Bakar

Biography

Abubakar Baker Shariff-Farr, known professionally as Bakar, was born on 12 February 1992 in Camden, north London, to a Tanzanian mother and Yemeni father. His father was largely absent during his upbringing in this eclectic district, where he grew up immersed in London's vibrant cultural scene. Initially a fan of hip-hop, Bakar discovered indie music at age 14, sparking a shift in his tastes. He began creating music in 2015 by remixing tracks from artists like Bombay Bicycle Club and King Krule, uploading them anonymously to SoundCloud. Lacking formal musical training, he developed an instinctive style blending punk, rock, rap, indie, and experimental indie rock, influenced by figures like Bloc Party's Kele Okereke and King Krule.[1][2][4][5][7][9]

Bakar's career gained momentum with his independent debut single 'Big Dreams' in March 2017, which later featured on the FIFA 19 soundtrack. He released his debut mixtape Badkid in May 2018 via his own label bash, followed by performances at festivals like Live at Leeds and The Great Escape, earning praise as one of Britain's most exciting new acts. Signing to Black Butter Records in 2019, he dropped the EP Will You Be My Yellow?, led by the sleeper hit 'Hell n Back', which topped Billboard's Triple A chart after 27 weeks. His debut album Nobody's Home arrived in February 2022, peaking at No. 31 on the UK Albums Chart, with his second album Halo following in September 2023. Notable appearances include Coachella 2023 and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[1][3][4][5]

Bakar's genre-bending sound, marked by black comedy, outsider perspectives, and catchy melodies, has positioned him as a rising star with London cool and broad appeal. His work reflects personal themes like loss and life's shadier sides, recorded in prestigious spots like Rick Rubin's Shangri-La studio, solidifying his legacy as an innovative force in modern indie rock without major label backing early on.[1][3][5][6]

Fun Facts

• 'Hell n Back' holds the record for the longest trip to No. 1 on Billboard's Triple A chart (27 weeks, peaking June 30, 2020).
• Bakar has no formal musical training but instinctively blends punk, rock, rap, and indie genres.
• He performed a tribute to Mac Miller with 'Circles' on BBC Radio 1Xtra in 2020.
• 'Big Dreams' gained massive exposure after inclusion in the FIFA 19 soundtrack.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• King Krule - major stylistic influence through remixes and sound (early SoundCloud remixes (2015)) [2015]
• Kele Okereke (Bloc Party) - key vocal and stylistic influence (general style inspiration) [career-spanning]
• Skepta - early studio time and jamming sessions, considered group formation (weird punk shit jams during Konnichiwa recording) [pre-2017]

Key Collaborators

• Zach Nahome - producer in fruitful partnership (BADKID mixtape) [2018]
• Dominic Fike - collaboration on track ("Stop Selling Her Drugs" on EP) [2019]
• Kenny Beats - featured collaboration (Benee's "Night Garden") [2020]
• Sheck Wes - mentioned future collaboration (unreleased) [2019]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz