Samsaya

Samsaya
Photo: Jarle Vines.
Background information
Birth name	Sampda Sharma
Born	(1979-11-03) 3 November 1979 (age 44) Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India
Origin	Ellingsrud, Oslo, Norway
Genres	Pop, dance-pop, R&B
Instrument(s)	Vocals
Years active	2004–present
Website	www.samsaya.com

Sampda Sharma, better known by her stage name Samsaya, is a Norwegian singer and actress of Indian descent.

Early life

Samsaya was born Sampda Sharma in Hamirpur to an Indian mother, Aruna Sharma, in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. She lived in India with her family and moved to Norway at the age of only eleven months. She grew up on Ellingsrud in Oslo and went to Ellingsrudåsen skole and played football.

Growing up she was influenced by Hip-hop and listened to

Career

Music

In 2004 she released her debut album Shedding Skin. She also released a video of the hit track "Ever been had?". After touring Norway, she took a break, and a couple of years later she set off to New York City. After spending a year in New York, she launched her single "Special blend" by Prayon, in collaboration with Levi's Norway.^[1]

In 2008 she released a new single called "Change", produced by

In 2012 she collaborated with fellow Norwegian Bertine Zetlitz on the song and video "Electric Feet".^[3]

Movies and television

Samsaya has had several roles in Norwegian movies. She has also been on several Norwegian shows on television and radio. In 2008 Samsaya was a VJ on the program Topp 10 on the TV Music Channel The Voice TV Norway. The popular show was seen by Norwegian teenagers on weekdays.

In 2009, Samsaya has been on the front cover of magazines such as