See through Sampha’s eyes with his new zine

Following his stunning Kahlil Joseph collab on a short film about his debut album Process, Sampha is delving further into creative visuals, this time with a zine.

Shy Light sees the soul-baring London singer partner with designer Grace Wales Bonner (who he previously wrote a show soundtrack for) as well as photography duo Durimel and Dazed’s Jamie Andrew Reid. Under Sampha and Wales Bonner’s creative direction, the zine looks to Process through the lens of the artist’s inspirations and experiences. It includes abstract lyrics, collage, photographs from Sampha and the Durimel brothers, and reflections on Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The singer joins a number of musicians who have taken to the DIY format for creative expression – from Frank Ocean to FKA twigs.

The intimate project illustrates Sampha’s personal and creative roots in Freetown (his parent’s hometown) and Morden (the outer London suburb where he grew up after his parents relocated). Both areas are of huge significance to one of the most beloved, soulful artists around today, and Shy Light thoughtfully unpacks these worlds.

“I want to thank Grace and Jamie for all the work and love they’ve put into creating Shy Light,” Sampha says in a press release. “It’s been a pleasure collaborating and inspiring to work with such driven and visionary individuals. We also had the great fortune of shooting in Sierra Leone with the Durimel brothers.”

Jamie Reid adds: “Sampha is a musician and artist I have a huge admiration for, and it’s been a great privilege to have collaborated with Sampha, Grace, and Durimel on this amazing project.”

There’s no exact release date for the full colour zine yet, but it’s been promised for June. Otherwise, you can read it all on WeTransfer’s This Works.