Samsaya
Encyclopedia
Sampda "Samsaya" Sharma (born 3 November 1979) is an Indian-Norwegian singer and actress.
, North-India
. She lived in India with her family and moved to Oslo
at the age of only eleven months. In Norway she grew up on Ellingsrud
in Oslo
. She went to Ellingsrudåsen skole and played football.
Growing up she was influnced by Hip-hop and listened to Public Enemy
. She appeared with her first band at the age of nineteen. After several years of making music with other urban musicians in Oslo
, she got her breakthrough as an actress in the Norwegian movies, Folk flest bor i Kina, the horror movie Villmark
and Hawaii Oslo.
. After spending a year in New York, she launced her single "Special blend" by Prayon, in collaboration with Levi's Norway.
In 2008 she released a new single called "Change" Produced by Andre Lindal & Geir Hvidsten which went straight into second place on the Norwegian singles chart, VG-lista
. She was then signed to Bonnier Amigo, the same record label as Madcon
, Paperboys
and Mira Craig
.
Her track "Dodge it" (Eve Nelson/Samsaya) was in the two times Oscar-nominated movie, The Wrestler starring Mickey Rourke
. In 2009 she released the two singles "Money" Produced by Jarl Aanestad & Co-produced by Andre Lindal and "ADHD" produced by Jarl Aanestad.
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 Henne
and TV shows such as the Norwegian version of The Clash of the Choirs
, "4-stjerners middag halv åtte" on TV Norge
and "Zebra Grand Prix" on TV2
.
Early life
Samsaya or Sampda Sharma by birth name was born in HamirpurHamirpur
Hamirpur is the name of two cities and two districts in India:* Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, the administrative headquarters of Hamirpur District, Himachal Pradesh* Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh...
, North-India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. She lived in India with her family and moved to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
at the age of only eleven months. In Norway she grew up on Ellingsrud
Ellingsrud
Ellingsrud is a neighbourhood in the borough of Alna in the north-east part of Oslo, Norway. Ellingsrud consists of Ellingsrudåsen, Bakås, Fjeldstad, Karihaugen and Munkebekken. The population is approx. 7 000 people. Ellingsrud is located north of the recreational forest Østmarka...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. She went to Ellingsrudåsen skole and played football.
Growing up she was influnced by Hip-hop and listened to Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy is an American hip hop group consisting of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff and his S1W group, DJ Lord , and Music Director Khari Wynn...
. She appeared with her first band at the age of nineteen. After several years of making music with other urban musicians in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, she got her breakthrough as an actress in the Norwegian movies, Folk flest bor i Kina, the horror movie Villmark
Villmark
Villmark is a Norwegian thriller/horror film that first premiered in 2003. It was nominated for an Amanda award in the categories of best film and best actor...
and Hawaii Oslo.
Music
In 2004 she released her debut album Shedding Skin. She also gave out a video to the hit track "Ever been had?". After touring the whole of Norway she took a break and a couple of years later she set off to New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. After spending a year in New York, she launced her single "Special blend" by Prayon, in collaboration with Levi's Norway.
In 2008 she released a new single called "Change" Produced by Andre Lindal & Geir Hvidsten which went straight into second place on the Norwegian singles chart, VG-lista
VG-lista
VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by...
. She was then signed to Bonnier Amigo, the same record label as Madcon
Madcon
Madcon is a Norwegian Hip Hop duo formed in 1992 by Yosef Wolde-Mariam and Tshawe Baqwa.They are well known from the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 Interval Act, in which they performed their hit song "Glow"...
, Paperboys
Paperboys
Paperboys is a Norwegian hip hop-duo consisting of rapper Øyvind «Vinni» Sauvik and DJ Ole Aleksander «Pope Dawg» Halstensgård. The duo has released four albums and their debut included Barcelona, a collaboration with Madcon which was a hit in Norway...
and Mira Craig
Mira Craig
Mira Scherdin Craig is a Norwegian-American R&B artist. Her father is an African American from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.Craig is a DIY musician who writes and produces all her songs and music videos....
.
Her track "Dodge it" (Eve Nelson/Samsaya) was in the two times Oscar-nominated movie, The Wrestler starring Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
. In 2009 she released the two singles "Money" Produced by Jarl Aanestad & Co-produced by Andre Lindal and "ADHD" produced by Jarl Aanestad.
Movies and television
Samsaya has had several roles in NorwegianNorwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
movies. She has also been on several Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
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 Voice TV Norway
The Voice TV is a Norwegian language television channel operated by ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG that mostly broadcast music. It was launched in 2004, its sister channels in Sweden, Finland and Denmark launching the same year....
. The popular show was seen by Norwegian teenagers on weekdays.
In 2009, Samsaya has been on the front cover of magazines such as Henne
Henne
Henne is a Norwegian magazine that comes out 16 times a year. The magazine contains features, articles on fashion, travel, interior decoration, food, trends, career, beauty and health. Its target group is active, urbane women 20 years and older. The first issue was released on 8 March 1994. Today...
and TV shows such as the Norwegian version of The Clash of the Choirs
Clash of the Choirs
Clash of the Choirs is a reality talent contest miniseries that debuted on NBC in the United States on December 17, 2007. There were four episodes scheduled in the “quick competition”...
, "4-stjerners middag halv åtte" on TV Norge
TVNorge
TVNorge is a Norwegian television channel.TVNorge went on the air December 5, 1988 and was the first advertising-supported Norwegian channel. The channel was started with 50 000 NOK...
and "Zebra Grand Prix" on TV2
TV 2 (Norway)
TV 2 is the largest commercial television station in Norway. Over 30% of the time Norwegians spend watching TV is spent watching TV 2. The station has 65% of the market for TV commercials in Norway....
.
Fashion
Samsaya loves Norwegian design and was nominated in the category for this years ambassador, "Årets ambassadør 2009", at Oslo Fashion Week. She was also a member of jury for the Norwegian fashion awards, "Nåløyet 2008".Discography
| Year | Track title | Notes |
| 2010 | Good With the Bad | Single track |
| 2009 | ADHD (love me) / (love me not) ( Lindal / Steimler / Aanestad / Samsaya) | Single track |
| 2009 | Money (Lindal / Aanestad / Samsaya) | Single track |
| 2008 | Change (Lindal / Hvidsten, Nelson & Samsaya) | Single track |
| 2008 | Dodge it (Nelson / Samsaya) | Soundtrack from The Wrestler |
| 2007 | Special Blend (Prayon) | Released with Levi's Norway |
| 2004 | Shedding skin | Album |
| 2003 | Feel What I Feel - Oslo Fluid feat. Samsaya | Single track |
Selected filmography
| Year | Title | Type | Character |
| 2008 | Varg Veum Varg Veum Varg Veum is a series of crime novels written by Gunnar Staalesen, about the private detective Varg Veum, who lives in Bergen, on the west coast of Norway... Begravde hunder |
Film (Norwegian) | Alex |
| 2006 | Jul i Svingen | Barne-Tv (Norwegian) | Dyrlege |
| 2005 | Hawaii, Oslo | Film (Norwegian) | |
| 2003 | Villmark Villmark Villmark is a Norwegian thriller/horror film that first premiered in 2003. It was nominated for an Amanda award in the categories of best film and best actor... |
Film (Norwegian, Thriller) | Sara |
| 2002 | Folk flest bor i Kina | Film (Norwegian) | Gunn - Segment 'RV' |