Michael Kiwanuka on Tour
Michael Kiwanuka first graced the stage as a solo artist in London at just 22 years old. His smooth, soulful voice quickly won over crowds. Next, with just two EPs under his belt, he found himself supporting Adele on her 2011 world tour and landing slots at festivals around the UK. After releasing his 2012 debut album, Home Again, the singer-songwriter headed off on an extensive world tour that would include performances at Lollapalooza, Glastonbury and other major festivals around the world. Since, he released his second album, Love & Hate, and has spent much of his time on the road. With only a brief break in 2018, Kiwanuka returned to stages across Europe and the U.S. in 2019.
Michael Kiwanuka in Concert
Michael Kiwanuka gives the warm, comforting sound of classic folk, rock and soul a melancholic modern twist — and makes it all feel timeless. The English singer-songwriter, born to Ugandan parents, grew up in London surrounded by music. He listened to Nirvana and Blur, but became most inspired by Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Otis Redding. He played in rock bands as a teenager, studied jazz at the Royal Academy of Music and pop at Westminster University. He started making connections in the local music scene, and eventually worked as a session guitarist for English rapper Chipmunk and former Bill Withers drummer James Gadson. Behind the scenes he was working on his own material, writing songs with just an acoustic guitar and recording a few demos. He began playing some small shows, and got the attention of Paul Butler, the frontman of indie rock group The Bees, who offered to produce his first EP. Soon enough, Kiwanuka got signed to independent label Communion Records, which released his debut EP, Tell Me a Tale, and follow-up I'm Getting Ready EP in 2011. From there, Kiwanuka's career went into overdrive. He signed to Polydor Records, toured alongside Adele and was named BBC's Sound of 2012 winner, all as he prepared for the release of his 2012 debut album, Home Again. The album peaked at No. 4 in the UK and No. 86 in the U.S. After a whirlwind world tour, Kiwanuka finally released his 2016 follow-up, Love & Hate, coproduced by Butler and Danger Mouse. The album debuted at No. 1 in the UK and featured hit singles "Cold Little Heart" (which eventually became the opening theme for the HBO series Big Little Lies) and the title track. After another few years, he returned with the disco-infused single "Money," a collaboration with Tom Misch.
