Seal's early life was marked by instability and hardship. Born to a Nigerian mother and Brazilian-born father, he was sent to a foster family at a young age, where he grew up in sheltered conditions until he was four years old. His mother fought for custody and eventually won, but two years later, she left him with his father, who was abusive and violent. Seal suffered from a skin disease, lupus erythematosus, which left scars on his face, and was subjected to teasing at school.
At the age of 15, Seal ran away from home and dropped out of school, surviving on odd jobs and pursuing his passion for music. He joined the British funk band Push and toured Japan and Thailand, where he briefly joined a blues band. Fascinated by Asia, he traveled to India and eventually returned to London, where he met producer Adamski and recorded the hit single "Killer".
Seal's music career took off in the 1990s, with his debut album "Seal" (1991) and second album (1994) receiving worldwide success. His song "Kiss From A Rose" became a multi-platinum hit and earned him three Grammy nominations. He also participated in the soundtrack for the film "Space Jam" and released his third album "Human Nature" in 1998.
In the early 2000s, Seal's music career slowed down, but he remained in the public eye due to his high-profile relationship with German model Heidi Klum. They married in 2005 and had three children together, and Seal also adopted one of Klum's daughters from a previous relationship.
In the late 2000s, Seal continued to release music, including the album "Seal IV" (2003) and a best-of album (2004). He also contributed to the film "The Pursuit of Happiness" and was involved in a legal dispute with his former manager.
In 2011, Seal's private appearance at Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov's birthday party sparked controversy due to Kadyrov's human rights record. The couple announced their separation in 2012.
