The moment his debut EP was released in 2015, British soul singer Samm Henshaw (1994) was instantly noticed and the record was broadcast by influential radio stations like BBC Radio. And the attention never waned, quite the contrary. His single Church is a mesmerizing song with a steady groove and a pounding beat. You simply have to move to it. It’s a song that instantly reveals Henshaw’s sources of inspiration: the music of artists like D'Angelo and Lauryn Hill, and gospel too. The lyrics on Church, including the line ‘Wake up and get yourself to church, yeah!’, wasn’t just any old line. Henshaw grew up in a family where resting and attending church on the day of the Lord were sacred duties. He has never resisted, not in the slightest: Henshaw still attends services regularly. Artists like James Bay and Chance the Rapper are fans and have personally asked him to be their support act. Now the time has come for the North Sea Jazz audience to fall under his spell as well.
