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Raised in a musically conducive household with her father, Mawdo Sey, a notable and respected musician in West Africa, Seinabo Sey moved to Halmstad, Sweden age eight and attended the Östergårdsskolans music program for gifted teenagers. The singer’s earliest musical inspiration came from the soul-inspired R&B of the ‘90s and included the likes of Alicia Keys, Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child. The influence of American media also influenced Sey’s journey through academia, and watching the Gilmore Girls inspired the singer to want to study at Yale University. Sey therefore signed up to the international baccalaureate program in Halmstead until the age of 16.
At 16 the talented singer changed course and moved to Stockholm due to the vibrant music scene. Studying an aesthetics program with a focus in soul music, Sey subsequently graduated from Fryshusets University in Stockholm, and made her mark on the music industry with her debut single “Younger”. Released in 2013 the single introduced Sey to a huge audience in Sweden and elsewhere, and followed the single up with “Hard Time” and “Pistols at Dawn”. Her single “Younger” subsequently earned a remix by revered producer and DJ Kygo, which topped the dance charts in Norway and the U.S.
In 2014 after performing at the Swedish Grammy Awards, Sey released her debut EP “For Madeleine”, named after her mother, in October of that year. Produced by Magnus Lidehäll, with songwriting assistance from Salem Al Fakir, Oscar Linnros and Vincent Pontare, the singer supported the release with a worldwide tour including dates in the UK and the U.S.
‘There’s a conclusion to my illusion, I assure you this, There’s no end to this confusion if you let it wish you well, Soul to Sell’…these were the lyrics that rang out a cappella over the auditorium as Sebinabo Sey began singing off stage before the house lights went down and she came on stage to rapturous applause. She didn’t play the whole song Younger right away, but used the introduction as a teaser of what was to come.
The Swedish singer’s powerful voice held the room in anticipation for the pop music that was to come, and her performance of her new single, Hard Time, had everyone singing along. She even held out her microphone to us in the crowd, and shouted ‘everybody with me now’ for us to sing the chorus of the hit single. She played the chorus over and over until everyone had the hang of it, and then played a harmony over the top. It was awesome to be part of such an incredible sound that we were all creating together.
She played a few tracks that weren’t from her album, and said they were a teaser for new and upcoming material. It was awesome to be the first audience to hear the new tracks, and they sound like they’re going to make an incredible foundation for a new album.