Sampa the Great Releases Third Album NU ZAMROCK

Zambian musician and rapper Sampa the Great has released her third album 'Nu Zamrock' via Loma Vista Recordings. On November 4th Sampa will play a special sold-out double show at new London venue Blue Note. This week, Sampa played tracks from the new album in a live session on BBC Radio 6 Music.

While recently reconnecting with family back home, Sampa learned that her blood uncle George Kunda (Groovy Joe) was a founding member of Zambia's legendary psychedelic rock band WITCH, pioneers of the 1970s movement known as Zamrock; that daring 1970s fusion of rock, funk, and African rhythm. This late discovery of her intimate family ties to the genre inspired her reimagining of Zamrock through her own lens to create Nu Zamrock, a form both ancestral and futuristic.

'For me, Nu Zamrock is a future-facing sound that brings together hip-hop, rock, soul, and the rhythms of Zambian Kalindula. It carries forward the disruptive spirit that defined Zamrock in its original form: bold, rebellious, visionary, and deeply rooted in identity and self-expression.

This is my most confident and honest work yet. My journey through music has led me to discover that the genre I've long been instinctively drawn to was part of my bloodline all along. That realization has connected my heritage, my growth as an artist, and the legacy I want to carry forward into a new creative purpose.

More than a sonic evolution, this project represents me fully stepping into my voice as an artist while honoring and advancing a cultural story that is bigger than myself.'

Fans had their first taste of 'Nu Zamrock' with the 2025 single 'Can't Hold Us (feat. Mwanjé)', which was featured on EA's FC26, the new Arsenal x Adidas campaign, as well as highlighted in the summer Fortnite trailer.

'Nu Zamrock' Tracklisting

Intro

Prayer In A Dance

Can't Quit Music

Simon Says

Catch If You Can

Can't Hold Us (feat. Mwanjé)

Location

Canary

Maybe Then

Supernova (feat. Sia)

So Mone

Star (feat. KAMAUU)

The Journey Is Underrated

Gone (feat. Nicole)

Nicole's Interlude

I Can Love

'Nu Zamrock' follows on from Sampa's acclaimed 'As Above, So Below' (2022) and her breakout debut 'The Return' (2019), which was met with a series of accolades including three ARIA Awards (from six nominations), Bandcamp's Album Of The Year, BET's Amplified Artist of the Month, and the 2019 Australian Music Prize - the latter making Sampa the first artist to win the award twice. Sampa blew up globally, beyond Australia and gracing The Roots Picnic, NPR's Tiny Desk series, AFROPUNK and, Later….With Jools Holland. An artist who landed on Michelle Obama's personal playlist, who earned support from industry heavyweights like Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden and Annie Mac.

Live Dates

November 4th - Blue Note, London, UK (early show) SOLD OUT

November 4th - Blue Note, London, UK (late show) SOLD OUT

Photo Credit: Ricky Meyton & Lawrenzo's Wurld