People, Locations, Episodes

Sun, 10.07.1990

Seinabo Sey, Singer born

Seinabo Sey

*Seinabo Sey was born on this date in 1990. She is an Afro Swedish (Black Swede) singer.

Seinabo Sey was born in Södermalm, Stockholm. She is of both Swedish and Gambian ancestry. At eight, she moved to Halmstad, Sweden, and attended Östergårdsskolans music program for musically gifted teenagers. Sey was inspired musically by artists such as Alicia Keys and Beyoncé early in life. In Halmstad, she was 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 a sister Seidato Sey; she is also a half-sister to the artist Fatima Bramme Sey and the radio host Amie Bramme Sey.

In an interview, Sey recalled being nine years old and watching MTV, which made her fascinated with music and singing. Sey wanted to study at Yale as an adolescent and took academic steps toward that dream, enrolling in an International Baccalaureate program in Halmstad, Sweden. However, at the age of 16, she ended up changing course, moving to Stockholm to attend and later graduate from the Fryshusets esthetics program with a concentration in soul music.

Sey performed at the 2014 Swedish Grammy Awards and Allsång på Skansen in Stockholm. In 2014, Seinabo Sey released the critically acclaimed EP For Madeleine, dedicated to and named after her mother. That same month, she performed at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. She also performed at the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize concert. After Sey started working with producer Magnus Lidehäll, she released her debut single, "Younger," followed by "Hard Time" and "Pistols at Dawn." The singles, described as soul-pop, received much attention and accolades in Sweden and abroad.

In April 2015, "Younger" was featured on BBC Radio 1 as their Track of the Day. In March 2015, Sey released her second EP, the four-track For Maudo, dedicated to and named after her father. Repeating the success of For Madeleine, the EP received favorable reviews and widespread critical acclaim in Sweden and abroad. On September 7, 2018, she released her second album; I'm a Dream.

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