Michael Kiwanuka: 'I don't want to have any barriers'
A singer-songwriter and one to watch in 2012
Chris Swindells - 04 January 2012
Ever the consummate professional, Michael Kiwanuka
rounds off his solo acoustic set to the applause of a ragtag huddle of pausing suits and musical chancers in the main hall
of St Pancras International Station.
“It’s quite cool. It’s just good to
play to strange faces sometimes,” he remarks following his Station Sessions set, from a more secluded corner of
the champagne bar upstairs in the station.
“The only other weird thing was a black cab.” He
sits mulling over the bizarre shows that bookend his live show history. “That was odd, but was still fun, it was
very pleasant.”
Unreservedly humble and softly spoken, Michael Kiwanuka
is primed, he’s tipped to be one of the biggest musical success stories of 2012. Unlike most stars touted for such success,
his modest demeanour and easy chat doesn’t give much clue to the pure soul and blues infused musical talent that the
man possesses. 2011 has already been the biggest career opening year for the North London born singer-songwriter: tours with
Adele, big festival shows and two EPs on Communion
Records. “It’s been non-stop until pretty much today,” he says, deep into December.
“It’s been like a dream. I’ve never wanted to do anything else than be a musician,”
Michael says, a book open to rife through the pages.
With years plying his trade as a session musician, for hip
hop producer Labrinth amongst others, Michael only began writing his own material four years ago: “I
didn’t know I’d ever sing them, or anyone would ever hear them. I just liked the feeling of writing a song.”
The BBC Sound of 2012 recognition that came just days before we speak with him wouldn’t come
as a shock to many close to the industry. Not least to Michael’s long term supporters, part time label and full time
support group, Communion which is home to a roster of nu-folk artists: “It’s just like a really good, cool
support trust for likeminded musicians who want to make music a certain way.” Michael admits, but when it comes
to standing shoulder to shoulder with Mumford & Sons and the other Communion bodies, does he ever feel a musical outsider?
“I’m a massive folk fan and roots fan so I definitely identify to them in that sense, but I definitely don’t
feel part of their scene,” he says. “Not in a negative way just because I seem to want to go everywhere
and see what happens.
“I don’t want to have any barriers.”
For the greater
part of the last year breaking down barriers has taken Michael all over the festival scene. Hard Rock Calling
was a shock, just for the stage size alone: “You walk on there and it’s like a hundred metre trek.”
Others were just intimidating. “I’m always quite nervous at festivals, just because I’ve got this thing
in my head where you have to be the Kaiser Chiefs to pull off festivals and I don’t quite have a set
like that,” he says, “Green Man was a really pleasant surprise, it was in the Green
Man Pub so it had its own little section, and it got really quiet and really full, people just sat down and listened, and
you could hear the wind blowing, and other stages playing.”
For a man of such modest sentiments Michael’s
aspirations for the new year certainly feel grounded in something bigger. Beyond the usual desire to break America he expresses
a need to explore more unchartered regions, like Africa: “Places like Uganda, Kenya and Tazania,” he
explains. “I don’t know if they have concerts or festivals like we have.”
Michael’s
parents were born in Uganda and he visited the country through his childhood: “When my mum was younger she used
to get everything that America and the UK used to get but four years late. So The Beatles would come out, she’d get
it but four years later.”
Working on his debut ‘Home Again’, with The Bees’
frontman and producer, Paul Butler, on the Isle of Wight this year, Michael can only hope it doesn’t
take four years for anyone to hear it. “If people are expecting something huge then of course you’re going
to worry that maybe it’s not going to be huge, but then in a weird way a bit of pressure is good.”
If pressure from end of year polls and press hype for his forthcoming debut are not visible then it’s a huge wonder
where his new years resolution comes from: ”Just to be positive about everything,” he remarks. Adding,
with no sense of irony, “Because I’m quite negative sometimes.”
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