| Sampha | |||||
| Birth Name: | Sampha Lahai Sisay | ||||
| Birth Date: | 1988 11, df=y | ||||
| Birth Place: | Morden, London, England | ||||
| Occupation: |
| ||||
| Discography: | Sampha discography | ||||
| Years Active: | 2009–present | ||||
Sampha Lahai Sisay (born 16 November 1988) is a British singer, songwriter, musician and record producer from Morden, South London.[1] Sampha has collaborated with Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Frank Ocean, SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Travis Scott, Kanye West, Solange and others.[2] Sampha has released two solo EPs: Sundanza (2010)[3] and Dual (2013).[4] Sampha's debut album, Process, was released on 3 February 2017 by Young[5] and won the 2017 Mercury Prize.[6] His second album, Lahai, was released on 20 October 2023.[7]
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.[8]
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.[9] 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.[10] [11] [12]
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.
Sampha's first child, a daughter, was born in the spring of 2020.[13]
See main article: Sampha discography.
| Year | Organisation | Award | Work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | BBC[15] | Sound of 2014 | Himself | Fourth | |
| 2017 | Mercury Prize | Album of the Year | "Process" | ||
| Soul Train Music Awards | Best Collaboration | "Don't Touch My Hair" | |||
| Best Dance Performance | |||||
| 2018 | Worldwide Awards | Album of the Year | Process | ||
| BRIT Awards | Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act | Himself | |||
| Ivor Novello Awards[16] | Best Song, Musically and Lyrically | "No One Knows Me (Like the Piano)" | |||
| 2023 | Grammy Awards[17] | Album of the Year | Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers | ||
| 2024 | Ivor Novello Award[18] | Best Album | Lahai | ||
| 2024 | Ivor Novello Award | Best Song, Musically and Lyrically | Spirit 2.0 | ||
| 2024 | American Association of Independent Music Libera Awards[19] | Best R&B Record | Lahai |