Sam Roman, known by his stage name Romans (stylised as RØMANS), is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. He first gained mainstream recognition after being featured on Naughty Boy's "Home" and penning "My Loving," "Long Hard Look" and "Doubt" for Mary J. Blige, which were released on her thirteenth studio album, The London Sessions.[1] Other artists he has penned for include Demi Lovato, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Elton John, Clean Bandit,[2] Jonas Blue,[3] AlunaGeorge, Disclosure, Claudia Leitte, Little Mix,[4] DNCE, Ella Mai and more.
Romans was born in Pinner, Middlesex, which also is the birthplace and childhood residence of Elton John, whom he cites as one of his key-influences. He attended Orley Farm Prep School, Harrow where he was taught, amongst other music, the piano. He also taught himself to play guitar, cello, piano, drums, and saxophone, as well as teaching himself how to produce. His first gig was the Northwood Hills hotel at the age of 13 (the same venue as Elton John's first show), and he left school at 16 to pursue music full-time.[5]
His music style has been described as a mix of soul, pop and hip-hop.[6] His early career included the release of numerous singles in the United Kingdom.[5] In July 2014, RØMANS was featured on "Home" off Naughty Boy's debut-album, Hotel Cabana, their collaboration was released as a single. On 6 May 2014, it was announced that he had signed a record deal with Roc Nation.[7]
Having previously focussed on EPs, 2016's Silence and 2017's Automatic, his third and fourth releases overall, received radio support from BBC Radio 1's Annie Mac, Clara Amfo and Toddla T, as well as 1Xtra's MistaJam and DJ Target. Rarely performing live, he played The Fader's infamous Fader Fort stage at SXSW and has continued to receive support from the publication, along with other tastemakers including Spin, Wonderland, Pigeons & Planes and The Line Of Best Fit.
He sees his own music as a creative necessity that complements the process of his songwriting career. "If I do a month of writing with other people I’m suddenly like, ‘Right, I need to just go home, be on my own, and play some fucking weird guitar shit,’” he explains. “I think it’s also partly because there’s a natural frustration there as a writer: a lot of stuff gets wasted and sits on hard drives forever. I couldn’t just write for other people and do the conveyor belt of songwriting if I didn’t have an area where I can make things to my taste". His latest project PEOPLE which consists of nine records launched in August 2018 with the release of 'Glitter & Gold'.
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Overthinking Pt. 1 |
|
| Act I |
|
| Silence |
|
| Automatic |
|
| PEOPLE |
|
| Year | Artist | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Mary J. Blige | "Doubt" | The London Sessions |
| "My Loving" | |||
| "Long Hard Look" | |||
| Naughty Boy | "Home" | Hotel Cabana | |
| Olly Murs | "We Still Love" | Never Been Better | |
| 2015 | Claudia Leitte | "Shiver Down My Spine" | Haja Coração, Vol. 2 |
| Disclosure | "Jaded" | Caracal | |
| Kwabs | "Father Figure" | Love + War | |
| Melissa Steel | "You Love Me?" (featuring Wretch 32) | Non-album single | |
| Gorgon City | "Saving My Life" (feat. RØMANS) | Non-album single | |
| 2016 | Birdy | "Beautiful Lies" | Beautiful Lies |
| "Growing Pains" | |||
| "Beating Heart" | |||
| Clean Bandit | "Tears" (featuring Louisa Johnson) | What Is Love? | |
| DJ Mustard | "10,000 Hours" (featuring Ella Mai) | Cold Summer | |
| Mahalia | "Back Up Plan" | Diary Of Me | |
| Låpsley | "Love Is Blind" | Long Way Home | |
| Little Mix | "Down & Dirty" | Glory Days | |
| "Private Show" | |||
| AlunaGeorge | "I'm In Control" | I Remember | |
| 2017 | Ella Mai | "Breakfast in Bed" | READY |
| "Makes Me Wonder" | |||
| Jonas Blue | "Mama" (featuring William Singe) | ||
| Noah Cyrus | "I'm Stuck" | Non-album single | |
| Little Mix | "If I Get My Way" | Glory Days: The Platinum Edition | |
| "Is Your Love Enough?" | |||
| Rag'n'Bone Man | "Fade to Nothing" | Human | |
| Gavin James | "Hearts on Fire" | Only Ticket Home | |
| Youngr | "Monsters" | This Is Not An Album | |
| Craig David | "Heartline" | The Time Is Now | |
| Joe Jonas, Naughty Boy | "One Chance to Dance" | Non-album single | |
| DNCE | "Christmas Without You" | A Very ROC Christmas | |
| 2018 | Justine Skye | "Don't Think About It" | ULTRAVIOLET |
| Demi Lovato | "Sober" | Non-album single | |
| Matoma | "One in a Million" | One in a Million | |
| Jonas Blue | "Rise" | Blue | |
| Jonas Blue, Liam Payne, Lennon Stella | "Polaroid" | ||
| AJ Mitchell | "Girls" | Hopeful | |
| Axwell & Ingrosso | "Dancing Alone" | Non-album single | |
| Tom Walker | "How Can You Sleep at Night?" | What a Time to Be Alive | |
| Lewis Capaldi | "Someone You Loved" | Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent | |
| Rita Ora | "Velvet Rope" | Phoenix | |
| Clean Bandit | "Should've Known Better" (featuring Anne-Marie) | What Is Love? | |
| 2019 | Maisie Peters | "Stay Young" | Single |
| Khalid | "Self" | Free Spirit | |
| Zhavia | "17" | 17 | |
| Louise | "Lead Me On" | Heavy Love | |
| Jonas Blue, HRVY | "Younger" | Non-album single | |
| Camila Cabello | "This Love" | Romance | |
| 2020 | Demi Lovato | "Anyone" | Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over |
| Meghan Trainor | "Babygirl" | Treat Myself | |
| Elley Duhé | "LOVE ME HARD" | ||
| X Ambassadors | "Everything Sounds Like A Love Song" | ||
| 2021 | Mary J. Blige | "Hourglass" | |
| 2023 | Shania Twain | "Giddy Up!" | Queen of Me |
| Pink | "Lost Cause" | Trustfall | |
| Labrinth | "Never Felt So Alone" | Ends & Begins |