Editing Seal (musician) (section)

==Career==
<!-- This section is linked from [[Francisca Urio]] -->

===Early career===
In the 1980s, Seal spent a short time singing in local clubs and bars. In 1987, he joined Push, a British funk band, and toured with them in Japan. In Thailand, he joined a blues band for a while before separating from the group and journeying throughout India on his own. He returned to England, sleeping on the couch of friend Julian Bunster, then a model. He sometimes asked him, "Do I sing well?", to which he often received the response that he sang better than most current artists. Then he met the producer [[Adamski]] to whom Seal provided lyrics and vocals on Adamski's single "[[Killer (Adamski song)|Killer]]".<ref name="vh1.com VH1 biography"/>

===Initial success: 1990s===
"Killer" eventually reached number one in the UK.<ref name="UKChart"/> Seal subsequently signed to [[ZTT Records]] and released his [[Seal (1991 album)|self-titled début album]] (produced by [[Trevor Horn]]) in 1991. Two versions of the album are known to be in circulation: the original "premix" version and a second, more common version with an updated mix. This is attributed to the demand for a produced single rushing the final album edit and, as Seal puts it, producer Horn's "inability to let go".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://futureloveparadise.co.uk/index.html?s=anthology&d=disc-album&p=seal1edit |title=10 Years on and Still the Web's Best Source of Seal Info |publisher=Future Love Paradise |access-date=26 April 2011}}</ref>

''Seal'' was positively received by critics. The singles "[[Crazy (Seal song)|Crazy]]", "Future Love Paradise" and his own rendition of "Killer" performed well on the charts. In particular, "Crazy" became an international hit in 1991, reaching number two in the [[UK Singles Chart]] and number seven on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] in the US.<ref name="UKChart"/><ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=seal|chart=all}} |title=Seal: Single Chart History |magazine=Billboard |access-date=26 April 2011}}</ref> Seal stole the show at the [[List of Brit Awards ceremonies#1992|1992]] [[Brit Awards]] held at the [[Hammersmith Odeon]], London, with the first hat-trick of wins in the history of the event.<ref name="Brits">{{cite web |url=http://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/1992 |title=History |publisher=Brit Awards |date=16 October 2015 |access-date=15 January 2016 |archive-date=14 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114193144/http://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/1992 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He won in three categories: Best British Male, Best British Video ("Killer") and Best British Album (''Seal'').<ref name="Brits"/>

In 1992, Seal appeared on the [[Red Hot Organization]]'s compilation CD ''[[Red Hot + Dance]]'', contributing an exclusive track "Crazy (If I Was Trev Mix)". The album, featuring [[George Michael]] and [[Madonna]] among others, raised money and awareness in support of the AIDS epidemic by donating all proceeds to AIDS charities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Red Hot + Dance |url=https://redhot.org/project/red-hot-dance/ |access-date=19 April 2022 |agency=Redhot.org}}</ref>

[[Jeff Beck]] and Seal performed a cover of "[[Manic Depression (song)|Manic Depression]]" for the 1993 album ''[[Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix]]''. Seal also contributed vocals to a cover of [[John Lennon]]'s "[[Imagine (John Lennon song)|Imagine]]" for the 2010 [[Herbie Hancock]] album, ''[[The Imagine Project]]'' along with [[Pink (singer)|P!nk]], [[India.Arie]], [[Jeff Beck]], [[Konono Nº1]], [[Oumou Sangaré]] and others.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=36827 |title=The Imagine Project |magazine=All About Jazz |date=21 June 2010 |access-date=29 November 2010}}</ref>

After Seal regrouped with Trevor Horn, his second album, also [[Seal (1994 album)|self-titled]], was released in 1994. A success, the album featured the singles "[[Prayer for the Dying]]" and "[[Newborn Friend]]", and later received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. "Prayer for the Dying" became a minor pop hit in the US, peaking at number 21 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. A third single, "[[Kiss from a Rose]]", performed modestly when released, but was later featured to much wider popularity when it was remixed for the soundtrack to ''[[Batman Forever]]''. "Kiss from a Rose" won a [[Grammy Award]] for [[Record of the Year]] and [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year]] in 1996, becoming Seal's best-performing single on the US market (it topped the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] in late August 1995) and hit number four in the UK.<ref name="UKChart">Roberts, David (2006). [[British Hit Singles & Albums]]. London: Guinness World Records Limited</ref><ref name="Billboard"/>

In 1998, Seal released ''[[Human Being (album)|Human Being]]''. The album was the product of a turbulent time in his life, including a split and later reconciliation with producer Horn, as well as Seal's parting with ZTT Records and his signing with [[Warner Bros. Records]] in 1997. The record was panned upon its release. It received gold record certification by the [[RIAA]] just two months after its release date.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/ |title=Home |publisher=RIAA |date=3 November 2015 |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref> The album provided two singles – "[[Human Beings (song)|Human Beings]]" and "Lost My Faith".

=== 2000s ===
In 2001, fans awaited the arrival of a new album, announced as ''[[Togetherland]]''. After a protracted postproduction period, the album was cancelled. The official word was that Seal simply did not think it made the grade, although this conflicts with other reports,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.angelfire.com/co2/redwolf707/seal.html |title=Clay's Seal Page |website=Angelfire.com |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref> that said the album was turned down by the label because producers felt the album would not be commercially successful. Even so, one single was released from the album; "This Could Be Heaven" was released in the US and featured on ''[[The Family Man]]'' soundtrack. Since December 2006, Seal has indicated that he has plans to excerpt cuts from ''Togetherland'' and make them available for streaming download. Meanwhile, Seal co-wrote and provided vocals for the hit single "[[My Vision (song)|My Vision]]" from [[Jakatta]] in 2002. He also recorded a successful duet with French singer [[Mylène Farmer]] called "[[Les Mots (song)|''Les Mots'']]" during that same period. Also in 2002, Seal lent his vocals to the song "You Are My Kind", the fourth track on [[Carlos Santana|Santana]]'s album ''[[Shaman (album)|Shaman]]''.

In 2003, Seal released his fourth album ''[[Seal IV]]''. Although it never achieved the sales figures of either of his first two albums, this release brought him back into the public eye in the United States and continental Europe. Singles from the album include "Waiting for You", "Get It Together" and "[[Love's Divine]]"; the latter was released in 2004 and was a big hit in several European countries.

In 2004, a greatest-hits album entitled ''[[Best 1991–2004]]'' was released, including a cover of the [[Burt Bacharach|Bacharach]]/[[Hal David|David]] classic "[[Walk On By]]" and a cover of [[Echo & the Bunnymen]]'s "[[Lips Like Sugar]]". An edition of the album was available that included an extra CD with acoustic versions of some of Seal's hits. Also in 2004, Seal performed shows at the [[Olympia (Paris)|Olympia Theatre]] in Paris. The show of 6 July 2004 was recorded and released about one year after as a CD/DVD package, simply titled ''Live in Paris''.

In June 2005, Seal recorded a concert which was subsequently released in 2006, entitled ''One Night to Remember'', as a CD/DVD combination. The DVD includes a "making of" documentary in addition to the live performance. Recorded in a historic steel mill, the ''Altes Kesselhaus'' ("old boiler house"), in [[Düsseldorf]], Germany, this performance includes a version of Brahms' ''Lullaby'' which Seal sings in German and then in English. Unlike earlier recordings in which Seal is accompanied by his band, a full orchestra and choir of 52 musicians accompanies the singer.[[File:Show Seal.JPG|thumb|Seal performing in 2008]]
''[[System (album)|System]]'' was released in the UK on 12 November 2007 and in the US on 13 November 2007.<ref name=Systemrelease>{{citation|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/51003/seal-system/|title=Seal – ''System''|department=Music Review|author=Joseph, Mike|work=PopMatters|date=13 November 2007|access-date=24 November 2007|archive-date=25 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725153228/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/51003/seal-system/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Seal describes the album as more dance-oriented, apparently a return to the roots of his first album. On the track titled "Wedding Day", Seal sings a duet with his then-wife, model [[Heidi Klum]]. The album's first single, "Amazing", was released on 25 September 2007 and nominated for the "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" Grammy at the 2007 50th Annual Grammy Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/|title=Grammy Awards|website=Grammy.com|access-date=9 July 2021}}</ref>

Seal performed "Amazing" and [[the Beatles]]' "[[Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds]]" at the 2007 [[Royal Variety Performance]]. Seal also performed "Amazing" at the 2007 [[Victoria's Secret]] Fashion Show in December, as well as the duet "Wedding Day" with his wife. Other performers at the 2007 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show include the [[Spice Girls]] and [[will.i.am]] of [[the Black Eyed Peas]]. He appeared on the American Idol season-seven finale, singing with third-place contestant [[Syesha Mercado]].

Seal's sixth studio album, ''[[Soul (Seal album)|Soul]]'', was released on 3 November 2008 internationally and on 11 November 2008 in the US. It contains 11 [[soul music|soul]] classics produced by [[David Foster]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seal.com/video.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011082954/http://www.seal.com/video.html |archive-date=11 October 2008 |title=Soul |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref> The first single was a cover of [[Sam Cooke]]{{'s}} song "[[A Change Is Gonna Come]]".

On 14 March 2009, Seal performed a song from the album and coached the participants on the "Top 9-Show" of the [[Deutschland sucht den Superstar (season 6)|sixth season]] of the German TV show ''[[Deutschland sucht den Superstar]]'' (''German Idol'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rp-online.de/panorama/leute/seal-coacht-dsds-kandidaten-aid-1.2447990|title=Seal coacht DSDS-Kandidaten |work=RP Online |language=de |date=2 February 2009 |access-date=29 January 2016}}</ref> On 4 December 2009, ''[[Hits (Seal album)|Hits]]'', a compilation album, was released. It contains two new tracks, "I Am Your Man" and "Thank You".

===2010s ===
[[file:Seal Hannover.jpg|thumb|upright|Seal in 2011]]
Seal's seventh studio album, ''[[Seal 6: Commitment]]'' was released on 20 September 2010 internationally and 28 September 2010 in the US. The first single "Secret" was released 10 August 2010 on iTunes in the US and in the UK on 13 September 2010. This album was said to be inspired by his wife, Heidi.<ref name="Wednesday, 29 September 2010, 13:00 BST">{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a279311/heidi-klum-im-lucky-to-have-seal.html |title=Showbiz – News – Heidi Klum: 'I'm lucky to have Seal' |website=Digital Spy |date=29 September 2010 |access-date=26 April 2011}}</ref> On 7 November 2011, Seal released his second cover album of classic soul songs, ''Soul 2'' through [[Reprise Records]].

====Performance in Chechnya, 2011====
In October 2011, Seal was criticized by human-rights groups for appearing at an event in [[Grozny]], [[Chechnya]], that turned into a birthday celebration for [[Ramzan Kadyrov]], the President of Chechnya.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/466042/seal-takes-heat-for-serenading-chechen-strongman |title=Seal takes heat for serenading Chechen strongman |magazine=Billboard |date=13 October 2011 }}</ref> Also appearing at the event were the actress [[Hilary Swank]], actor [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]] and violinist [[Vanessa-Mae]]. The New York–based [[Human Rights Foundation]] claims that it sent letters to invitees in advance of the event noting Kadyrov's record and asking them to decline the invitations.<ref name="humanrightsfoundation1">{{cite web|url=http://www.humanrightsfoundation.org/media/HilarySwankapologizes20111012.html |title=Hilary Swank apologizes – Pleads ignorance; but will she keep the Chechen warlord's money? |publisher=[[Human Rights Foundation]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017115719/http://www.humanrightsfoundation.org/media/HilarySwankapologizes20111012.html |archive-date=17 October 2011 }}</ref> [[Human Rights Watch]] sent an enquiry to Seal regarding his performance at the event and released a statement about the incident that said:
{{blockquote|Ramzan Kadyrov is linked to a litany of horrific human rights abuses. It's inappropriate for stars to get paid to party with him. It bolsters his image and legitimizes a brutal leader and his regime. And getting paid to be part of such a lavish show in Chechnya trivialises the suffering of countless victims of human rights abuses there.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/seal-chechnya-human-rights-247508 |title=Seal's Chechen Leader Birthday Bash Performance Questioned By Human Rights Group |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |first=Kim |last=Masters |date=12 October 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/oct/13/hilary-swank-regrets-chechen-party |title=Hilary Swank 'regrets' partying with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov |work=[[The Guardian]]|location=London |first=Miriam |last=Elder |date=13 October 2011 }}</ref>}}

Seal refused to apologise for appearing at the event, sending a message from his Twitter account telling people to "leave me out of your politics".<ref name="humanrightsfoundation1"/> Seal was reported to have made $500,000 for singing at the party.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/24/celebrities-chummy-with-dictators-risk-damaging-their-brand/ |title=Hilary Swank cancels Toronto speech amid controversy over Ramzan Kadyrov birthday appearance |first=Tom |last=Blackwell |work=[[National Post]] |date=24 October 2011 |access-date=31 October 2011 }}</ref>

====2012–2017====
In 2012, Seal was one of the four vocal coaches in the first season of the Australian version of the reality singing competition ''[[The Voice (Australia)|The Voice]]''. He was the coach of the series winner [[Karise Eden]]. Seal returned to ''The Voice ''season two, which debuted on 7 April 2013, where he became the winning coach once again, coaching eventual winner [[Harrison Craig]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/1123/thevoiceaus.html |title=Judges announced for Aussie Voice |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann |date=23 November 2011 |access-date=23 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125032301/http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/1123/thevoiceaus.html |archive-date=25 November 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thevoice.com.au/profiles.html |title=Home &#124; 9Jumpin |work=The Voice |date=1 January 1970 |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref> He did not return for the third season in 2014 with the [[Nine Network]] stating that Seal "will take a break from the third season of ''The Voice'' to focus on music and material for a new album."<ref name=TheVoice2014/> Channel NINE announced on 8 November 2016 that Seal would be returning alongside [[Delta Goodrem]] to ''The Voice'' as a coach in 2017, replacing [[Jessie J]] after a three-year hiatus.

On 15 November 2014, Seal joined the charity group [[Band Aid 30]] along with other British and Irish pop acts, recording the latest version of the track "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]" at [[Sarm West Studios]] in [[Notting Hill]], London, to raise money for the [[2014 Ebola outbreaks|2014 Ebola crisis]] in West Africa.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Band Aid 30: One Direction among celebrity line-up|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=10 November 2014|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/11220735/Band-Aid-30-line-up-revealed.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/11220735/Band-Aid-30-line-up-revealed.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Seal was cast as [[Pontius Pilate]] in [[Tyler Perry]]'s musical rendition of ''[[The Passion (U.S. TV special)|The Passion]]'', which aired on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] on 20 March 2016.<ref name="thewrap-seal">{{cite web|title=Seal Cast as Pontius Pilate for Fox's 'The Passion'|url=http://www.thewrap.com/seal-cast-as-pontius-pilate-for-foxs-the-passion/|website=The Wrap|date=4 February 2016|access-date=12 February 2016}}</ref>

Seal began work on a new album, initially entitled ''Let Yourself'', produced again by Horn. In February 2015, Horn said the album was nearly finished.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-SH22suqmo | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211028/N-SH22suqmo| archive-date=28 October 2021|title=ME1 TV Talks To... Trevor Horn | date=9 February 2015|via=YouTube |access-date=15 January 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Seal later re-signed to Perfect Songs and had a two-week writing period in Horn's Los Angeles studio booked for October 2012. [[Stewart Copeland]] (formerly of [[the Police]]) said that month on his Twitter feed that Trevor Horn and Lol Crème were working with Seal on a project. In April 2013, Seal said on Twitter that the new album would be released in about June (which did not eventuate) and that tracks to be included were "Let Yourself", "Do You Ever" and "Laying with an Angel".<ref>{{cite web|author=Henry Potts |url=http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wnalum.htm#horn |title=Where are they now? – Former Yes members |website=Bondegezou.co.uk |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref> The album was later retitled ''Beautifully Scarred''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://instagram.com/p/5mo0tmQgAa/ |title=Instagram |via=Instagram |access-date=15 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304103840/https://www.instagram.com/p/5mo0tmQgAa/ |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 10 September 2015, Seal announced that the album, now named ''[[7 (Seal album)|7]]'', would be released on 6 November 2015.

Seal released the album ''[[Standards (Seal album)|Standards]]'' in November 2017. The album was produced by classical crossover composer [[Nick Patrick (record producer)|Nick Patrick]]. It received a nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the [[61st Annual Grammy Awards|2018 Annual Grammy Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |title=GRAMMY Award Results for Seal |url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/seal/6331 |website=grammy.com |access-date=23 October 2020}}</ref>

===2020s===
In 2022, Seal launched his own limited-edition camera with [[Leica Camera|Leica]], a Q2 camera called Dawn, which is limited to 500 cameras.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sayej |first=Nadja |title=Worldwise: Grammy Winning Musician and Photography Aficionado Seal's Favorite Things |url=https://www.barrons.com/articles/worldwise-grammy-winning-musician-and-photography-aficionado-seals-favorite-things-01670448164 |access-date=12 December 2022 |website=barrons.com}}</ref>

Seal announced a North American tour in 2023 with Trevor Horn as the musical director, who also doubles as the show opener with his band, The Buggles.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/238178/9 | title=Seal Announces Spring 30th Anniversary North American Tour |website=Stereoboard |date=18 January 2023 |access-date=17 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-06-06/seal-trevor-horn-kiss-from-a-rose-minefield-george-clooney-heidi-klum |title=Seal on the George Clooney connection to 'Kiss From a Rose' and why singing it is a 'minefield' |work=Los Angeles Times |last=Wood |first=Mikael |date=6 June 2023 |access-date=17 February 2025}}</ref> In 2024, he released an alternate version of "Kiss from a Rose" with a deluxe edition of the album ''Seal'' upon its 30th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2259711/hear-an-alternate-version-of-kiss-from-a-rose-from-new-seal-30th-anniversary-reissue/music/ |title=Hear An Alternate Version Of "Kiss From A Rose" From New Seal 30th Anniversary Reissue |work=Stereogum |last=Rettig |first=James |date=16 April 2024 |access-date=17 February 2025}}</ref>

He released a new song, "All I Know is Now", produced by Horn, on 14 February 2025.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/813310/seal-long-awaited-update-after-a-decade-new-music/ |title=Seal shares long-awaited update 'over a decade' in the making that sparks reaction |work=Hello! Magazine |last=Sanwari |first=Ahad |date=10 February 2025 |access-date=17 February 2025}}</ref>