CityLife

Michael’s world of possibility

Michael Kiwanuka

Michael Kiwanuka – 2012’s one to watch and BBC Sound Of poll winner – felt destined for this life.

One of his earliest memories was asking his mum for a harmonica. He was three years old; he saw one in a local music shop and wanted it, but has no idea why. He didn’t even know what it sounded like.

“It looked almost like a toy,” the 25-year-old smiles, when he sits down to chat with CityLife on what has become a typically busy day in the life of the latest, greatest British soul sensation.

“But I loved sitting there listening to music when I was a young person as well. I bought my first record when I was 12 – helped by my brother, Robert.

“I think I always had an instinct towards music. I tried violin but that didn’t really fit me, so I stuck with guitar.

“Playing with people fell natural, I liked the feeling of performing and sharing music with people. But maybe I didn’t see myself as a frontman; that wasn’t natural for me. I didn’t know how someone could do that and not be embarrassed.

“But if you write music and perform, eventually that becomes a necessity.
Getting over that was quite gradual; doing the early gigs in small venues, I started to enjoy that feeling of trying to capture the audience and create that special moment. From then, I started to really embrace performing.”

His passion for guitar was substantially moved along in school when he discovered Jimi Hendrix wasn’t a white guy. And that led him towards the other artists that sought to defy and carve out their own space in blues,
soul, folk and rock, and who would come to be his musical heroes: Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield, Sly And The Family Stone, Richie Havens, Bill Withers.

It’s the last of these that Kiwanuka has been most often compared with since he put out his debut physical EP, I’m Getting Ready, last July. But his USP – in today’s parlance – is his injection of world sounds, inspired by his Ugandan heritage.

Kiwanuka may have grown up in the multicultural, comfortable suburb of Muswell Hill, north London, but his parents came from an altogether different kind of place. Not a couple at the time, they fled Uganda individually to escape the uprising against the brutal rule of dictator Idi Amin, who had come to power via a military coup in the 1970s.

“It’s not like they were chased out by the regime, but they were looking for a fresh start and new opportunities,” Michael says.

“They both moved and came here, then met here. I think it means I’ve grown up with an interesting outlook on cultures and music. One of the greatest things about music is it can be understood by anyone – it’s a universal language.

“Recently, somebody played me some music by Simón Diaz, who’s this Brazilian singer. I couldn’t understand any of the words but I was still feeling the music. And the music I listened to when I younger, jazz music, it’s influenced by so many different countries, as is soul music and rhythm and blues.

“I’ve always wanted to make the kind of music that could travel the world.”

His debut album, Home Again, looks like it could do just that. Released on March 12 and producer by Paul Butler (of The Bees), it builds on the scene setting singles he’s already released: the smooth and strangely timeless folk whimsy of the album’s title track and Michael’s break through single, the Dylan-esque chords of I’m Getting Ready and the carefree 1970s soul of Tell Me A Tale.

Support slots with the Grammy’s latest big winner, Adele, helped his profile along substantially, but ultimately it’s finding himself at the top of the BBC’s annual poll that’s been the rocket fuel he needed – and wanted.

“I find it quite exciting,” he enthuses. “For any musician, it’s a platform to be seen and heard. It’ll be quite interesting to see what happens.

“But I don’t think I would have always been ready for this. Now, though, the album’s nearly done, I like the music, I feel confident playing it, I feel quite at home on stage and I know what I’m trying to do – it’s a good time.

“Six months earlier, this would have been overwhelming. I mean, you’re always trying to progress and find out what you are, but I’m much clearer about that now. Even just to have finished a record – I mean, I’ve never finished anything in my life,” laughs Michael, who dropped out of university twice while he was trying to puzzle out where his career was destined to go.

“And I’m really proud of it. It’s a soulful folk record, a mixture of the music I love, the sounds are very warm and colourful, with many instruments from many backgrounds.

“I think maybe the soulful phase would soundtrack a Pulp Fiction kind of film with Tarantino, and maybe the rest could soundtrack an old Western.

“I hope it’s quite a bold statement – I haven’t held back on being who I am.”
He’s not even scared by the Withers and Dylan comparisons. “It’s great; to be looked up to like those musicians are would be...” he pauses, thinks, then chuckles humbly. “It would be quite cool.”

Ruby Lounge, Monday, SOLD OUT.