NEW YORK is an electronic and art pop duo originally from London, consisting of artists Coumba Samba and Gretchen Lawrence.Interview Magazine. “Introducing New York, a Girl-Pop Group From London.” Interview Magazine, 19 Sept. 2024. (https://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/introducing-new-york-a-girl-pop-group-from-london?) Both Samba and Lawrence work as contemporary artists; Samba grew up in Harlem and Senegal, and Phillips is from Estonia.D’Souza, Shaad. “One to Watch: New York, London Duo No Sleep Till NY.” The Guardian, 24 Feb. 2024. (https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/feb/24/one-to-watch-new-york-london-duo-no-sleep-till-ny?) Their debut album, No Sleep Till NY was released in 2022. The duo is known for using experimental sampling and disaffected vocal delivery in their music.Pitchfork Review. D'Souza, Shaad. Rapstar* (https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/new-york-rapstar/) As of 2025, the pair live in New York City.Zhang, Cat. “New York Are Tumblr Girls at Heart.” The Cut, 9 Oct. 2025. (https://www.thecut.com/article/new-york-band-gretchen-lawrence-coumba-samba-interview.html?)
History
Lawrence and Samba met during the COVID-19 pandemic, after Samba moved into a council estate apartment that Lawrence was living in. The two bonded over shared musical references such as Electro, footwork, pop music, DJ Assault, M.I.A., Felix da Housecat, and DJ Rashad.Zhang, Cat. “New York Are Tumblr Girls at Heart.” The Cut, 9 Oct. 2025. (https://www.thecut.com/article/new-york-band-gretchen-lawrence-coumba-samba-interview.html?) The first beat that the duo made together used voice recordings of Coumba singing Taylor Swift and Chief Keef.Greenwald, Zoey. Document Journal. “Experimental Pop Duo NEW YORK’s ‘rapstar*’ Maintains an Artful Anonymity.” Document Journal, Sept. 2024. (https://www.documentjournal.com/2024/09/new-york-music-coumba-samba-gretchen-lawrence-pop-experimental-music-rapstar/)
Both Samba and Lawrence have careers in the contemporary art world, with Samba primarily working as a sculptor, and Lawrence having a background in performance art and installation.Mousse Magazine. “High Flash: Coumba Samba — Camila Palomino.” Mousse Magazine. (https://www.moussemagazine.it/magazine/coumba-samba-camila-palomino-2024/)Leniarska, Tosia. EM-IS10: Coumba Samba Interview (PDF). Drei, Cologne. (https://drei.cologne/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/EM-IS10_COUMBASAMBA.pdf)Mousse Magazine. "Gretchen Lawrence and Maragaret Tashkova." https://www.moussemagazine.it/magazine/gretchen-lawrence-margaret-tashkova-jennys-hosted-by-galerina-new-york-2025/
They have opened for acts such as Bar Italia, and Smerz.Heavy Trip. “NEW YORK.” (https://heavy-trip.com/new-york?)
Discography Albums No Sleep Till N.Y. (2022, self-released) Rapstar* (2024, Relaxin Records) Push (2025, self-released EP)
Singles
night n day (2023, self-released) think of you / 2am (2025, self-released double single) together (2025, self-released)
References