Michael Kiwanuka

Michael Kiwanuka
Kiwanuka at Wilderness Festival in 2017
Background information
Birth name Michael Samuel Kiwanuka
Born (1987-05-03) 3 May 1987
Origin Muswell Hill, London, England
Genres
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, record producer
Instruments Vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards
Labels Polydor, Communion
Website michaelkiwanuka.com

Michael Samuel Kiwanuka (born 3 May 1987) is an English soul musician and songwriter who is signed to Polydor Records.[1] He has been compared to Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers, Randy Newman, Terry Callier, and Otis Redding,[2] as well as Van Morrison and the Temptations.[3] In January 2012, he won the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll.

Early life

Michael Samuel Kiwanuka was born on 3 May 1987 and grew up in Muswell Hill, London, the son of Ugandan parents who had escaped the Amin regime.[4][5] He attended Fortismere School, leaving there in 2005 after completing his A-Levels.[4] He went on to study at the School of Media, Arts and Design at the University of Westminster.[6]

Career

Performing at the 2012 Montreux Jazz Festival

Background musician

Kiwanuka worked as a session guitarist, playing with Chipmunk and Bashy, before working as a solo artist;[4] his first proper gig was at The Oxford, Kentish Town. He came to the attention of Communion Records, which released his first two EPs,[4] including his debut Tell Me A Tale on 13 June 2011.[7]

2011-2016: Home Again and Cold Little Heart

Kiwanuka supported Adele on her Adele Live 2011 tour, as well at her iTunes Festival 2011 gig,[8] and played at the 2011 Hard Rock Calling.[9]

In 2011, he signed a deal with Polydor Records.[4] He was included in the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll and was named as the winner on 6 January 2012.[10] In June 2012, he was illustrated in a BBC article regarding Spain vis-à-vis Uganda during the Eurozone crisis; his putative counterpart was actress Penélope Cruz.

Kiwanuka released his debut studio album, Home Again, in 2012 to positive reviews from critics. The album peaked at number 4 in the UK and, as of 2012, has sold over 70,000 copies in the UK.[11]

In 2016, Kiwanuka released his follow-up to Home Again, Love & Hate. The album was a critical and commercial success, reaching a peak at number 1 on the UK albums chart. The album was produced by Danger Mouse and spawned several singles.

The 5th prestigious HiPipo Music Awards will honour Michael Kiwanuka with the award of "Best Global Act" in recognition and celebration of his ‘Love & Hate’ album success and musical accomplishments since his 2012 debut album "Home Again".

Musical style

Kiwanuka has acknowledged influences from musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Bill Withers,[4] Otis Redding,[4]Jack Johnson, Pops Staples, The Band, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Eric Bibb, Tommy Sims, Wham!, Richie Havens and Funkadelic, [12] he has played with James Gadson, who drummed for Bill Withers.[13]

His song "Cold Little Heart" serves as the opening theme for the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies.[14][15]

Season 1 of the Netflix series Seven Seconds features his song "Love & Hate".

Season 1 of the Netflix series The Get Down features his songs "Rule the World", and "Black Man in a White World".

Season 3 episode 11 of the TNT series Animal Kingdom features his song "Love and Hate"

Season 7 Episode 8 of Suits entitled "100" features his song "Love and Hate"

Discography

Studio albums

Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
[16]		 AUS
[17]		 AUT
[18]		 BEL (FL)
[19]		 IRE
[20]		 NL
[21]		 NOR
[22]		 NZ
[23]		 SWE
[24]		 US
[25]
Home Again 467132161317886
Love & Hate
  • Release: 15 July 2016
  • Label: Polydor Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download, vinyl
 135119158———170
"—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Extended plays

Title Details
Tell Me a Tale EP
(Isle of Wight Sessions)
iTunes Festival: London 2011
  • Released: 8 July 2011[32]
  • Label: Polydor Records
  • Format: Digital download
I'm Getting Ready EP
  • Released: 24 July 2011[33][34]
  • Label: Communion Records
  • Format: Digital download, 10" vinyl
You've Got Nothing to Lose

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
UK
[16]		 BEL (FL)
[19]		 BEL (WA)
[36]		 FRA
[37][38]		 NL
[21]		 US
AAA
[39]
2012 "Home Again"[40] 29361215929 Home Again
"I'm Getting Ready"[41] 187————8
"I'll Get Along"[42] —5468———
"Bones"[43] —6785———
2013 "Tell Me a Tale" —58—159—10
2016 "Black Man in a White World" —81—104—— Love & Hate
"Love & Hate" —74———8
"One More Night" —96———11
2017 "Cold Little Heart"[44] —85—174
[45]		—6
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Awards and nominations

Year Organisation Award Work Result
2011 BBC Sound of 2012[10] N/A Won
2012 Brit Awards Critics' Choice[46] N/A Nominated
Barclaycard Mercury Prize[47] Home Again Nominated
MTV Europe Music Awards Best Push Act[48] N/A Nominated
2016 Hyundai Mercury Prize[49] Love & Hate Nominated
Q Awards Best Solo Artist[50] N/A Nominated
MOBO Awards Best Album[51] Love & Hate Nominated
Best R&B / Soul Act[51] N/A Nominated
LOS40 Music Awards Critics' Award N/A Won[note 1]
BBC Music Awards Album of the Year[52] Love & Hate Nominated
2017 Brit Awards British Male Solo Artist N/A Nominated
British Album of the Year Love & Hate Nominated
Worldwide Awards Album of the Year[53] Won
HiPipo Music Awards Best Global Act Won

References

  1. ↑ "Artists – Polydor Records". Polydor Records. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  2. ↑ Kev Geoghegan (16 June 2011). "Michael Kiwanuka: Singing with his soul on his sleeve". BBC News. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  3. ↑ Paul Lester (24 May 2011). "New band of the day: Michael Kiwanuka". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Doyle, Tom (2012) "The Soul Man", Mojo, February 2012, p. 68-9
  5. ↑ Charlotte Richardson Andrews (5 May 2011). "First sight: Michael Kiwanuka". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  6. ↑ "Alumnus tops BBC Sound of 2012 poll". Archived from the original on 23 January 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "Introducing: Michael Kiwanuka". TwentyFourBit. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  8. ↑ "Agenda: Kat Maconie; Michael Kiwanuka; Limanation; Pan Am; Transform festival". The Independent. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  9. ↑ "Frankie And The Heartstrings, Michael Kiwanuka and Lissie added to Hard Rock Calling bill". NME.com. IPC Media. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  10. 1 2 "Sound of – 2012 – Michael Kiwanuka". BBC Music. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  11. ↑ "Charts EU Airplay Week 18 (p.32)". Music Week. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2012. (Subscription required (help)).
  12. ↑ http://www.port-magazine.com/music/soundtrack-michael-kiwanuka-2/
  13. ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka: Singing with his soul on his sleeve". BBC News. 16 June 2011.
  14. ↑ Macon, Alexandra (March 29, 2017). "The Big Little Lies Music You've Been Waiting For Is About to Be Released". Vogue.
  15. ↑ Miller, Matt (March 23, 2017). "The Big Little Lies Theme Song Is Actually an Awesome 10-Minute Soul Ballad". Esquire.
  16. 1 2 Peak positions in the United Kingdom:
    • For all except noted: "Michael Kiwanuka". Officialcharts.com/. Official Charts Company.
    • For "I'm Getting Ready": "CHART: CLUK Update 14.01.2012 (wk1)". Official Charts Company. zobbel.de/.
  17. ↑ Peak chart positions in Australia:
    • For all except noted: "Discography Michael Kiwanuka". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
    • For Home Again: "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 30 July 2012" (PDF) (1170). Australian Recording Industry Association. Pandora Archive. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  18. ↑ "Discographie Michael Kiwanuka". Austrian Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
  19. 1 2 "Discografie Michael Kiwanuka". Belgium Flanders Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
  20. ↑ "Discography Michael Kiwanuka". Irish Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
  21. 1 2 "Discografie Michael Kiwanuka". Dutch Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
  22. ↑ "Discography Michael Kiwanuka". Norwegian Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
  23. ↑ "Discography Michael Kiwanuka". New Zealand Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
  24. ↑ "Discography Michael Kiwanuka". Swedish Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
  25. ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
  26. ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka". Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  27. ↑ "British album certifications – Michael Kiwanuka – Home". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Type Home in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  28. ↑ "Gouden plaat voor Michael Kiwanuka". 3FM. 25 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  29. ↑ "British album certifications – Michael Kiwanuka – Love & Hate". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Type Love & Hate in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  30. ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka 'Tell Me a Tale: The Isle of Wight Sessions' – Digital EP". Amazon.co.uk. 18 December 2011.
  31. ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka – Tell Me a Tale EP: Isle of Wight Sessions at Juno Records". Juno. 30 June 2011.
  32. ↑ "iTunes Festival: London 2011 – EP by Michael Kiwanuka". iTunes. Apple.
  33. ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka 'I'm Getting Ready' – Digital EP". Amazon.co.uk. 20 December 2011.
  34. ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka – I'm Getting Ready EP at Juno Records". Juno. 26 September 2011.
  35. ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka – You've Got Nothing To Lose". www.indieshuffle.com. 3 March 2014.
  36. ↑ "Discographie Michael Kiwanuka". Belgium Wallonia Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
  37. ↑ "Discographie Michael Kiwanuka". French Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
  38. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés - SNEP (Week 33, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  39. ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka – Chart History: Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard.
  40. ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka 'Home Again' – Digital EP". Amazon.co.uk. 22 December 2011.
  41. ↑ "I'm Getting Ready – Single by Michael Kiwanuka". iTunes. Apple.
  42. ↑ "'I'll Get Along' Video Exclusive on Vevo". MichaelKiwanuka.com. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012.
  43. ↑ "New Single 'Bones' To Be Released On 24th September". MichaelKiwanuka.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013.
  44. ↑ "Cold Little Heart (Radio Edit) – Single by Michael Kiwanuka on Apple Music". Apple Inc. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  45. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 15, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  46. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jan/12/brit-awards-2012-nominations-in-full
  47. ↑ Amy Phillips and Evan Minsker. (2012-09-12). "Mercury Prize Nominees Announced". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
  48. ↑ https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/rihanna-and-taylor-swift-receive-most-1327742
  49. ↑ "Mercury Prize 2016: David Bowie gets posthumous nomination". BBC. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  50. ↑ http://www.qthemusic.com/16973/stubhub-q-awards-2016-shortlist-vote-now/
  51. 1 2 http://www.mobo.com/news-blogs/2016-mobo-awards-nominations-get-full-list-now
  52. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/0242a2af-6f63-43b0-90e5-54fead8d55c9
  53. ↑ http://www.gillespetersonworldwide.com/wwa-2017-album-of-the-year-shortlist-vote-now/

Notes

  1. ↑ Ex aequo with Love of Lesbian.
Preceded by
Jessie J		 Sound of...
2012		 Succeeded by
Haim
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