Sampha Sisay, who uses the mononymous stage name Sampha, is a British electronic musicsinger-songwriter and producer from Morden, South London, United Kingdom. Sampha is known widely for his collaborative work with SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Drake, Solange Knowles, Koreless, Lil Silva, Katy B and others. Sampha has released two solo EPs: Sundanza (2010) and Dual(2013).
Thoughtful singer-songwriters don’t come often. So when Sampha, 24, released his “Dual” EP in July 2013, those in the blogosphere looking for more than just a rump-shaker jam or an empty sad song took notice. The man’s full of well-considered metaphors, like on the set’s “Beneath the Tree” where he’s battling inner demons. He wrapped 2013 strong—first with an excellent feature on Drake’s piano-driven “Too Much,” which earned him more ears. Then with his own “Happens,” a gloomy cut about someone fresh off a breakup that’s fearful of starting again. The Young Turks artist is readying a fresh batch of material for release this year. Feels like he’s likely to have a huge 2014.