Michael Kiwanuka Biography

The English musician Michael Kiwanuka was born in London in 1987. Kiwanuka’s family had escaped the Amin regime in Uganda before settling in the Muswell Hill area of the city, and as a child Michael excelled at school, particularly in the area of the arts. After studying at the University of Westminster’s School of Media – Arts and Design, Kiwanuka began working as a session guitarist while preparing for his own career as a musician.

Michael Kiwanuka’s talents caught the attention of Communion Records, which signed the artist in 2010 and through which he released his first two EPs. Kiwanuka’s career got a big boost when he opened for Adele on her 2011 tour, and the success of his performances garnered a new recording contract with Polydor Records in 2011.

Polydor released Michael Kiwanuka’s debut album, Home Again, in 2012. The album was a critical and commercial success, rising into the top ten in five European countries and into the top five in the United Kingdom. The album spawned a number of notable singles, including “Home Again,” “I’ll Get Along,” “Bones,” and the single “I’m Getting Ready,” which charted in the United States and brought Michael’s music to the American audience. The album also earned Michael Kiwanuka a Brit Award nomination, a BBC Award for the Sound of 2012, and a BBC Music Award nomination for Album of the Year.

Clearly, Michael Kiwanuka is a star on the rise and one to watch in the coming years. He recently released his follow-up album, Love & Hate, which fared even better than his debut, rising to the number one spot in the UK. The album earned Kiwanuka another Brit Award nominations, for British Male Solo Artist, and spawned the singles “Black Man in a White World,” “Love & Hate,” “One More Night,” and “Cold Little Heart,” all of which charted in the United States.