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Michael Kiwanuka

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Michael Kiwanuka
Performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 2012
Performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 2012
Background information
Born1988 (age 24)
The old rectory, Teigngrace, Newton Abbot
GenresSoul, folk, acoustic
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
LabelsPolydor, Communion
Websitemichaelkiwanuka.com

Michael Kiwanuka is a British soul musician who is signed to Communion Records.[1] He has been compared to Bill Withers, Randy Newman, 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 was regarded as a very friendly and modest student with a huge circle of friends and a great appreciation for all different genres of music. He could regularly be seen in school concerts and recitals playing bass guitar and jazz guitar. He then 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 Bill Withers,[4] Otis Redding,[4]Jack Johnson, Pops Staples, The Band, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Eric Bibb, Tommy Sims, Richie Havens,[7] and has played with James Gadson, who drummed for Bill Withers.[8]

Career

2011-present: Breakthrough, debut album, and notability

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.[when?] 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.[9]

Kiwanuka supported Adele on her Adele Live 2011 tour, as well at her iTunes Festival 2011 gig,[10] and played at the 2011 Hard Rock Calling.[11]

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.[12] In June 2012 he is illustrated in a BBC article regarding Spain vis-à-vis Uganda during the Euro zone crisis; his putative counterpart was actress Penélope Cruz.

Personal life

Kiwanuka is a supporter of Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.[13][14]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
UK
[15] 		AUT
[16] 		BEL (VL)
[17] 		BEL (WA)
[18] 		CAN
[19] 		DEN
[20] 		IRE
[21] 		NL
[22] 		NOR
[23] 		NZ
[24] 		SCO
[25] 		SWE
[26] 		USA
[27]
Home Again 4 13 2 26 35 23 16 7 3 17 7 8 117

Extended plays

Title EP details
Tell Me a Tale EP
(Isle of Wight Sessions)
iTunes Festival: London 2011
I'm Getting Ready EP
  • Released: 24 July 2011[32][33]
  • Label: Communion Records
  • Format: Digital download, 10" vinyl

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
UK BEL (VL)
[17] 		BEL (WA)
[18] 		NL
[22] 		SCO
[25]
2012 "Home Again"[34] 29 3 61 59 34 Home Again
"I'm Getting Ready"[35] 187 — — — —
"I'll Get Along"[36] — 54 — — —
"Bones"[37] — 67 — — —

Awards and nominations

Year Organisation Award Result
2011 BBC Sound of 2012 Sound of 2012[12] Won

References

  1. ^ "Artists – Communion". Communion. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  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. ^ a b c d e f g 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". Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  7. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka". Myspace. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka: Singing with his soul on his sleeve". BBC News. 16 June 2011.
  9. ^ "Introducing: Michael Kiwanuka". TwentyFourBit. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  10. ^ "Agenda: Kat Maconie; Michael Kiwanuka; Limanation; Pan Am; Transform festival". The Independent. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ a b "Sound of - 2012 - Michael Kiwanuka". BBC Music. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  13. ^ Michael Kiwanuka and Emeli Sande, Xoyo, London (4/5, 2/5) The Independent, 25 January 2012
  14. ^ Michael Kiwanuka: 'Eventually you accept who you are' The Observer, 15 January 2012
  15. ^ Peak positions for albums in the UK:
  16. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka - Austrian Charts". austriancharts.at. Hung Medien.
  17. ^ a b "Michael Kiwanuka - Belgium (Flanders) Charts". ultratop.be. Hung Medien.
  18. ^ a b "Michael Kiwanuka - Belgium (Wallonia) Charts". ultratop.be. Hung Medien.
  19. ^ ALBUMS : Top 100 JAM! Showbiz, Canoe
  20. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka - Danish Charts". danishcharts.com. Hung Medien.
  21. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka - Irish Charts". irish-charts.com. Hung Medien.
  22. ^ a b "Michael Kiwanuka - Dutch Charts". dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien.
  23. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka - Norwegian Charts". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien.
  24. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka - New Zealand Charts". charts.org.nz/. Hung Medien.
  25. ^ a b Peak positions for albums in Scotland:
  26. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka - Swedish Charts". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien.
  27. ^ Billboard.com
  28. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka". Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  29. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka 'Tell Me a Tale: The Isle of Wight Sessions' - Digital EP". Amazon.co.uk. 18 December 2011.
  30. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka - Tell Me a Tale EP: Isle of Wight Sessions at Juno Records". Juno. 30 June 2011.
  31. ^ "iTunes Festival: London 2011 – EP by Michael Kiwanuka". iTunes. Apple.
  32. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka 'I'm Getting Ready' - Digital EP". Amazon.co.uk. 20 December 2011.
  33. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka - I'm Getting Ready EP at Juno Records". Juno. 26 September 2011.
  34. ^ "Michael Kiwanuka 'Home Again' - Digital EP". Amazon.co.uk. 22 December 2011.
  35. ^ "I'm Getting Ready - Single by Michael Kiwanuka". iTunes. Apple.
  36. ^ "'I'll Get Along' Video Exclusive on Vevo". MichaelKiwanuka.com.
  37. ^ "New Single 'Bones' To Be Released On 24th September". MichaelKiwanuka.com.

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