Sam Fender

Samuel Thomas Fender (born 25 April 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is known for his high tenor voice and thick Geordie accent, layered over music characterised by a roots-orientated rock approach. Fender's sound relies primarily on his traditional American musical upbringing combined with a classic British rock sensibility. He has been acclaimed by critics and musicians for his songwriting proficiency. Fender was born and grew up in North Shields. He found his vocation as a singer-songwriter around the age of 14 and subsequently released several singles independently, being named one of the BBC's Sound of 2018. Fender signed to Polydor Records and released his debut EP, Dead Boys, in November 2018. He won the Critics' Choice Award at the 39th Brit Awards and released his debut album, Hypersonic Missiles, in September 2019, which entered the UK Albums Chart at number one. His second album Seventeen Going Under was released in October 2021 and also topped the UK Albums Chart and spawned the UK hit single "Seventeen Going Under". In 2022, Fender received the Brit Award for Best British Alternative/Rock Act and the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. Samuel Thomas Fender was born on 25 April 1994 in North Shields, England, to Shirley and Alan Fender. He has a brother, Liam, nine years his senior. Shirley was a nurse, and Alan was an electrician; the lower-middle class family lived in a terraced house in the suburb of North Shields. Alan is also a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and pianist, whilst Liam plays the drums. Both were musicians performing locally. Fender described the first 10 years of his life as "comfortable" within a musical family. His great-great-grandmother was Irish. His father later became a music teacher.