Seinabo Sey
Seinabo Sey in 2014.
Seinabo Sey in 2014.
Background information
Born (1990-10-07) 7 October 1990 (age 33)
OriginStockholm, Sweden
GenresSoul, pop, electropop
Occupation(s)singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2013–present
LabelsUniversal Music Group, Virgin Records[1]
Websitewww.seinabosey.com

Seinabo Sey (born 7 October 1990) is a Swedish singer and songwriter best known for her international hit song "Younger".

Early life

Seinabo Sey was born in Södermalm, Stockholm,[2] on 7 October 1990. She is of both Swedish and Gambian ancestry.[3] She moved to Halmstad, Sweden, at the age of eight, and attended Östergårdsskolans music program for musically gifted teenagers.[4]

Sey was inspired musically by artists such as Alicia Keys and Beyoncé early in life. She grew up in Halmstad, Sweden, surrounded by artistry and creativity. Her father Maudo Sey was a renowned musician in The Gambia and Senegal, West Africa. Her mother, Madeleine Sundqvist, is Swedish. Seinabo Sey has two siblings; a younger brother Maudo Sey jr and sister Seidato Sey, she is also half-sister to the artist Fatima Bramme Sey[5] and the radio host Amie Bramme Sey. In an interview, Sey recalled being nine years old and watching MTV, which led her to become obsessed with music and singing. Sey wanted to study at Yale as an adolescent, being inspired by the character Rory Gilmore on the television show Gilmore Girls. She took academic steps towards that dream, enrolling in an International Baccalaureate program in Halmstad, Sweden, although at the age of 16 she ended up changing course, moving to Stockholm to attend and later graduate from Fryshusets esthetics program with a concentration in soul music.[6]

In an interview Sey noted: "I was really academically tracked... I loved to sing but I could never fathom singing by myself. I tried to push away the whole music dream and thought I had to do something more in line with that, like becoming a lawyer or something, until I was around sixteen. But then I realised I couldn't really live in that small town so I moved to Stockholm and started music school".[7][8][9][10]

Career

After Sey started working with producer Magnus Lidehäll she released her debut single "Younger", followed by "Hard Time" and "Pistols at Dawn".[11] The singles, which were described as soul pop, received much attention and accolades in Sweden and abroad.[12] Kygo, a Norwegian musician, remixed "Younger", releasing it in Norway and the United States. This version, known as "Younger (Kygo Remix)", peaked on the Norwegian VG-lista chart (for seven consecutive weeks) and on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs. On 16 April 2015, "Younger" was featured on BBC Radio 1 as their Track of the Day.

In 2014, EDM duo Galantis used a sample of Sey's single "Hard Times" in a song that appears on their self-titled EP titled "Friends (Hard Times)".

Sey performed at the 2014 Swedish Grammy Awards and at Allsång på Skansen in Stockholm.[13][14] In October 2014, Seinabo Sey released the critically acclaimed EP For Madeleine, dedicated to and named after her mother.[15] The EP was produced by Magnus Lidehäll and written by, among others, Salem Al Fakir, Oscar Linnros and Vincent Pontare, along with Seinabo Sey herself. That same month, she performed at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm.[16] She also performed at the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize concert.[17]

On 30 March 2015 Sey released her second EP, the four-track For Maudo, dedicated to and named after her father, Maudo Sey [sv]. Repeating the success of For Madeleine, the EP received favorable reviews and widespread critical acclaim in Sweden and abroad. For Maudo was produced by Magnus Lidehäll, and one Swedish review described the EP as a "weightless and spellbinding" crossover between soul and modern pop. Another review described the EP as being composed of "exceptionally beautiful music".[18][19][20][21][22][23]

On 23 October 2015 Sey released her first album, called Pretend. The album contains 16 tracks, including "Younger" and "Hard Time".[24] In November 2016, the album's titular track "Pretend" was the featured music in the season 6 Girls trailer.[25]

Also in 2015, parts of her 2014 song, "Hard Time", was utilized as theme song for Swedish murder-mystery TV series, 100 Code (Hundred Code). The show screened in Germany and then spread to other countries; it is now on rerun on cable in the United States and elsewhere.

On 7 September 2018 she released her second album I'm a Dream.[26]

Awards and accolades

Discography

Albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
SWE
[30] 		NOR
[31] 		SWI
[32]
Pretend 4 29 87
I'm a Dream
  • Released: 7 September 2018[26]
  • Label: Saraba AB
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
 6 — —
The One After Me
  • Released: 26 May 2023
  • Label: Saraba AB
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
 58 — —

Extended plays

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
Heat.
[35]
For Madeleine
  • Released: 26 January 2015[36]
  • Label: Saraba AB
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
 23
Sweet Life
  • Released: 4 June 2021
  • Label: Saraba AB
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
 —

Singles

List of singles as a lead artist, with selected details and chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
SWE
[30] 		AUT
[37] 		BEL
(FL)
[38] 		BEL
(WA)
[39] 		DEN
[40] 		NOR
[31] 		SCO
[41] 		UK
[42] 		US
Dance
[43]
"Younger" 2013 14 54 32 44 12 1 32 61 48 Pretend
"Hard Time" 2014 —[A] — —[B] — — — — — —
"Poetic" 2015 —[C] — — — — — — — —
"Sorry"[50] 2016 — — — — — — — — —
"Easy"[51] —[D] — — — — — — — —
"I Owe You Nothing"[52] 2018 66 — — —[E] — — — — — I'm a Dream
"Remember"
(featuring Jacob Banks)[52] 		—[F] — — — — — — — —
"Breathe"[54] —[G] — — — — — — — —
"Good in You" —[H] — —[I] — — — — — —
"Shores"
(with Vargas & Lagola) 		2019 61 — — — — — — — — Non-album single
"Sweet Life"
(with Waterbaby) 		2021 —[J] — — — — — — — — Sweet Life
"Blessed" 2022 — — — — — — — — — Non-album singles
"Black Star" — — — — — — — — —
"Swim Away" — — — — — — — — —
"Suzuki" 2023 — — — — — — — — —
"Yes"
(featuring Namasenda) 		— — — — — — — — — The One After Me
"Everything" — — — — — — — — —
"Fri till slut"
(with Dina Ögon) 		48
[58]		 — — — — — — — — Non-album single
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

Other charted songs

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
SWE
[30]
"Never Get Used To" 2018 57 I'm a Dream
"Rom-Com"
(with Hannes) 		2021 —[K] Sweet Life

Notes

  1. ^ "Hard Time" did not enter the Swedish singles chart, but peaked at number seven on the Swedish Heatseeker chart.[47]
  2. ^ "Hard Time" did not enter the Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 14 on the Flemish Ultratip chart.[38]
  3. ^ "Poetic" did not enter the Swedish Singles Chart, but peaked at number six on the Swedish Heatseeker chart.[49]
  4. ^ "Easy" did not enter the Swedish Singles Chart, but peaked at number one on the Swedish Heatseeker chart.[49]
  5. ^ "I Own You Nothing" did not enter the Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 36 on the Wallonie Ultratip chart.[39]
  6. ^ "Remember" did not enter the Swedish singles chart, but peaked at number seven on the Swedish Heatseeker chart.[53]
  7. ^ "Breathe" did not enter the Swedish Singellista Chart, but peaked at number 12 on the Swedish Heatseeker Chart.[55]
  8. ^ "Good in You" did not enter the Swedish Singellista Chart, but peaked at number 10 on the Swedish Heatseeker Chart.[56]
  9. ^ "Good in You" did not enter the Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 31 on the Flemish Ultratip chart.[38]
  10. ^ "Sweet Life" did not enter the Swedish Singellista Chart, but peaked at number eight on the Swedish Heatseeker Chart.[57]
  11. ^ "Rom-Com" did not enter the Swedish Singellista Chart, but peaked at number three on the Swedish Heatseeker Chart.[59]

References

  1. ^ "Virgin Records - Virgin Records shared Seinabo Sey's post. - Facebook". facebook.com.
  2. ^ "Seinabo Sey". Sveriges Television. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  3. ^ SAXELBY, RUTH. "Seinabo Sey Is Singing Herself Into A Better Person". The FADER.
  4. ^ "Halmstads Musikklasser - Halmstads kommun". halmstad.se. Archived from the original on 2014-12-27.
  5. ^ "Seinabo Seinabo Sey wins three awards in three days". 2 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Seinabo Sey utvecklades och hittade scensjälvsäkerhet på Fryshuset Fryshuset". Fryshuset. Archived from the original on 2016-02-19. Retrieved 2014-12-27.
  7. ^ "Seinabo Sey om att vara modeintresserad i en småstad". elle.se. 24 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Hellre primalskrik än fint polerat". DN.SE. 16 January 2014.
  9. ^ Collins, Andy. "Seinabo Sey". scandinaviansoul.com.
  10. ^ Selby, Jenn (11 July 2014). "Who is Seinabo Sey? Introducing the Swedish-Gambian singer inspired by her dual identity". The Independent.
  11. ^ "Seinabo Sey". Billboard.
  12. ^ Tolentino, Jia (May 7, 2014). "Seinabo Sey, 'Hard Time'". The Hairpin. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. ^ "Google". google.se.
  14. ^ "Seinabo Sey | SVT.se". www.svt.se. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  15. ^ "LYSSNA: Seinabo Sey – For Madeleine EP". NÖJESGUIDEN.
  16. ^ "Seinabo Sey - Dramaten". dramaten.se. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  17. ^ "Seinabo Sey". Nobel Peace Prize Concert. Archived from the original on 2014-12-28.
  18. ^ Arpi, Agnes (27 March 2015). "Seinabo Sey - For Maudo". gp.se. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  19. ^ "REC / Seinabo Sey "For Maudo"". Expressen Bloggar.
  20. ^ "Seinabo Sey - For Maudo". NÖJESGUIDEN.
  21. ^ "SKIVRECENSION: Kärnfullt, viktlöst och trollbindande av Seinabo Sey - Musik - Recensioner - Musik - Nöjesbladet - Aftonbladet". Aftonbladet.
  22. ^ "Seinabo Sey med 'For Maudo'". DN.SE. 31 March 2015.
  23. ^ "Seinabo Sey — For Maudo", Kritiker.
  24. ^ "Seinabo Sey - Pretend". Discogs. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  25. ^ "'Pretend' featured in Girls". Universal Music Publishing Scandinavia. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  26. ^ a b "Seinabo Sey unveils new album 'I'm A Dream'". umusicpub.com. Universal Music. 7 September 2018.
  27. ^ "Seinabo Sey prisad av Musikförläggarna". hn.se. Archived from the original on 2015-04-06.
  28. ^ "Alla Grammisvinnarna 2015". DN.SE. 25 February 2015.
  29. ^ "Vinnarna på KINGSIZEGALAN 2015 – se listan här!". Kingsizemagazine.se - Svensk hiphop rap musik dans kläder artister tv.
  30. ^ a b c "Seinabo Sey discography". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  31. ^ a b "Seinabo Sey discography". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  32. ^ "Discographie Seibabo Sey". Hitparade. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  33. ^ "Seinabo Sey – Pretend". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  34. ^ a b c "Seinabo Sey". IFPI Norway. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  35. ^ "Seinabo Sey – Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  36. ^ "For Madeleine - EP by Seinabo Sey on Apple Music". iTunes. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  37. ^ "Seinabo Sey discography". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  38. ^ a b c "Seinabo Sey - Younger". ultratop.be. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  39. ^ a b "Discographie Seinabo Sey". ultratop.be. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  40. ^ "Seinabo Sey discography". danishcharts.dk. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  41. ^ Peak chart positions for featured singles on the Scottish Singles Chart:
  42. ^ "Seinabo Sey | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  43. ^ "Seinabo Sey – Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  44. ^ "Seinabo Sey – Younger". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  45. ^ "BRIT Certified - bpi" (To access, enter the search parameter "Seinabo Sey" and select "Search by Keyword"). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  46. ^ "Seinabo Sey "Younger"" (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  47. ^ "Swedish Heatseeker Chart – 2 July 2015". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  48. ^ "Seinabo Sey – Hard Time". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  49. ^ a b "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 44, 2015" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  50. ^ "Sorry (The Remixes) - Single by Seinabo Sey on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  51. ^ "Easy (Acoustic) by Seinabo Sey on Apple Music". iTunes. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  52. ^ a b "I Owe You Nothing / Remember – Single av Seinabo Sey på Apple Music". iTunes Store (SE). 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  53. ^ "Swedish Heatseekers Chart – 23 mars 2018". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  54. ^ "Breathe – Single by Seinabo Sey". iTunes Store (AU). Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  55. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker – Vecka 18, 4 maj 2018". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  56. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker – Vecka 35, 31 augusti 2018". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  57. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 42". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  58. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 43". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  59. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 23". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 11 June 2021.

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