Samm Henshaw returns with his sophomore album, “It Could Be Worse”
“Tangerine”
Play / Download “It Could Be Worse” Here
“The songwriter is perpetually creative, with Samm Henshaw blending a passion for performance with a desire to create art in the studio.” Clash
“South London singer-songwriter makes quite the impression with his sophomore album” - Wonderland
“delves into themes of searching for love in the wrong places and recognising the impermanence of good things” Dork
Out today, Monday 19th January, London-born Nigerian singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Samm Henshaw releases his second full-length album, “It Could Be Worse”. The 11-track record is a deeply vulnerable, richly layered body of work that chronicles heartbreak, healing, and the clarity that comes from growth. Putting a fresh, modern spin on soul, Samm Henshaw has built a reputation for feeling out loud. His music moves with a palpable ebb and flow, intimate and reflective one moment, explosive and cathartic the next, blending soul, alternative, indie, R&B, and funk into a sound that feels both timeless and unmistakably his own. On “It Could Be Worse”, that emotional range reaches new heights. “Thematically, it’s what you experience on the other side of grief,” Samm explains. “There’s a lot more vulnerability and growth. I’m singing how I would naturally speak. It’s a more mature approach.” For the first time, Samm recorded an entire project accompanied by live musicians, a decision that adds warmth, depth, and spontaneity to the album’s sound. True to his belief in immersive listening, Samm first introduced “It Could Be Worse” with an exclusive vinyl-first release, inviting listeners to experience the album as a complete, intentional body of work. By the time it reached DSPs, the album had already sold more than 2,500 vinyl copies.
“It Could Be Worse” captures the sound of emerging from heartbreak stronger, and of a lifelong creative fully stepping into his own voice. Crafted across a series of sessions in Los Angeles, Samm co-produced the record alongside collaborators Anoop D’Souza, OGI, and executive producer Josh Grant. Written in the aftermath of the first true heartbreak of his life, the album carries an emotional immediacy that runs through every track. Designed to be experienced from start to finish, “It Could Be Worse” unfolds as a complete journey, with each song marking a distinct emotional moment. The album opens and closes with the gentle bookends of “Don’t Give It Up,” beginning with a mesmerizing chant that feels like a request, a promise, and a quiet plea, asking the listener, and himself, not to give up. Songs like “Closer” and “Wait Forever” pull you in tightly, craving intimacy and permanence, while “Don’t Break My Heart” confronts vulnerability head-on, demanding honesty even as it fears the depth of the fall. Lead moments such as “Float” set the emotional tone, pairing delicate piano, slick basslines, and a hazy atmosphere with the haunting refrain, “Don’t let me float, darling.” Elsewhere, “Hair Down”, now added to the BBC 1Xtra playlist, has quickly emerged as an early fan favourite, while tracks like “Get Back” and “Tangerine” featuring Anika Noni Rose explore longing, reflection, and eventual acceptance, balancing emotional weight with subtle humor, warmth, and hope. Together, the album stands as both a document of heartbreak and a testament to growth, resilience, and finding clarity on the other side.
To celebrate the release of “It Could Be Worse”, Samm will embark on a 30+-date tour across The US, Asia, and Europe, starting January 27th in Tokyo and concluding with a homecoming show at KOKO, London, on March 24th. In December, he hosted intimate listening sessions in New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and London, giving fans an early look at the album. Samm is set to perform tracks from the new album on BBC 1Xtra’s Live Lounge on 20th January.
Samm Henshaw image credit Bardha Krasniqi
Tracklist
Don't Give It Up
Closer
Wait Forever
Float
Sun and Moon
Stay on the Move
Hair Down
Don't Break My Heart
Get Back
Heavy Measures
Tangerine
Listen to “It Could Be Worse” below
About Samm Henshaw
South London–raised Samm Henshaw first arrived in 2015 with “Only Wanna Be With You", later breaking through globally with “How Does It Feel?” and “Broke,” which together earned more than 60 million Spotify streams. His 2022 debut album Untidy Soul, led by fan favourite “Grow,” received widespread acclaim from outlets including NPR, NME, The Guardian, and The Line of Best Fit.
Samm has collaborated with Pharrell Williams, Tori Kelly, EARTHGANG, Tobe Nwigwe, Jacob Banks, John Legend, Kota the Friend, and the late Quincy Jones, and has toured with Chance the Rapper, James Bay, and Allen Stone. He appeared in the critically acclaimed drama Godfather of Harlem, and has amassed more than 150 million YouTube views.
Tour Dates
JAN 27 – Tokyo, Japan
JAN 28 – Nagoya, Japan
JAN 29 – Osaka, Japan
JAN 31 – Seoul, South Korea
FEB 1 – Hong Kong
FEB 3 – Manila, Philippines
FEB 5 – Singapore
FEB 7 – Vancouver, Canada
FEB 8 – Seattle, USA
FEB 10 – San Francisco, USA
FEB 12 – Los Angeles, USA
FEB 15 – Phoenix, USA
FEB 17 – Salt Lake City, USA
FEB 18 – Denver, USA
FEB 20 – Dallas, USA
FEB 22 – Atlanta, USA
FEB 23 – Nashville, USA
FEB 24 – Chicago, USA
FEB 27 – Toronto, Canada
FEB 28 – Montreal, Canada
MAR 2 – Boston, USA
MAR 4 – Washington, DC, USA
MAR 6 – Philadelphia, USA
MAR 8 – Brooklyn, USA
MAR 11 – Berlin, Germany
MAR 12 – Rotterdam, Netherlands
MAR 14 – Saint-Josse-Ten-Noode (Brussels), Belgium
MAR 15 – Paris, France
MAR 17 – Leeds, England
MAR 19 – Manchester, England
MAR 20 – Birmingham, England
MAR 22 – Bristol, England
MAR 24 – London, England
