Mysie

Mysie
Birth nameElizabeth Marjorie Florence Sempa[1]
Born1995 (age 29–30)
Genres
Instrument
  • Vocals
Years active2013–present
Labels

Elizabeth Marjorie Florence Sempa (born 1995), also known as Lizbet Sempa or Mysie, is an English singer-songwriter. She won the Rising Star Award at the 2020 Ivor Novello Awards.

Early life

Elizabeth Marjorie Florence Sempa grew up in Croydon[2][3] and Streatham, South London.[4][5] Her grandfather was an Ugandan jazz musician and member of the group Kampala City Six. Sempa trained in Acting at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA), graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 2017.[6]

Career

2013–2016: Beginnings as Lizbet Sempa

Under the name Lizbet Sempa, she gained initial attention on Soundcloud in 2013 around the age of 17, self-releasing her first tracks "Epiphany",[7] "Mistakes",[8] and "On These Hills" and the EP Indirect Thoughts. This was followed by the singles "All These Things" in 2015[9] and "Deep Inside" in 2016.[10]

2019–2022: Branding to Mysie, Chapter 11, Undertones and joyride

Feeling "pigeonholed" into making a certain type of music,[11] Sempa rebranded to Mysie, a nickname of her middle name Marjorie. She debuted the new moniker with the 2019 single "Rocking Chair"[12] and the EP Chapter 11.[13] Other singles released that year include "Fall Away", "Doves", "Sweet Relief" and "Heartbeat".[14] That year, Sempa was selected for The Great Escape Festival's First Fifty. The singles "Gift", "Bones" and "Patterns" followed in 2020.[15] In addition to being mentored by Fraser T Smith, Sempa was awarded Rising Star at the 2020 Ivor Novello Awards.[16]

Sempa's next EP Undertones[17] and the singles "Seven Nights"[18] and "A Thousand Miles" were released in 2021. She made her Live at Leeds debut that October. Her fourth EP joyride was released in 2022,[19] as well as the titular single,[20] "birthstones", "fade" and "gin + juice".[21] Sempa supported Corinne Bailey Rae on her 2022 tour and was once again selected for The Great Escape Festival's First Fifty.[22]

2023–present: Controlla

In 2023, Sempa began shifting her public image, experimenting with the singles "CTRL",[23] "PLAY" and "Double Dutch". She also featured on "BLU" by Italian artist La Niña.[24] Her debut mixtape Controlla (stylised uppercase) was released in 2024.[25][26] The accompanying singles were "Little Too Late",[27] "PHASES" and "Kitty on Top". She supported IAMDDB on her European tour.[28]

Artistry

Growing up, Sempa's parents played the likes of Sade and Alicia Keys in the household,[29] while school and living in South Africa gave her an appreciation for indie artists Radiohead and The Killers and Afropop's Brenda Fassie respectively.[3] Listening to the radio station Magic 105.4 in the car left a significant impression on Sempa as she discovered Duran Duran, 10cc and Lionel Richie.[30] She joined a dance group called Wet Wipez as a teenager, through which she became familiar with J Dilla, Thundercat and Flying Lotus. Early in her career under the name Lizbet Sempa, she also recalled admiring the likes of Georgia Anne Muldrow and Hiatus Kaiyote in her youth.[31] "Deep Inside" (2016) was compared to Adele and Laura Mvula.[10] Regarding her debut EP Chapter 11 as Mysie, she drew upon Calvin Harris and Anderson Paak. She named Jay Kay from Jamiroquai one of her heroes.[14]

Sempa cited Empire of the Sun, Tame Impala and Mac DeMarco as influences[32] as well as Sampha, Moses Sumney, Disclosure and Rosalía.[2] Other artists she has named include Cookiee Kawaii, Yaeji and Sasha Keable. Sempa fuses a wide range of genre influences in her music, including UK garage, Brixton's dance venues, house, Jersey club, baile funk, indie and electropop.[33]

Discography

Mixtapes

  • CONTROLLA (2024)

EPs

  • Indirect Thoughts (2013)
  • Chapter 11 (2019)
  • Undertones (2021)
  • joyride (2022)

Singles

  • "Epiphany" (2013)
  • "Mistakes" (2013)
  • "On These Hills" (2013)
  • "All These Things" (2015)
  • "Deep Inside" (2016)
  • "Rocking Chair" (2019)
  • "Fall Away" (2019)
  • "Doves" (2019)
  • "Sweet Relief" (2019)
  • "Heartbeat" (2019)
  • "Gift" (2020)
  • "Bones" (2020)
  • "Patterns" (2020)
  • "Seven Nights" (2021)
  • "A Thousand Miles" (2021)
  • "joyride" (2022)
  • "birthstones" (2022)
  • "fade" (2022)
  • "gin + juice" (2022)
  • "CTRL" (2023)
  • "BLU" (2023) (collaboration with LA NIÑA)
  • "PLAY" (2023)
  • "Double Dutch" (2023)
  • "LITTLE TOO LATE" (2024)
  • "PHASES" (2024)
  • "KITTY ON TOP" (2024)

Collaborations

  • "Deletia" (2021), with Fyfe and Iskra Strings

References

  1. ^ "Song Details: Deletia (feat Mysie)". Universal Music Publishing Group. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b Mills, Aaron (1 April 2021). "South London's Mysie: "Vulnerability Is the Most Powerful Thing"". Hunger. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  3. ^ a b Wright, Andrew (7 July 2020). "On the Rise: Mysie". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  4. ^ Evans, Elle (4 October 2019). "Introducing: Mysie". New Wave Magazine. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  5. ^ Holdsworth, Bryony (29 April 2019). "Streatham's Mysie debuts with the elegantly melodic "Rocking Chair"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  6. ^ "ALRA South BA (Hons) 2017". ALRA. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  7. ^ Cummings, Bill (8 August 2013). "VIDEO PREMIERE: Lizbet Sempa – Epiphany". God is in the TV. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  8. ^ "Lizbet Sempa Performs "Mistakes" for Burberry Acoustic". ColoRising. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  9. ^ "Skin Deep meets Lizbet Sempa". Skin Deep. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  10. ^ a b Gore, Sydney (26 May 2016). "Lizbet Sempa's Voice Will Be Stuck "Deep Inside" Your Head All Day". Nylon. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  11. ^ Joshi, Tara (29 May 2021). "One to watch: Mysie". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  12. ^ Breedon, Jakk (24 April 2019). "MYSIE – Rocking Chair". A1234. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  13. ^ Morris, Ashley (2019). "Mysie: 5 Minutes With". Noctis. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Introducing The Compassionate Mysie". Spindle. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  15. ^ "Mysie releases 'Patterns'". GigWise. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  16. ^ Peplow, Gemma (2 September 2020). "Ivor Novello awards: Dave, Little Simz and Calvin Harris among 2020 winners". Sky. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  17. ^ Browne, Hannah (20 May 2021). "Undertones plays to Mysie's unique impulses and fascinating dynamism". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  18. ^ Golsen, Tyler (19 May 2021). "Mysie releases new single 'Seven Nights'". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  19. ^ Browne, Hannah (13 May 2022). "Mysie's rhythm-forward third EP is a magnetic celebration of sound and growth". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  20. ^ Evans, Elle (13 May 2022). "Artist Mysie Talks Her New Release, "Joyride"". Wonderland. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  21. ^ "Mysie Premieres New Song "gin + juice" on BBC Radio 1". PM Studio. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  22. ^ Macmillan, Jamie (6 January 2022). "The Great Escape : The First Fifty". M Magazine. PRS for Music. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  23. ^ Keneally, Cerys (8 February 2023). "Mysie releases first single of 2023 "CTRL"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  24. ^ di Fabio, Luca (2023). "Rising Pop Sensation LA NIÑA Join Forces With UK Songwriter MYSIE for New Single "BLU"". Mundane. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  25. ^ Ackroyd, Stephen (25 July 2024). "Mysie is embracing being "unapologetically playful" for her upcoming debut mixtape, 'CONTROLLA'". Dork. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  26. ^ Juvet, Aedan (27 September 2024). "Mysie Continues to Craft Hits with Her Debut Mixtape 'Controlla'". Stardust. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  27. ^ Evans, Helen (26 July 2024). "Mysie announces new mixtape & releases 'Little Too Late'". She Makes Music. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  28. ^ "Mysie has shared her new single 'Kitty On Top' ahead of debut mixtape 'Controlla'". Dork. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  29. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (1 May 2022). "Mysie: 'You dream about the future of a relationship – it's easy to forget the reality'". The Independent. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  30. ^ Kemp, Ella (18 May 2021). "Mysie: heartbreak and lust in Ivor Novello-winner's warming indie-pop". NME. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  31. ^ "How Ugandan Londoner Lizbet Sempa Gained Over A Million Soundcloud Followers". Okay Africa. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  32. ^ Morris, Ashley. "Mysie: 5 Minutes With". Noctis. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  33. ^ Cummings, Bill (4 October 2024). "INTRODUCING: MYSIE "it's a project of empowerment, It's an affirmation for me to stay in control"". God is in the TV. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
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