Michael Kiwanuka – the British soul star at Pohoda 2019
The British soul singer, Michael Kiwanuka, is also going to play at Pohoda 2019. The winner of the BBC's Sound, nominated twice for the Mercury Prize, recorded a remarkable award-winning Love & Hate album in 2016. It reached the top of the UK sales, while the media such as The Telegraph, Chicago Tribune and Mojo gave it the best possible rating. He is an artist who is compared to stars such as Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, and Van Morrison. Michael Kiwanuka will bring the best of the current British soul to Trenčín.
23. December 2018
He came to greater public awareness in 2011 when he supported Adel on her tour. In 2012, he released his debut album, Home Again, which was ranked fourth in the British chart. In the same year he became the winner of the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll. One year later, he collaborated with Jack White on songs “You've Got Nothing To Lose” and “Waitin 'Round To Die”. The producer Danger Mouse (Gorillaz, The Black Keys, Adele, U2) collaborated with him on his second album, Love & Hate. The album got to the top of the British chart, and coincidentally, it was on the 60th birthday of the official album sales chart. Like his predecessor, Love & Hate was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The extraordinarily praised album obtained 10 points out of ten from The Telegraph, Chicago Tribune, and Mojo. According to the last mentioned one, the album is full of powerful melodies, lyrics that hit you, sharp riffs, extremely good arrangements, and likeable production.
The Guardian and GQ put him in the year-ending selection of the best albums of the year (in both cases it, incidentally, appeared close to the second album of another Pohoda’s performer, The 1975). No wonder movie and TV series makers often opt for Michael's powerful songs. His hit “Cold Little Heart” is a theme song for HBO’s Big Little Lies show. His other songs such as “Love & Hate”, “Home Again”, and “Rule the World” were also featured in famous TV series. At the beginning of 2019, he sets off for an Australian tour together with Mumford & Sons. In the conclusion of the second album review, the Mojo added the following: “Undoubtedly, he gave us something amazing. And it also works on stage.” You can come to the Trenčín airport in half a year and see for yourselves.