Born on February 19th, Seal is still "Crazy"

Seal, whose real name is Samuel Henry Olusegun Adeola, was born on February 19, 1963 in London. He was born to Nigerian parents who immigrated to England, but also has Brazilian origins from his grandfather. 

Seal was raised by an English foster family until he was four years old. While he had never seen her before, his biological mother resurfaced and wanted to take him back. His return to his biological family wasn't easy since he had to deal with a violent father. His only escape was the soul music that his mother listened to on the radio. 

Around the age of 11, Seal began singing, but never at home. While most children dream of becoming a singer or actor, he never considered making it his career. One day, his music teacher, seduced by the beauty of his voice, asked him to go on stage to sing. This is how he took his first steps in the world of music. 

At 15, he left the violent climate that reigned at home to find refuge in the street. He doesn't have bad memories of it, because for him, it's also thanks to his story, and the difficult times that are part of it, that he managed to become what he is today. In the 80s, he began his musical career with the group Push, with whom he went on tour in Japan, but without much success. It was not until his return to England and his meeting with Adamski, a producer of house and techno, that he had his first big hit. “Killer” is a hit and becomes a must-have of the 90s. This success leads him to record his first album, “Seal”, whose most listened to title, “Crazy”, will allow him to find his place in the British soul of the 90s.

After a second album, and an opus that didn't really take off, Seal gives up the release of his album “Togetherland” and leaves Los Angeles, where he had settled, to return to the source: London. By rediscovering his London roots, he also finds success with the release of “Love’s Divine”, in which he expresses his love for music. He then followed up with his iconic feat with Mylène Farmer ("Les mots") which propelled him to the top again in 2001.

This year, Seal returned shortly to the stage before his birthday with a gift for his fans, a new version of his hit "Kiss From A Rose" originally released 30 years ago, accompanied by a brand new single, "All I Know Is Now". The legendary singer of the 90s made his return implicit in an ad that appeared during the Super Bowl, in which he was seen in the skin of a seal. The humorous singer also made a few appearances on stage, notably with Mylène Farmer in September 2024. It remains to be seen whether the release of his new single isn't the first step towards a new album!

(Larisa Lungu — Tr.: MH Photo: © Etienne Tordoir)
Photo: Seal on stage at the Cirque Royal in Brussels (Belgium) on September 8, 2023