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2014)​
Children	4, including adopted daughter Leni Klum
Awards	Full list

Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel, known professionally as Seal, is an English singer and songwriter famous for his unique, soulful voice. Born on February 19, 1963, he has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. He has won many major awards, including three Brit Awards and four Grammy Awards.

Seal became a global star with hits like "Crazy" and "Killer." His most famous song, "Kiss from a Rose," became a number-one hit in the U.S. after it was featured in the movie Batman Forever. The song is still loved by fans around the world today.

Throughout his career, Seal has released many successful albums. He is also known for his work as a coach on the TV show The Voice Australia.

Early Life

Seal was born in Paddington, a part of London, England. His mother was from Nigeria, and his father was from Brazil. For part of his childhood, he lived with a foster family in Westminster, London. Before becoming a famous musician, he earned a diploma in architecture and worked several different jobs around London.

The scars on Seal's face are from a condition called discoid lupus erythematosus. This type of lupus affects the skin and can leave scars.

Music Career

Starting Out in the 1980s

In the 1980s, Seal began his music journey by singing in local clubs. He joined a funk band called Push and even toured with them in Japan. After traveling in Asia, he returned to England.

His big break came when he met the music producer Adamski. Seal wrote the lyrics and sang on Adamski's song "Killer," which became a number-one hit in the United Kingdom.

Success in the 1990s

After the success of "Killer," Seal signed with ZTT Records. In 1991, he released his first album, also called Seal. The album was a huge hit with both critics and fans. It included the hit singles "Crazy" and his own version of "Killer." "Crazy" was a worldwide hit, reaching number two in the UK and number seven in the U.S.

In 1992, Seal won three Brit Awards: Best British Male, Best British Video ("Killer"), and Best British Album (Seal).

His second album, also named Seal, came out in 1994. It featured the song "Kiss from a Rose." At first, the song wasn't a big hit. But it became incredibly popular after being used in the movie Batman Forever. In 1996, "Kiss from a Rose" won two Grammy Awards, including the awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It became Seal's biggest hit in the United States.

In 1998, Seal released his third album, Human Being.

Music in the 2000s

Seal performing in 2008

Seal continued to make music in the 2000s. In 2003, he released his fourth album, Seal IV, which included the popular European hit "Love's Divine."

In 2007, he released the album System. It had a more dance-focused sound, similar to his first album. The album's first single, "Amazing," earned a Grammy nomination.

His sixth album, Soul (2008), was a collection of classic soul songs. It featured his version of Sam Cooke's famous song "A Change Is Gonna Come."

Career in the 2010s

Seal in 2011

In 2010, Seal released Seal 6: Commitment, an album he said was inspired by his family. He followed this with another album of soul classics, Soul 2, in 2011.

In 2011, Seal faced criticism for performing at a birthday party for Ramzan Kadyrov, the President of Chechnya. Human rights groups were concerned because Kadyrov is a controversial leader. Seal responded on Twitter, asking people to "leave me out of your politics."

From 2012 to 2017, Seal was a popular coach on The Voice Australia. His singers won the competition in the first two seasons he appeared.

In 2015, he released the album 7, and in 2017, he released Standards, an album of classic jazz and swing songs. Standards was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Recent Work

In 2023, Seal went on a tour across North America. The tour celebrated his first two albums. In 2024, he released a special 30th-anniversary edition of his first album, which included a new version of "Kiss from a Rose."

He released a new song, "All I Know is Now," on February 14, 2025.

Personal Life

Seal began dating German model Heidi Klum in 2004. They married in May 2005 on a beach in Mexico.

Together, they have three children: two sons, Henry and Johan, and a daughter, Lou. Seal also adopted Klum's first daughter, Leni, from a previous relationship.

In January 2012, Seal and Klum announced they were separating. Their divorce was finalized in October 2014. Since 2021, Seal has been in a relationship with his former personal assistant, Laura Strayer.

Charity and Other Projects

Seal has been involved in many charity events. In 1992, he performed at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert to honor the late singer of Queen. He sang "Who Wants to Live Forever" in a performance that many people remember as a highlight of the concert.

He has also appeared in movies and on TV. He had a voice role as a singing seal named Seal Seal in the animated movie Seal Team (2021). He also surprised audiences as the "Leopard" on the second season of the American TV show The Masked Singer, where he finished in fourth place.

Discography

Studio albums

• Seal (1991)
• Seal ("Seal II") (1994)
• Human Being (1998)
• Seal IV (2003)
• System (2007)
• Soul (2008)
• Seal 6: Commitment (2010)
• Soul 2 (2011)
• 7 (2015)
• Standards (2017)

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Seal para niños

• Brazilians in the United Kingdom
• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
• List of Billboard number-one dance club songs
• Lists of Billboard number-one singles