We go shopping with pop icon Seal and chat love, parenting worries and why he hates taking selfies
The 54-year-old singing sensation gives Fabulous all the details on life as a stylish father-of-three
WE size up sensational singer Seal, 54, for a new wardrobe and chat love, parenting worries and why he hates selfies.
Where: The Library 1994, Brompton Road, London.
What’s the first thing you do when you come back to England from LA?
I see my family and come here to shop. Seriously!
Describe your sense of style…
It’s relative to how I feel and, more specifically, how I want to feel. Today I want to be awake – I’m seriously jet-lagged! So I want to feel stable, hence the monochromatic outfit.
What did you buy as your first big splurge when you became famous?
I bought a house in Ledbury Mews [in London’s Notting Hill] and a Porsche. I certainly wasn’t being wise with my money – not with the car, anyway. Was I living the dream? As a boy from London who grew up wanting better, wanting more – yes I was.
How do you cope with all the attention you get being in the public eye?
First world problem! In the grand scheme of things, it’s a small price to pay for the life that it affords you, so you adjust to dealing with the attention. It’s a cross that’s not too hard to bear.
What do you think of selfies?
I can’t stand them. The very name itself makes me cringe. Then all these people that do duck faces in selfies. At what point did anyone say: “You look much more attractive when you protrude your lips like a duck”?
As a father, do you worry about the state of the world at the moment?
I do worry and I’m concerned about what we’re leaving behind for our children. I’m also hopeful because we’re raising a generation of people who will fix it. Ultimately, I’ve got faith in mankind – although that’s been tested recently.
How have you managed to stay on good terms with your ex-wife Heidi Klum?
Ask me one on sport. I’ve no desire to talk about it.
Is there room for love in your life?
Of course there’s room. Is there room for anything but love?
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How do you cope being away from your children Leni, 13, Henry, 12, Johan, 11, and Lou, eight?
Part of the reason why my kids have a fortunate life, go to good schools and live in nice houses is because of those sacrifices. As someone who came from a very modest background and grew up with aspirations to make a better life, I guess I justify it somehow.
BTW: Did you know?
- Seal's birth name is Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel.
- He sipped water and ate mixed nuts during our chat.
- His facial scars are a result of having discoid lupus erythematosus.
What’s one of your greatest experiences as a dad?
I did something with my daughter Leni that Gwyneth Paltrow told me her father did when she was young. His idea was to take her to Paris – the City of Light, but for all intents and purposes, the City of Love – with a man who no matter what will love her forever. I took her to art galleries, shows, great restaurants and we went shopping. It was fantastic. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.
How do you relax?
There’s a spectacular hike on my street in LA, over in Pacific Palisades. I walk out of my door and within seven minutes I’m heading up the hill at the beginning of this hike. It clears my head. It’s awesome.
- Seal’s new album Standards is out now
- Tickets for his UK tour in February 2018 are on sale now
- Thanks to