Sam Fender

Sam Fender grew up in North Shields, a working-class town in England. He started writing songs early, drawing from the kind of storytelling you hear in Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, but with the directness of someone who came up in the 2010s. His debut album 'Hypersonic Missiles' came out in 2019 and got people listening, with the title track earning a Brit Award nomination.

His songs often circle around what it's like to be young and figuring things out, especially for guys. 'Seventeen Going Under' is a good example, it's about that messy stretch between being a teenager and whatever comes next, with all the pressure and confusion that brings. He's also written about mental health, masculinity, and the specific frustrations of his generation in tracks like 'Millennial' and 'Spit Of You'.

In 2021 he released his second album, also called 'Seventeen Going Under'. It got strong reviews and won him the Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist the following year. He plays with a band that includes Dean Thompson on guitar, Drew Michael on bass, and Ryan Wilson on drums.