Over the last year, Sampha has cemented his place as one of the most affecting musicians out there today. His debut album Process is almost certainly one of the best albums of 2017. For his latest effort, the British singer made an appearance on the BBC’s Live Lounge where he put together an exquisite showcase of music. Most notable however, was his cover of Drake’s Views standout “Controlla.” In the hands of Drizzy, the song is a dancehall-driven banger, but Sampha managed to transform it into a tender, melancholy piano ballad.
Of course, this take on “Controlla” is not the first time that Sampha has affiliated himself with Drake. Recently, he made an appearance on the Canadian rapper’s most recent project, the “playlist” More Life. While More Life is stacked from top-to-bottom with guest appearances, Sampha is one of the only artists to get his own solo appearance, which comes on the song “4422.” During his appearance on the BBC, Sampha was asked about working with Drizzy. “Would you say you guys have got, like, an album’s worth of material you can dash out?” Live Lounge host Clara Amfo asked him. “Maybe, maybe,” he responded.
You can listen to Sampha’s cover of “Controlla” over on the BBC website. It shows up a little over two hours in, at the 2:14 mark.
