Sampha dropped his new music video for Lahai highlight “Can’t Go Back,” but that’s not all: He also unveiled new 2024 North American tour dates in support of his recent album.
Of the song, he said, “I spent a lot of time predicting negativity would come my way based on previous life experiences. I would rush past everything thinking I had no time to do anything. I think writing this song was part of learning how to forgive myself in that state of being and to say it’s ok to start now. It’s not always too late. It’s just as important to slow down and recognise I have boundaries and a bandwidth.”
As for that tour: Starting with the Miami date on March 26, fans can currently register to participate in a presale through Sampha’s website. More information can also be found there.
Check out the “Can’t Go Back” video above. Continue scrolling to view a complete list of Sampha’s tour dates.
12/07/2023 — Paris, France @ Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione
02/23/2024 — Auckland, New Zealand @ Powerstation
02/24/2024 — Tapapakanga, New Zealand @ Splore Festival
02/26/2024 — Sydney, Australia @ Hordern Pavillion
02/27/2024 — Brisbane, Australia @ The Tivoli
03/01/2024 — Melbourne, Australia @ Margaret Court Arena
03/03/2024 — Perth, Australia @ Supreme Court Gardens
03/23/2024 — Mexico City, Mexico @ Ceremonia Festival
03/26/2024 — Miami, FL @ Miami Beach Bandshell
03/28/2024 — Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
03/29/2024 — Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
03/30/2024 — Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
04/02/2024 — Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
04/04/2024 — Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
04/05/2024 — Madison, WI @ Majestic
04/06/2024 — Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
04/08/2024 — Denver, CO @ Summit
04/09/2024 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Complex
04/10/2024 — Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Hall
04/12/2024 — Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
04/13/2024 — Seattle, WA @ Showbox at Market
04/14/2024 — Vancouver, British Columbia @ Vogue Theatre
Six years after releasing his highly revered debut studio album, Process, Sampha has returned with new music, starting with “Simple 2.0” and “Only.” Last month, he dropped his long-awaited follow-up album Lahai. Sampha went on to share the inspiration behind the album’s title, saying, “‘Lahai’ [is my] grandfather’s name. My middle name. My next musical chapter. My next album. Fever Dreams. Continuums. Dancing. Generations. Syncopation. Bridges. Grief. Motherlands. Love. Spirit. Fear. Flesh. Flight.”
Before the album was made available online, Sampha revealed he would embark on the Lahai Tour with stops in the United Kingdom and the US. The North American leg kicked off at the Regency Ballroom on October 29 in San Francisco, California. Here is Sampha’s Lahai Tour setlist, according to Setlist.fm.
1. “Plastic 100°C”
2. “Hold On” (SBTRKT cover)
3. “Satellite Business”
4. “Suspended”
5. “Inclination Compass (Tenderness)”
6. “Without”
7. “Gabriel” (Roy Davis Jr. cover)
8. “Stereo Colour Cloud (Shaman’s Dream)”
9. “Spirit 2.0”
10. “Too Much”
11. “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano”
12. “Can’t Go Back”
13. “Dancing Circles”
14. “Only”
15. “Can’t Get Close”
16. “Blood on Me”
Encore:
17. “Happens”
View the remaining tour stops below.
11/7 — New York City @ Webster Hall
11/11 — Washington, D.C. @ Howard Theatre
11/13 — Philadelphia @ Franklin Music Hall
11/15 — Atlanta @ The Eastern
12/4 — Berlin @ Theater des Westens
12/5 — Amsterdam @ Royal Theatre Carré
12/7 — Paris @ Cirque d’Hiver
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Time always progresses, whether it be one day closer to when our taxes are due or one day closer to when our existence on Earth is over. The sun rises, it sets, and the moon appears. It progresses whether we’re ready for it or not. Sampha seems to understand that on his second album Lahai, his first body of work in six years and first since 2017’s Process.
However, for the London singer, accepting it is a more difficult task. Amid heartbreak and grief, it almost feels like Sampha hoped time would be courteous enough to wait for him, allow him to sort and recover from his feelings, and not be so fast to move on. The opening record on Lahai, “Stereo Color Cloud (Shaman’s Dream),” begins with a female voice that chants choppily, “I wish you, could, time / Time, missile, back, forward / I miss you, time, misuse / Time flies, life issues.” Though broken up and missing words, the message is still clear.
In “Jonathan L. Seagull,” Sampha poses a question that seems to be directed at this progression of time, among other things. “We’ve both dealt with loss and grief in separate ways / On the same track running at a different pace / Will I catch up or will you just race away someday?” Watching the world continue to spin as you work through grief or heartbreak can make the task of catching up insurmountable. The balance between the days where we fall behind and the ones we feel faster than the world keeps us on pace.
For someone who questioned so much in the face of loss, Sampha sings with hard-won clarity throughout the 14 songs on Lahai. He stands optimistic under blue skies and the bright sun, opposing pessimism under rain clouds with records that aim to be the light at the end of the tunnel for listeners who might be struggling with the latter. “Only” encapsulates Sampha’s existential questions well while also coming clean about the emotional damage that was incurred over time.
Sampha’s lyrics capture the swarm of uncertainties that lie in his head. Fluttering and erratic instruments are juxtaposed with Sampha’s soothing vocals as a way to show that peace can exist amid the whirlpool of the unknown as Sampha acknowledges the freedom to be him with love and protection from others on “Spirit 2.0.” Likewise, he conquers regression on “Can’t Go Back” as rapid drums and high hats dance in the background. There’s a mental and emotional fight at hand and Sampha excels at both telling, showing, and making us feel its existence.
Much of Lahai is inspired by Richard Bach’s 1970 book Jonathan Livingston Seagull. As Jonathan, a literal seagull, aims to discover more about the capabilities of their own body through their growing passion for flight and travel, Sampha seeks to accomplish the same level of self-discovery, growth, and more. In the book’s namesake track, he sings “Even though we’ve been through the same / Doesn’t always mean we feel the same
/ Doesn’t always mean we heal the same / You are not me and that’s okay” — a reminder that comparison is the thief of joy.
SLahai contemplates life, death, love, and the time to experience it all. Although the questions are neverending and the answers often don’t arrive as quickly as we’d like them to, there’s no fear in Sampha’s eyes. Instead, he runs head-on into and through the uncertainty that lies ahead of him. He’s now on the other side and proud of the progress he made.
Lahai is an enchanting display of growth and acceptance as a result of unfortunate events. His sophomore album was created with the intention of capturing both the swarming winds and settled dust that occurs on the journey. Six years gives you plenty of time to figure things out, and with that time available for him to use, Sampha made the absolute best of it.
Lahai is out now via Young Recordings. Find out more information here.
We’re almost at the end of October- and 2023, for that matter- but that doesn’t mean that R&B Season is slowing down in the slightest. Moreover, our newest playlist update rounds up the new release heavy hitters this week, which contains a highly anticipated album. Fans waited for Sampha’s new album Lahai for over six years, and the resulting project could not have been more worth the wait. Specifically, we decided to pick out one of many gorgeous and impressively crafted cuts on this LP: the song “Suspended.” Even though it’s been so long, the English creative’s tender and immersive songwriting and production remain as fresh and exciting as ever.
In addition, we also have a hot new track from Chris Brown, Davido, and Lojay for our R&B Season update. “Sensational” is an Afrobeats and dancehall-inspired cut, whose genres should hint at its breezy instrumentation and slippery melodies. Going towards a completely different vibe, Mustafa’s new soft and melancholy acoustic guitar ballad “Name of God” will sink you into a reflective state. There’s a similar emotion, albeit with more indie-rock-inspired production, on Kevin Abstract’s new single “What Should I Do?“
Furthermore, this R&B Season keeps up the guitar-led and groovy vibes with the excellent track “Sleeper” from the always impressive BADBADNOTGOOD and Charlotte Day Wilson. Their past collaborations have all been gentle and soulful, and this latest offering is no exception. Also, we have a new album, Obsidian, from Naomi Sharon, whose Afrobeats leanings on “Time And Trust” make for a very compelling chill-out session. If you’re looking for more classic R&B vibes, though, look no further than “LIE LIE LIE!” from SadBoi and Aliyah’s Interlude.
Rounding out this playlist update is RealestK’s new EP Real World and the synth-heavy “Mr. Lonely.” Another solid EP this week came from Arin Ray, and Phases III is spearheaded quality-wise by the woozy “Moonlight.” Finally, Shay Lia released her new album FACETS, a diverse and powerful body of work whose cut “HIGH” ties a nice, relaxed bow on this week’s new releases. Let us know what we missed in the comments down below and what your favorite release this week was. Check out our R&B Season playlist update above and stay up to date on HNHH for more great drops around the clock.
Sampha has a gift that not many other artists in general have. He has a knack for being able to connect the listeners to the stimulations and feelings he wants to recreate. This remains true on one of the songs off of his sophomore album, Lahai. The six-year wait is finally over and it is safe to say that Sampha’s patience and meticulousness paid off. “Dancing Circles” sees the London singer explaining how it feels to talk to someone you have not seen in some time.
Many people will undoubtedly relate to this. Whatever the reasons are, sometimes even the people closest to us can sometimes drift far apart. But, when you do get to see them and talk for hours with them it feels great to reconnect. That is what Sampha is trying to convey on this track.
In an interview with Apple Music, he broke down what the meaning behind the song is and how it came to be. Sampha says, “I sort of freestyled some lyrics and came up with the dancing refrain.” He goes on, “Then [I] had this idea of someone having a conversation with someone they hadn’t seen in a long time, and just remembering how good it is, how good it felt to dance with them.” The production is also fitting for the track as it builds tension. But, it is not uncomfortable. It is a feeling of excitement that you finally get to see the person again that you have missed so much.
What are your initial thoughts on this brand-new song from Sampha off of Lahai, “Dancing Circles?” Is this your favorite song for right now? Is he one of the best at making his listeners feel connected to the story he is trying to tell? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Sampha, as well as all of the hottest song drops.
Quotable Lyrics:
Runnin’ off adrenaline It’s been a little long time (Time) Since I talked tonight to the birds fly by We talked about minds We talkin’ ’bout, hmm, the feedback it grew Spinnin’ with your cigarette, spinnin’ like laundry ware
After over six years, British singer Sampha is returning with his second studio album, Lahai, this autumn. The album is named after Sampha’s paternal grandfather, which is also Sampha’s middle name. He announced the album on August 24, kicking off the rollout which included two singles and a tour announcement.
In a press release, he said, “It’s about the importance of connection to both myself and others, and the beauty and harsh realities of just existing. It’s about acknowledging those moments when you need help — that requires real strength. I hope people can enjoy that feeling of someone being there for you, even if that person doesn’t have the answers. Just calling someone up without overthinking… letting go and just dancing.. wanting to see past the mundanity of things and appreciating the magic of it all, from birds nests to spaceships.”
As of this writing, Sampha has released two singles for Lahai: “Spirit 2.0,” released on June 28, and “Only,” released on September 8.
Artwork
Tour
Sampha announced the Lahai Tour in September, which begins October 29 and runs through December 7.
10/29 — San Francisco @ Regency Ballroom
11/1 — Chicago @ Vic Theatre
11/4 — Toronto @ Danforth Music Hall
11/7 — New York City @ Webster Hall
11/11 — Washington, D.C. @ Howard Theatre
11/13 — Philadelphia @ Franklin Music Hall
11/15 — Atlanta @ The Eastern
12/4 — Berlin @ Theater des Westens
12/5 — Amsterdam @ Royal Theatre Carré
12/7 — Paris @ Cirque d’Hiver
At long last, Sampha has finally shared the release date for his sophomore album, Lahai. Marking his first album in seven years, Lahai will be released later this fall.
Ahead of the album, Sampha has shared a new song, “Only,” a genre-defying song detailing the mysterious inner workings of Sampha’s mind. Equally as enigmatic is the song’s accompanying music video, which features Sampha opening a book and traveling through a mythical universe.
Though Sampha has been away from the spotlight for a while, he looks forward to making a return to music. In a recent interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, Sampha described the mixed feelings he’s been experiencing as his Lahai album is rolling out.
“It’s such a weird thing, sometimes it feels more like a dream when it’s actually out there in the world and the collective consciousness is making sense of it,” He said. “It’s a strange thing, but it’s lovely, it’s beautiful, and I’m into it. For me and just artists, we move on quite quickly, so sometimes seeing it, getting it out, it feels like the final stage of being able to move on with this.”
You can see the video for “Only” above.
Lahai is out 10/20 via Young. Find more information here.
