Seal

Seal Headshot

Singer • Musician

Birth Date: February 19, 1963

Age: 61 years old

Birth Place: Paddington, London, England, UK

Spouses: Heidi Klum

Launched to fame via an undisputed acid house classic, British soul vocalist Seal quickly transcended his dance culture roots to become one of the '90s most popular male performers on both sides of the Atlantic. Kicking off his career in style, Seal reached the UK number one spot with his very first single, a 1990 collaboration with Adamski entitled "Killer," and shortly after teamed up with acclaimed producer Trevor Horn to record the self-titled solo debut album which would introduce his eclectic fusion of soul, pop, electronica and rock to a global audience. But it was 1994's Seal II which catapulted Seal onto the A-list, selling five million copies and spawning the iconic "Batman Forever" (1995) theme "Kiss From A Rose," which not only topped the US Hot 100 but also won three Grammys. Seal continued to be a regular fixture on the album charts and awards circuit from then on, most notably with his two collections of soul covers, and in 2012 branched out into reality TV with a judging role on the Australian version of "The Voice" (Nine Network, 2012-).

Born in Paddington, London in 1963 to a Nigerian mother and Brazilian father, Seal was raised by a foster family in a neighboring district and after studying for a degree in architecture, first began performing in several of the capital's clubs and bars. After a two-week stint touring Japan with British funk outfit Push and a year travelling around Thailand, Seal returned to his homeland where he worked on material with techno/house producer Adamski. Later covered by George Michael, trance DJ ATB and Seal himself on his solo debut, their collaboration, "Killer," became one of the acid house scene's biggest breakout anthems, spending four weeks at the top of the UK charts in 1990 and selling nearly half a million copies. Following its success, Seal signed to ZTT Records as a solo artist and teamed up with hit-making producer Trevor Horn (Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Pet Shop Boys) for his self-titled first studio effort, reaching the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic with its lead single, "Crazy."

In 1992, Seal became the first artist to win three BRIT Awards in the same year and appeared on the Wembley Stadium stage with Queen at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, while a year later, he contributed to the Jimi Hendrix tribute album, Stone Free, with a cover of "Manic Depression" alongside Jeff Beck. 1994 sophomore Seal II consolidated his status as the UK's premier soul man thanks to the popularity of its biggest single, "Kiss From A Rose," a pop madrigal which had made little impression on its initial release but gave Seal his first US number one a year later when it landed a place on the "Batman Forever" (1995) soundtrack. Once again, Seal took his time with the follow-up, but 1998's Human Being, a far moodier affair inspired by the deaths of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., failed to replicate its predecessor's success and missed the Top 40 altogether in his native UK.

After scrapping the release of intended fourth album, Togetherland, in 2001 over concerns it didn't match the standard of his previous work, Seal scored European hits with collaborations with British house DJ Jakatta ("My Vision") and legendary French chanteuse Mylene Farmer ("Les Mots"), before returning to the solo fray with 2003's Seal IV. A career-spanning compilation, Best 1991-2004, arrived a year later and was followed by consecutive live albums, 2005's Live In Paris and 2006's One Night To Remember. In 2007, Seal hooked up with the man who had guided Madonna's mid-00s disco reinvention, Stuart Price, on System, the most dancefloor-friendly album of his career which also included a duet with his wife of two years, supermodel Heidi Klum. But its disappointing commercial response appeared to inspire another change in direction and in 2008, he revisited the standards he'd grown up with for covers collection, Soul.

Dedicated to Klum, 2010's contemporary pop-oriented Commitment hit the shelves just two years before the couple split, while in 2011, Seal picked up the fourth Grammy of his career for his contribution to Herbie Hancock's rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine." In 2012, Seal reunited with Horn for Soul 2, a second volume of classics originally recorded by the likes of Marvin Gaye, Al Green and Bill Withers, which returned him to the US Top 10 for the first time in eight years. Having previously dallied in reality TV for a 2010 behind-the-scenes Lifetime show which never made it to air, Seal eventually became a regular small-screen presence Down Under when he signed on as a coach for the Australian version of "The Voice" (Nine Network, 2012-), going onto win the first two seasons with Karise Eden and Harrison Craig respectively before bowing out in 2013.

Credits

Seal - Live at Soundstage

Music Performer
Show
2023

PBS Arts Talk

Guest
Show
2023

Montreux Jazz Festival 2023

Music Performer
Show
2023

The Jennifer Hudson Show

Music Performer
Talk
2022

Seal Team

Voice
Seal Seal
Movie
2021

GMA3: What You Need to Know

Music Performer
Show
2020

Christmas in Rockefeller Center

Music Performer
Show
2019

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Music Performer
Talk
2019

Access Daily

Guest
Show
2019

The Music Center Presents Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration

Music Performer
Show
2019

Home For the Holidays

Music Performer
Show
2019

Holiday R&B

Music Performer
Show
2018

The Royal Variety Performance 2017

Actor
Show
2017

Kygo: Live at the Hollywood Bowl

Actor
Show
2017

Christmas in Rockefeller Center

Music Performer
Show
2017

Carpool Karaoke: The SeriesStream

Music Performer
Reality
2017

Seal: The Right Life

Director
Show
2017

Seal: The Right Life

Music Performer
Show
2017

Seal: Walk On By

Director
Show
2017

Seal: Walk On By

Music Performer
Show
2017

Pitch Battle

Judge
Show
2017

Seal: Amazing

Music Performer
Show
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Music Performer
Talk
2017

Frank Sinatra Feat. Seal: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Music Performer
Show
2017

Seal: Luck Be A Lady

Music Performer
Show
2017

Frank Sinatra & Seal: Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Music Performer
Show
2017

The Great Songwriters

Actor
Show
2016

Greatest Hits

Music Performer
Series
2016

Michael McIntyre's Big Show

Music Performer
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2016

The PassionStream

Actor
Pontius Pilate
Special
2016

Disney Parks Unforgettable Christmas Celebration

Music Performer
Show
2015

Bercy fête ses 30 ans

Actor
Show
2015

Radio 2 in Concert: Seal

Music Performer
Show
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Music Performer
Talk
2015

Speakeasy

Guest
Show
2015

Seal: This Christmas

Music Performer
Show
2015

Seal: Every Time I'm With You

Music Performer
Show
2015

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Music Performer
Talk
2014

Night of the Proms

Music Performer
Show
2013

Front and Center

Music Performer
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2013

OnSTAGE

Music Performer
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2013

Nobels fredspriskonsert 2012

Music Performer
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2012

Nobel 2012

Music Performer
Show
2012

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Music Performer
Talk
2012

HDNet Concert: Seal

Actor
Show
2012

The Voice

Judge
Show
2012

LIVE with Kelly

Host
Talk
2011

The Chew

Guest
Talk
2011

Piers Morgan Tonight

Guest
Show
2011

The Talk

Music Performer
Talk
2010

Access Hollywood Live

Guest
Show
2010

Undercover BossStream

Self
Reality
2010

Seal: Crazy

Music Performer
Show
2010

Seal: Weight Of My Mistakes

Music Performer
Show
2010

Seal Feat. Heidi Klum: Secret

Music Performer
Show
2010

Seal: Secret

Music Performer
Show
2010

Lopez Tonight

Music Performer
Show
2009

The Brian McKnight Show

Music Performer
Show
2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

Seal - Soul Live

Actor
Show
2009

The 40th NAACP Image Awards

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: If You Don't Know Me By Now (Live)

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: A Change Is Gonna Come (Live With David Foster)

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: Amazing

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: Don't Cry

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: Future Love Paradise

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: Get It Together

Music Performer
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2009

Seal: I've Been Loving You Too Long

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: I Can't Stand The Rain

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: If You Don't Know Me By Now (Live From PBS Soundstage)

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: If You Don't Know Me By Now (Live With David Foster)

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: It's A Man's Man's Man's World (Live With David Foster)

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: Kiss From A Rose (Live)

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: Love's Divine

Music Performer
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2009

Seal: People Get Ready

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: The Right Life

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: Waiting for You

Music Performer
Show
2009

Seal: Walk On By

Music Performer
Show
2009

Oh My God?

Actor
Movie
2009

The Wendy Williams Show

Guest
Talk
2008

X Factor

Guest
Show
2008

Eli StoneStream

Guest Star
Himself
Series
2008
60%

Seal: A Change Is Gonna Come

Music Performer
Show
2008

Private Sessions

Guest
Show
2007

The Better Show

Guest
Show
2007

Rachael Ray ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2006

America's Got TalentStream

Guest
Reality
2006

etalk

Guest
Show
2006

The Martha Stewart Show

Guest
Reality
2005

Seal: Live in Paris

Actor
Show
2005

Dancing With the StarsStream

Music Performer
Reality
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Music Performer
Talk
2005

The Insider

Guest
Show
2004

Seal - Live From Paris

Actor
Show
2004

Tavis Smiley

Guest
Talk
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Music Performer
Talk
2003

Soundstage

Music Performer
Show
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Music Performer
Talk
2003

Dr. PhilStream

Guest
Talk
2002

The BachelorStream

Guest
Reality
2002

Live With Regis and Kelly

Music Performer
Show
2001

In Performance at The White House

Music Performer
Special
1998

Seal: Human Beings

Music Performer
Show
1998

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

Extra

Guest
News
1994

Songs of Praise

Judge
Show
1994

Seal: Newborn Friend

Music Performer
Show
1994

Seal: Prayer For The Dying

Music Performer
Show
1994

Late Show With David Letterman

Music Performer
Talk
1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Music Performer
Talk
1992

Seal: Crazy

Music Performer
Show
1991

Seal: Killer

Music Performer
Show
1991

The Oprah Winfrey ShowStream

Guest
Talk
1986

The Oprah Winfrey ShowStream

Music Performer
Talk
1986

Entertainment Tonight

Guest
News
1981

Good Morning America

Music Performer
News
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Music Performer
Series
1975

Great PerformancesStream

Music Performer
Franchise
1972

Today

Guest
News
1952

Today

Music Performer
News
1952

News aboutSeal