Samantha Mumba Considers Moving Back to Ireland Amid Racial Tensions

The Irish-born pop star opens up about experiencing racism growing up and weighing a return to Europe with her family.

Mar. 10, 2026 at 4:49pm

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Samantha Mumba, the Irish-born pop star, has revealed that she and her family are considering moving back to Ireland from Los Angeles, despite the racism her family faced growing up in Ireland. Mumba, who is of Zambian and Irish descent, says she "disassociated" from the racial criticism she experienced as a child, but recognized her father's struggles with "horrendous racism." Now living in the U.S. with her husband and 10-year-old daughter, Mumba acknowledges the "racial tension" in Ireland, but says she's focused on the "amazing Irish people" who aren't like that. As Mumba and her husband weigh the pros and cons of living in LA versus Ireland, their daughter Sage's love for Ireland and Mumba's husband's changing perspective have them seriously considering a move back to Europe.

Why it matters

Mumba's story highlights the complex experiences of being a person of color in different parts of the world, and the difficult decision-making process around where to raise a family when faced with racial tensions in both countries. Her openness about her own "disassociation" from racism as a child and her father's struggles sheds light on the intergenerational impacts of discrimination. As more people consider relocating for various reasons, Mumba's experience provides insight into the factors that go into those major life decisions.

The details

Samantha Mumba, a 43-year-old Irish pop star, rose to fame in the early 2000s with hits like "Gotta Tell You Something." In a recent podcast interview, Mumba opened up about the racism her family faced growing up in Ireland, where she says she "disassociated" from the racial criticism as a child. Mumba, who is of Zambian and Irish descent, acknowledged that her father dealt with "horrendous racism," but she didn't fully realize at the time that the insults were also directed at her. Now living in Los Angeles with her husband and 10-year-old daughter, Mumba says the "racial tension" in Ireland "sickens" her, but she focuses on the "amazing Irish people" who aren't like that. As Mumba and her husband, who runs a successful security company with her in LA, weigh the pros and cons of staying in the U.S. versus moving back to Ireland, their daughter's love for Ireland and Mumba's husband's changing perspective have them seriously considering a relocation to Europe.

  • Mumba started her music career in 2000 with her first single "Gotta Tell You Something."
  • Mumba and her husband founded their security company in Los Angeles in 2019.

The players

Samantha Mumba

A 43-year-old Irish pop star who rose to fame in the early 2000s and is now considering moving her family back to Ireland from Los Angeles.

Torray Scales

Mumba's husband, who runs a successful security company with her in Los Angeles.

Sage

Mumba and Scales' 10-year-old daughter, who loves Ireland and has influenced their consideration of a move back to Europe.

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What they’re saying

“In our house, growing up, race wasn't a thing. It just wasn't a factor in our house, it really wasn't. So as a little girl... you wouldn't have seen little Black girls walking around Dublin. Of course, I was getting stared at. But in my unhinged mind, I just thought I was fabulous. They loved my dress.”

— Samantha Mumba, Pop star

“Now, for some reason, in my head, there was a dissociation where it was, 'Oh that's dad because he's from Zambia.' I didn't realize in my head that I am also Black, so those insults are also to me and directed at me. Just there was a complete disassociation in my mind, which maybe was my subconscious protecting myself. I don't know.”

— Samantha Mumba, Pop star

“It kind of sickens me, if I'm being honest. It just makes me so sad, 'cause every time, it is an undercurrent and an energy... And then I hate it as well because for the small percentage of people that are like that and pushing that kind of rhetoric, there's amazing Irish people and so many people that aren't like that. So that's I focus on that.”

— Samantha Mumba, Pop star

What’s next

Mumba and her husband are actively weighing the pros and cons of staying in Los Angeles versus moving the family back to Ireland, with their daughter's love for Ireland and Mumba's husband's changing perspective on living there playing a key role in their decision-making process.

The takeaway

Samantha Mumba's story highlights the complex experiences of being a person of color navigating different cultures and communities, and the difficult choices families must make when faced with racial tensions in multiple countries. Her openness about her own 'disassociation' from racism as a child and her father's struggles sheds light on the intergenerational impacts of discrimination, and provides insight into the factors that go into major relocation decisions.