Sabina Ddumba

Sabina Ddumba (born 23 February 1994) is a Swedish singer. Her music has soul, gospel, and R&B influences. Ddumba was a backing vocalist on Katy Perry's song "Walking on Air" in 2013 and has collaborated with artists such as the hip hop band Looptroop Rockers, duo Lorentz & Sakarias and Adam Kanyama in 2012. She is signed to Warner Music. Ddumba released her first single, "Scarred for Life", in 2014, and her second single, "Effortless", in 2015, with the latter being certified platinum. Ddumba appeared in Moraeus med mera in 2014 and performed at Grammisgalan in 2015. She performed at the 2015 Swedish Grammis, and in 2015 won 'Newcomer of the Year' at the Grammisgalan and 2016 P3 Gold Awards.

Early life

Sabina Ddumba was born on 23 February 1994 in Fisksätra, Nacka. She is the sixth child out of eight in her family. Her mother is Ugandan, and when she was eight years old, her mother moved back to Uganda. After listening to traditional Ugandan nursery rhymes and songs, she became interested in melody and phrasing. Ddumba has started writing songs since she was 10. In 2008, at the age of fourteen, she joined the Tensta Gospel Choir, and sang with the group for about six years. It was through this choir that she found singing was her vocation. Her father and relatives wanted her to pursue a more scholarly profession, such as a doctor.

Musical influences

Ddumba was inspired by the Ugandan nursery rhymes and songs she heard when she was a child. She also grew up listening to the hip hop and R&B of the late 1990s. As her family was religious, the gospel music she heard in church on Sundays has also greatly influenced her musical style. Her time with the Tensta Gospel Choir strengthened the influence that gospel music has had on her work.