Michael Kiwanuka
| Michael Kiwanuka | |
|---|---|
 Performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Samuel Kiwanuka |
| Born | 3 May 1987 |
| Origin | Muswell Hill, North London, United Kingdom |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Labels | Polydor, Communion |
| Website |
michaelkiwanuka |
Michael Samuel Kiwanuka (born 3 May 1987) is a British soul musician who is signed to Communion 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
Kiwanuka grew up in Muswell Hill, North 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]
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 has played with James Gadson, who drummed for Bill Withers.[7]
While filming an episode for the 39th season of Austin City Limits at the Moody Theater at ACL Live on Monday, 10 June 2013, Michael and his band played a cover of the late Townes Van Zandt's song Waiting 'Round to Die, from Van Zandt's first album, 1968's For the Sake of the Song.
Career
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.[8]
Kiwanuka supported Adele on her Adele Live 2011 tour, as well at her iTunes Festival 2011 gig,[9] and played at the 2011 Hard Rock Calling.[10]
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.[11] 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.
In July 2016, he performed at the British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park on the same day as Carole King and Don Henley.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [12] |
AUS [13] |
AUT [14] |
BEL (FL) [15] |
IRE [16] |
NL [17] |
NOR [18] |
NZ [19] |
SWE [20] |
US [21] | ||||||||||
| Home Again |
|
4 | 67 | 13 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 8 | 86 | ||||||||
| Love & Hate |
|
1 | 35 | 11 | 9 | 15 [25] | 8 | — | — | — | 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 |
|
| I'm Getting Ready EP | |
| You've Got Nothing to Lose |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [12] |
BEL (FL) [15] |
BEL (WA) [32] |
FRA [33][34] |
NL [17] |
US AAA [35] | ||||||||||||||
| 2012 | "Home Again"[36] | 29 | 3 | 61 | 21 | 59 | 29 | Home Again | |||||||||||
| "I'm Getting Ready"[37] | 187 | — | — | — | — | 8 | |||||||||||||
| "I'll Get Along"[38] | — | 54 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
| "Bones"[39] | — | 67 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
| 2013 | "Tell Me a Tale" | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | ||||||||||||
| 2016 | "Black Man in a White World" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Love & Hate | |||||||||||
| "Love & Hate" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
| "One More Night" | — | — | — | 103 | — | 12 | |||||||||||||
| "—" 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[11] | N/A | Won |
| 2012 | Brit Awards | Critics' Choice[40] | N/A | Nominated |
| Barclaycard | Mercury Prize[41] | Home Again | Nominated | |
| MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Push Act[42] | N/A | Nominated | |
| 2016 | Hyundai | Mercury Prize[43] | Love & Hate | Nominated |
| Q Awards | Best Solo Artist[44] | N/A | Nominated | |
| MOBO Awards | Best Album[45] | Love & Hate | Nominated | |
| Best R&B / Soul Act[46] | N/A | Nominated | ||
| LOS40 Music Awards | Critics' Award | N/A | Won | |
| BBC Music Awards | Album of the Year[47] | Love & Hate | Pending | |
| 2017 | Worldwide Awards | Album of the Year[48] | Love & Hate | Pending |
References
- ↑ "Artists – Communion". Communion. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ↑ Kev Geoghegan (16 June 2011). "Michael Kiwanuka: Singing with his soul on his sleeve". BBC News. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ↑ Paul Lester (24 May 2011). "New band of the day: Michael Kiwanuka". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Doyle, Tom (2012) "The Soul Man", Mojo, February 2012, p. 68-9
- ↑ Charlotte Richardson Andrews (5 May 2011). "First sight: Michael Kiwanuka". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ↑ "Alumnus tops BBC Sound of 2012 poll". Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka: Singing with his soul on his sleeve". BBC News. 16 June 2011.
- ↑ "Introducing: Michael Kiwanuka". TwentyFourBit. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ↑ "Agenda: Kat Maconie; Michael Kiwanuka; Limanation; Pan Am; Transform festival". The Independent. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ↑ "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.
- 1 2 "Sound of – 2012 – Michael Kiwanuka". BBC Music. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- 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/.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Discographie Michael Kiwanuka". Austrian Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
- 1 2 "Discografie Michael Kiwanuka". Belgium Flanders Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Discography Michael Kiwanuka". Irish Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
- 1 2 "Discografie Michael Kiwanuka". Dutch Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Discography Michael Kiwanuka". Norwegian Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Discography Michael Kiwanuka". New Zealand Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Discography Michael Kiwanuka". Swedish Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
- ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka". Retrieved 10 February 2012.
- ↑ "British album certifications – Michael Kiwanuka – Home". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Home in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Search
- ↑ "Gouden plaat voor Michael Kiwanuka". 3FM. 25 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ↑ http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p/musicvideo/music/latest/index_test.jsp&ct=240002
- ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka 'Tell Me a Tale: The Isle of Wight Sessions' – Digital EP". Amazon.co.uk. 18 December 2011.
- ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka – Tell Me a Tale EP: Isle of Wight Sessions at Juno Records". Juno. 30 June 2011.
- ↑ "iTunes Festival: London 2011 – EP by Michael Kiwanuka". iTunes. Apple.
- ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka 'I'm Getting Ready' – Digital EP". Amazon.co.uk. 20 December 2011.
- ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka – I'm Getting Ready EP at Juno Records". Juno. 26 September 2011.
- ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka – You've Got Nothing To Lose". www.indieshuffle.com. 3 March 2014.
- ↑ "Discographie Michael Kiwanuka". Belgium Wallonia Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Discographie Michael Kiwanuka". French Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés - SNEP (Week 33, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
- ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka – Chart History: Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
- ↑ "Michael Kiwanuka 'Home Again' – Digital EP". Amazon.co.uk. 22 December 2011.
- ↑ "I'm Getting Ready – Single by Michael Kiwanuka". iTunes. Apple.
- ↑ "'I'll Get Along' Video Exclusive on Vevo". MichaelKiwanuka.com.
- ↑ "New Single 'Bones' To Be Released On 24th September". MichaelKiwanuka.com.
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jan/12/brit-awards-2012-nominations-in-full
- ↑ Amy Phillips and Evan Minsker. (2012-09-12). "Mercury Prize Nominees Announced". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
- ↑ http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/rihanna-and-taylor-swift-receive-most-1327742
- ↑ "Mercury Prize 2016: David Bowie gets posthumous nomination". BBC. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ http://www.qthemusic.com/16973/stubhub-q-awards-2016-shortlist-vote-now/
- ↑ http://www.mobo.com/news-blogs/2016-mobo-awards-nominations-get-full-list-now
- ↑ http://www.mobo.com/news-blogs/2016-mobo-awards-nominations-get-full-list-now
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/0242a2af-6f63-43b0-90e5-54fead8d55c9
- ↑ http://www.gillespetersonworldwide.com/wwa-2017-album-of-the-year-shortlist-vote-now/
| Preceded by Jessie J |
Sound of... 2012 |
Succeeded by Haim |