Process Sampha

Sampha Sisay is a singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and producer whose artful and emotive mix of pop, R&B, and electronic music isn't easily categorized. He started making music early in his teenage years and attempted to get MCs to rhyme over his beats, but he was rebuffed. In 2009, however, the South London native remixed the xx track "Basic Space," which led to a busy schedule throughout 2010 and 2011. During those two years, his profile was raised significantly through collaborations with SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, and Lil Silva. Additionally, he debuted with Sundanza, a CD-R EP issued on Young Turks. Most of the tracks on SBTRKT's self-titled album, released in 2011, involved Sisay in some capacity. His 2012 wasn't quite as eventful, but 2013 brought a featured role on Drake's "Too Much" (from Nothing Was the Same), as well as Dual, the second Sampha EP, released on the label Young Turks. Abstract and sparse, the latter release was a brief showcase for Sisay's fragile-sounding yet expressive voice. As he continued to work with the relatively underground likes of SBTRKT and Bullion, Sisay continued to be sought out by high-profile artists. In 2016 alone, he appeared on releases by Kanye West, Frank Ocean, and Solange, and he also moved toward his first proper album with the singles "Timmy's Prayer" and "Blood on Me." Process, his debut full-length, was released in early 2017, and later that year was awarded the Mercury Prize. ~ Andy Kellman