N91: Sainté

Not many artists can claim their first hit as one they released for fun, simply for the hell of it. Leicester-born Sainté is one of the few who can, with 2020’s viral breakout track “Champagne Shots” (which dropped during his first year of uni), racking up almost 60 million streams to date on Spotify alone.  

Formally a semi-pro basketball player, the multifaceted rapper has been evolving ever since, citing his inspirations as ranging from homegrown Leicester talent to US hip-hop artists like Curren$y, Jay-Z and Shoreline Mafia. His own nuanced sound and considered bars speak to the scope of the artist’s influences, spitting cautionary tales over laid-back beats.   

Following his 2021 sophomore EP Out the Blue — which featured the likes of Knucks, A2 and Miraa May — Sainté lived up to the promises of past releases with his latest offering, double A-side “Queen / Aim”, made with long-term collaborator bb. Landing whilst on his first ever, sold-out UK tour, the release came coupled with a trippy video recorded out at sea on a submarine. This month saw the release of ‘Vacation‘, an EP serving as a time capsule to some of the artist’s work so far.

Having already worked with the likes of Louis Vuitton alongside his own distinctive visuals , Sainté is hitting the right notes visually as well as sonically, building a world for his music, wherever he takes it next, to exist in.  

Way past releasing music for fun, the artist stepped into this year with purpose. There’s authenticity underscoring his creative output and depth to all he does, and when your numbers are hitting this heavy already — he’s still just 22 — there’s no doubt the possibilities for Sainté are limitless.