Quick Facts
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Biography
Sampha Lahai Sisay (born 16 November 1988) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer from Morden, South London. Sampha is known widely for his collaborative work with SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Drake, 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, through Young Turks and won the 2017 Mercury Prize.
Early years
Sampha was born in Morden, South London to Sierra Leonean parents who came to the United Kingdom in the 1980s. His introduction to music came from learning to play on the piano at his parents' home in Morden and absorbing records given to him by his older siblings. Later, he discovered music production as a young teen, after his older brother, Sanie, built himself a makeshift home studio. He also went to Ewell Castle School for a number of years where he studied A-Level Music and in 2017 returned to open a new music building. Subsequently, in 2007, through Myspace.com, Sampha met London producer, Kwes, whose music Sampha said changed his life. Kwes guided and introduced Sampha to musicians, Mica "Micachu" Levi, Ghostpoet, DELS and his now label-home, Young Turks in 2009, where he interned. Through Young Turks, Sampha remixed 'Basic Space' by The xx and met 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.
Discography
Albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | BEL(FL) | CAN | GER | NLD | NZ | SWI | US | |||
| Process |
| 7 | 28 | 28 | 35 | 46 | 38 | 40 | 34 | 51 |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Sundanza |
|
| Dual |
|
Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | FRA | |||||||||||||||
| "Too Much" / "Happens" | 2013 | — | — | Non-album single | ||||||||||||
| "Timmy's Prayer" | 2016 | — | — | Process | ||||||||||||
| "Blood on Me" | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| "(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano" | 2017 | 92 | 182 | |||||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||||
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Rap | UK | UK R&B | FRA | |||||||||||||
| "Valentine" (Jessie Ware & Sampha) | 2011 | — | — | — | — | — | Devotion | ||||||||||
| "What You Won't Do for Love" (Jessie Ware featuring Sampha) | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| "On Your Own" (Lil Silva featuring Sampha) | — | — | — | — | — | The Patience EP | |||||||||||
| "Too Much" (Drake featuring Sampha) | 2013 | 64 | 16 | 86 | 19 | — | Nothing Was the Same | ||||||||||
| "The Motion" (Drake featuring Sampha) | — | — | 93 | 26 | 107 | ||||||||||||
| "Play" (Katy B featuring Sampha) | 2014 | — | — | — | — | — | Little Red | ||||||||||
| "A Kiss Goodbye" (Emile Haynie featuring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Devonté Hynes and Sampha) | — | — | — | — | — | We Fall | |||||||||||
| "Loop the Loop" (Bullion featuring Sampha) | 2015 | — | — | — | — | — | Loop the Loop | ||||||||||
| "Saint Pablo" (Kanye West featuring Sampha) | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | The Life of Pablo | ||||||||||
| "Don't Touch My Hair" (Solange featuring Sampha) | 91 | 14 | — | — | — | A Seat at the Table | |||||||||||
| "4422" (Drake featuring Sampha) | 2017 | 50 | — | 39 | 13 | 175 | More Life | ||||||||||
| "Close but Not Quite" (Everything Is Recorded featuring Sampha) | — | — | — | — | — | Close but Not Quite EP, Everything is Recorded by Richard Russell | |||||||||||
| "Mountains of Gold" (Everything is Recorded featuring Sampha, Ibeyi, Wiki and Kamasi Washington) | — | — | — | — | — | Everything is Recorded by Richard Russell | |||||||||||
| "Show Love" (Everything is Recorded featuring Syd and Sampha) | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| "Illusions" (Roses Gabor featuring Sampha) | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | Fantasy & Facts | ||||||||||
| "Desoleil (Brilliant Corners)" (Loyle Carner featuring Sampha) | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | Not Waving, but Drowning | ||||||||||
| "Soldiers" (Headie One & Fred Again featuring Sampha) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | GANG | ||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||||||
Other songs
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Neon Blue | 251109 EP |
| 2014 | Answer | Young Turks 2014 Compilation |
| 2018 | Treasure | Beautiful Boy |
Productions
- SBTRKT & Sampha – Evening Glow/Break Off
- H.A.S – The Unconscious State
- Jessie Ware & Sampha – Valentine
- SBTRKT – SBTRKT
- Lil Silva – The Patience
- Short Stories – On the Way
- Jean Deaux – Find Your Love
- Drake – Nothing Was the Same
- Katy B – Little Red
- Fabiana Palladino - For You
- FKA twigs – LP1
- Solange – A Seat at the Table
- Chip – Ten10
- Roses Gabor – Fantasy & Facts
Remixes and covers
- The xx – "Basic Space"
- The xx – "Fantasy"
- Zero 7 – "Swing"
- Bobby Caldwell – "What You Won't Do for Love"
- Chairlift – "Sidewalk Safari"
- Friendly Fires – "Blue Cassette"
- Air – "All I Need"
- Prince – "17 Days"
- Roy Davis Jr. featuring Peven Everett – "Gabriel"
- Prince / Sinead O'Connor – "Nothing Compares 2 U"
- Drake – "Controlla"
- Solange Knowles – "Cranes in the Sky"
- Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers - "Get Lucky"
- Oumou Sangare – "Minata Waraba"
- Joni Mitchell - "River (Joni Mitchell song)"
Other
- Bullion and Sampha – I Never Dance (2010, vocals, unreleased)
- Beyoncé – Mine from Beyonce LP (2013, vocals)
- Nautic – Freedom of the Floor from Navy Blue EP (2014, synths)
- CKtrl - Dolphy from Forest EP (2015, vocals, co-production)
- August Alsina - Job from This Thing Called Life LP (2015, sampled)
- Frank Ocean – Alabama from Endless LP (2016, vocals)
- Talib Kweli - The One I Love from Radio Silence LP (2017, sampled)
- ASAP Twelvyy - Strapped from 12 LP (2017, sampled)
- Domo Genesis - Overthinking from Red Corolla mixtape (2017, sampled)
- David Byrne – Everybody's Coming to My House from American Utopia (2018)
- Florence and the Machine - Grace from High as Hope (2018, co-writer, piano)
- Lil Wayne - Let It All Work Out from Tha Carter V LP (2018, sampled)
- Robyn - Send to Robin Immediately from Honey LP (2018, bass syntheziser)
- Solange – Time (Is) from When I Get Home LP (2019, vocals)
- Kindness - 3 tracks from Something Like a War LP (2019, vocals, synth)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Organisation | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | BBC | Sound of 2014 | Fourth |
| 2017 | Mercury Prize | Album of the Year for Process | Won |
| 2018 | Worldwide Awards | Album of the Year for Process | Won |
| BRIT Awards | Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act | Nominated | |
| Ivor Novello Awards | Best Song, Musically and Lyrically | Nominated |