On the night of April 2, a crowd gathered at Soho House to hear the soulful voice of singer-songwriter Sam Henshaw.
The British musician hopped the pond wowed the crowd at his first Soho House performance as a little prequel to his upcoming UK tour. The show began at 9:30 at the downstairs bar on the sixth floor of Soho House. The room was already packed when I arrived and the crowd continued to flow in until the room was packed like sardines.
He came on stage and greeted the crowd with a pot of tea on a stool beside him, warning that he was fighting a cold, not that that impaired his performance at all. He played some crowd favorites starting with “Broke” and “How Does It Feel?.” He then went on to his acoustic rendition of the epic love ballad “Only Wanna Be With You,” a song that would make the most emotionally detached person feel all warm and fuzzy inside. After pleas from the crowd, Henshaw played an acoustic form of his number one hit “Church,” asking for audience participation. His charisma and raw talent entranced the crowd from his first to his last song.
The young South East Londoner has already established himself in the music world with his unique blend of hip hop and gospel in a foundation of soul and R&B rock. His sound is certainly unique and identifiable. He has already sold out multiple shows in the UK, LA and New York and has supported tours with big headliners: Chance the Rapper, James Bay, and Rag’N’Bone Man. Despite his already many accomplishments, this young talent is just getting started.