Who is Sam Fender? The North Shields lad doing the region proud

North Shields born Sam Fender has risen from performing in North East pubs and clubs to international stardom and critical acclaim over the past few years.

His success story boasts two number one albums, sold-out arena tours and a New Musical Express (NME) Album of the Year.

'Wor' Sam's music has received high praise from some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Sir Elton John.

The Geordie lad has always brought his success back to home soil and has had his first BRIT award turned into a beer pump in his local pub.

Sam won his first BRIT in 2019 winning the Critics Choice which has been previously won by the likes of Adele, Jessie J and Sam Smith.

The award now stands proud in the middle of the bar of his favourite pub Low Lights Tavern in North Shields.

Sam's career so far...

It was at the Low Lights Tavern where Sam went from pulling pints to performing.

And the story goes that Sam was spotted by manager Owain Davies after he stumbled across a teenage Sam playing in a pub after celebrating Ben Howard's (Davies also manages Howard) BRIT Award wins in 2013.

In late 2017 Sam was featured on the BBC Sound of 2018 list and signed with Polydor Records later that year.

At the beginning of 2019, Fender began working on his debut album ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ in his own studio in his hometown of North Shields.

He went on to win the BRIT Awards' Critics' Choice and made his U.S. television debut on Jimmy Kimmel in March of the same year.

He released his second album in 2021 'Seventeen Going Under' which reflects on his upbringing and coming of age in North Shields.

Sam was nominated for three categories in the 2022 Brit Awards and won the gong for Best Alternative/Rock Act.

The singer-songwriter thanked his family and friends who gathered at North Shields' North East Homeless centre to watch the ceremony.

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