Sam Fender

Samuel Thomas Fender (born 25 April 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. Born and raised in North Shields, Fender released several singles independently beginning in 2017. His sound relies primarily on his traditional American musical upbringing combined with a British rock sensibility. He is known for his high tenor voice and Geordie accent. Recognised for his songwriting style, Fender is the recipient of five Brit Awards, two Ivor Novello Awards and a Mercury Prize. In 2018 Fender was named one of the BBC's Sound of 2018, and signed to Polydor Records, releasing his debut EP, Dead Boys. He won the Critics' Choice Award at the 2019 Brit Awards and released his debut album, Hypersonic Missiles, which entered the UK Albums Chart at number one, that same year. His second album, Seventeen Going Under, was released in 2021. The album topped the UK Albums Chart and received a nomination for the 2022 Mercury Prize, with its title track gaining commercial success. In 2022, 2025, and 2026, Fender won the Brit Award for British Rock/Alternative Act. In October 2025, he was awarded the Mercury Prize for his third studio album People Watching; the single "Rein Me In" from this album, a duet with Olivia Dean, became Fender's first UK number one single in early 2026, and the longest-running male/female duet at number 1 in UK chart history.